Dead Like Me

Georgia "George" Lass (ELLEN MUTH) is a young college drop-out who has no job skills and seems unable to take an interest in anything, including her own life. She cultivates an air of cynicism that infuriates her mother, baffles her father, and isolates her younger sister. George is about to get a wake-up call.

With her mother Joy (CYNTHIA STEVENSON) insisting that she get a job, George applies to a temp agency that sends her out as a file clerk. Her lunch break - and her life - are cut short when a toilet seat from the MIR space station drives her into the pavement. George does not realize that she is dead until Rube (MANDY PATINKIN), the kindly leader of a team of grim reapers, points out her remains. Rube takes George under his wing and introduces her to the other members of his un-dead group: Mason (CALLUM BLUE), Roxy (JASMINE GUY) and Betty (REBECCA GAYHEART).

The members of Rube's team of reapers are all, like George, people who died with unresolved issues. They still have lessons to learn that - for one reason or another - they failed to learn in life. They move about the Pacific Northwest in the full light of day. They walk the city streets and eat at all-night diners, just like anyone else. They have to find somewhere to live, cook, eat and do their laundry. They look just like everyone else but as grim reapers they appear physically different to the living than they did when they were alive.

Cast
Ellen Muth
Georgia "George" Lass:

Following an unfortunate encounter with a Soviet-era toilet seat, this smart and sassy 18-year old learns that she is the newest recruit for the Pacific Northwest chapter of grim reapers. Initiated into this secretive society of soul collectors, George eventually comes to terms with the ghoulish duties with which she has been assigned. She must, however, reconcile certain unresolved issues which still linger from her life among the living before she is allowed to "move on."

Although she is only in her early 20s, Ellen Muth can already claim several years of experience on stage, in film and on television. A unique combination of youthful looks, mature attitude and extensive acting experience made her the perfect choice for the role of George in DEAD LIKE ME.

Muth became interested in acting as a child and started acting studies at age 10. At 14, she drew widespread attention with her portrayal of the young Selena in the Stephen King-based feature film, "Dolores Claiborne" starring Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh (as the adult Selena) and Christopher Plummer.

Following "Dolores Claiborne," Muth appeared on stage in the off-Broadway production "Nine Armenians," before taking time off from acting to finish school with her friends. Her feature film credits include "Rain," written and directed by Katherine Lindberg, and "A Gentleman's Game," directed by J. Mills Goodloe. Her first starring role in a feature film, as Constance in "The Young Girl & the Monsoon," earned Muth the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival Best Actress Award in 1999.

On television, Muth has appeared in two episodes of "Law & Order," the television movies "Two Against Time," "The Truth about Jane," "Cora, Unashamed," and the pilots "Being Brewster" and "Normal, Ohio." She also appeared in the miniseries "Superfire" and "Only Love."

Mandy Patinkin
Rube

George's new boss and mentor. Caring and wise, he guides his grim gang in matters both pedestrian and otherworldly.
Rube, the leader of this team of grim reapers, could easily be your favorite uncle as he comes across as a kindly gentleman with a desire to help others. He is George's new boss and he is helping to guide her in the tentative first steps into her new afterlife and job position.

Mandy Patinkin's career successfully encompasses stage, music, film and television. His feature film credits include "Yentl," "Ragtime," "The Princess Bride," "Piñero," "Lulu on the Bridge," "Men with Guns," "True Colors," "Daniel," "Squanto: A Warrior's Tale," "Alien Nation" and "Dick Tracy."
On television, Patinkin has appeared in the telefilms "Everything That Rises," "The Hunchback," "Broken Glass" and the SHOWTIME Original Picture STRANGE JUSTICE. He won a 1995 Emmy® Award for his critically acclaimed performance in the CBS series "Chicago Hope."

Patinkin's extensive stage credits include "The Secret Garden" and "Sunday in the Park with George," both of which earned him Tony Award nominations. Patinkin won a Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical for his 1980 Broadway debut as Che in "Evita." Other stage credits include "The Wild Party," "The Winter's Tale," "The Knife," "Henry IV, Part I," "Leave It to Beaver is Dead," "Rebel Women," "Hamlet," "The Shadow Box," "The Split" and "Savages."

In 1989, Patinkin began his concert career at Joseph Papp's Public Theater after releasing his first solo album, entitled Mandy Patinkin. Since then, he has continued to tour extensively, appearing to sold-out audiences in the United States, Canada and London.

His other albums include Mandy Patinkin in Concert: Dress Casual, Experiment, Oscar & Steve, Leonard Bernstein's New York, Kidult and Mamaloshen (a collection of traditional, classic and contemporary songs sung entirely in Yiddish). Patinkin recently released his new CD, Mandy Patinkin Sings Sondheim.

Laura Harris
Daisy

Daisy is an actress who, before meeting her demise on the set of Gone with the Wind, was better known for her off-screen sexual exploits than for her on-screen performances. Daisy hasn't given up hope of a comeback in the afterlife, although she hasn't heard from her agent in decades.

An actress with a taste for quirky, character-driven material, Laura Harris began acting in radio dramas and animation series at the age of five in her native Canada.

Harris was recently seen as "Marie Warner" in Fox's critically acclaimed drama "24." Other television credits include the voice of "Bright Eyes" on the long-running animated series "My Little Pony" and four seasons of Nickelodeon's "Fifteen" with Ryan Reynolds.

On the big screen, Harris appeared in "A Mighty Wind" and will also star in "Going Greek," an outrageous comedy written and directed by Justin Zackham. Other film credits include "The Faculty" alongside Elijah Wood and Josh Hartnett, "Just The Ticket" with Andy Garcia and Andy Macdowell, "The Highwayman" with Jason Priestley, "Suicide Kings" with Christopher Walken, Jeremy Sisto and Johnny Galecki, the cult festival hit "Kitchen Party" with Scott Speedman and Tygh Runyan and "The Manor" with Peter O'Toole and Greta Scaachi.

An ongoing project for Harris is the production company Rocket Chicken International Pictures, which she owns with writer/director Jeff Macpherson. They recently completed their first feature "Come Together," a dark romantic comedy starring Tygh Runyan and newcomer Eryn Collins. The feature marks Harris' producing debut.

Callum Blue
Mason

If looks could kill, young Mason would be, well, a great reaper. His status as heartthrob of the group is bolstered by his callous, bad boy attitude, making him entirely irresistible.

Young Mason is part of the grim reaper team and is the kind of guy that any girl would be attracted to in this life or afterlife. This is one grim reaper who is good-looking, mischievous, and just bad enough to be fascinating - without being dangerous.

A native of London, England, Callum Blue received his theatrical training at Mountview in London.

He has appeared on television in "Love and War in the Appenines," "Shades," "The Bill," "The Practice" and "Casualty," and played the role of 'Aramis' in the Mario Andreacchio feature film "Young Blades."

Jasmine Guy
Roxy

Street-wise and strong-willed, Roxy brings a hip-hop, no-nonsense vibe to this grim grouping. Armed with sass and style, she's not afraid to be who she is while telling it like it is.
Roxy is the gorgeous, sassy and street-smart member of this troupe of grim reapers. She has no problem telling it like it is.

Jasmine Guy began her career as a dancer for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She moved to acting and television with her star-making role as snooty Southern belle Whitley Gilbert in "The Cosby Show" spin-off "A Different World." She won six consecutive NAACP Image Awards for her portrayal of Whitley, directing and writing for the series as well.

Her other television credits include "Melrose Place," "NYPD Blue," "Touched by an Angel," "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," "Living Single" and "Any Day Now." She also starred in the tele-films "Stompin' at the Savoy," Alex Haley's "Queen," "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black," and SHOWTIME'S ANNE RICE'S THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS.

Guy's first feature film, Spike Lee's "School Daze," led to many movie opportunities, including "Harlem Nights," "Diamond Men," "Guinevere" and "Kla$h." On stage, she played the role of Velma Kelly in the hit Broadway revival of "Chicago" and appeared in the Broadway productions of "Leader of the Pack" and "The Wiz." Off-Broadway, she charmed audiences in the '60s revue of "Beehive," and toured Europe in a sizzling production of "Bubbling Brown Sugar."

Guy will return to Broadway this fall, appearing opposite Robert Sean Leonard in the Manhattan Theater Club's production of "The Violet Hour." She is also currently working on a book, "Evolution of a Revolutionary; Conversations with Afeni Shakur," which will be published by Atria, a division of Simon and Schuster, and released in February 2004.

Cynthia Stevenson
Joy

Having never been able to reach her daughter, George, in life, Joy is plagued by bitterness and perhaps more than a little guilt.
Joy, is George's mother, a stubborn, head-strong woman who had an inability to connect with her daughter in life and is having an even harder time connecting with her in the afterlife.

Cynthia Stevenson began her career as a member of the cast of the short-lived syndicated series "Off the Wall" and made two memorable appearances on "Cheers" as Norm's secretary Nancy. Other television credits include the syndicated, six-day-a-week spoof "My Talk Show," the Bob Newhart sitcom "Bob," the series "Hope & Gloria" and the Lifetime sitcom "Oh Baby." She also appeared in the miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon" and had guest starring roles in "Murphy Brown," "Empty Nest," "Dream On," "Major Dad" and "Ally McBeal."

Stevenson made her feature film debut with a significant supporting role in Robert Altman's "The Player." Other feature credits include Todd Solondz's "Happiness," Jodie Foster's "Home for the Holidays," "Forget Paris," "Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch," "Air Bud: Golden Receiver," "Live Nude Girls," and an uncredited cameo appearance in "The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag."

Britt McKillip
Reggie

Complex and deeply thoughtful for an 11-year old, Reggie is George's younger sister and was devastated by her untimely death.

This uncommonly mature and emotive eleven-year old has, in her short life, already assembled a resume that many adult actors would be envious of. McKillip was nominated for a Youth in Film Award in 1999 for her performance in Showtime's "In The Doghouse." The young starlet has also appeared in the MGM series "The Outer Limits," worked with directors such as John Badham (My Brother's Keeper), Brian De Palma (Mission to Mars) and provided the voice for Sabrina in the animated feature Sabrina The Movie.

Season 1
Episode Number: 1
Dead Girl Walking
George tries to shirk her new grim reaper responsibilities, but discovers that doing so leads to nasty consequences for the souls. She also attempts to get a real job by once again gracing the doorway of the Happy Time Temp Agency.
Curious George

Episode Number: 2

George discovers the price that the dead pay when they try to hang on to their past

Reapercussions

Episode Number: 3

George finds a loophole in the "reaper rules" and decides to spare her next soul, but quickly learns that if you flip off Fate, Fate flings it back at you ten-fold.

Reaping Havoc

Episode Number: 4

George realizes that even the un-dead need friends, but she loses one when a reaper decides to jump to the other side.

My Room

Episode Number: 5

George meets her new roommate, Daisy Adair, a glamorous, but annoying 1930s actress-turned-reaper who has joined their group.

Reaper Madness

Episode Number: 6

George gets her first post-mortem kiss from a doomed schizophrenic who can see the gravelings.

A Cook

Episode Number: 7

George gets a pet and Rube takes a shift on the grill at Der Waffle Haus.

Sunday Mornings

Episode Number: 8

George makes a new friend and discovers her dad is not the person she thought he was, while Roxy's actions cause an obnoxious lout to find religion.

Business Unfinished

Episode Number: 9

Daisy enlists George's help in fleecing a wealthy society matron's son, and Roxy faces her annual struggle to come to terms with her death.

The Bicycle Thief

Episode Number: 10

Needing money to buy a bicycle, George gets a new job -- and an awkward farewell party at Happy Time - while her fellow reapers face their own complications.

Nighthawks

Episode Number: 11

George panics when Rube is assigned to pop a soul at her family's home.

Vacation

Episode Number: 12

Death takes a holiday and the reapers use the break to catch up on some paperwork.

Rest in Peace

Episode Number: 13

While George tries to get her old job back, her family prepares to visit her grave.

Season 2

Send In the Clown

Episode Number: 14

At her day job, George gets to train the boss's cute, but dumb, nephew, while Mason dresses as a clown to reap a soul at a kid's birthday party.

The Ledger

Episode Number: 15

George figures that with all the bad luck she had while she was alive, things might even out in the afterlife. But death isn't like that.

Ghost Story

Episode Number: 16

In an attempt to bond with her co-workers, George goes on the annual Happy Time retreat, but she can't escape her duties as a grim reaper.

The Shallow End

Episode Number: 17

George reflects back on her childhood and decides that the secret to popularity is being mean to people.

Hurry

Episode Number: 18

Deadlines loom large as the reapers snatch some hurried souls and George helps Delores impress an efficiency expert studying Happy Time's operations

In Escrow

Episode Number: 19

George faces her first big decision at Happy Time, and Joy looks forward to a new life after accepting an offer on the family home.

Rites Of Passage

Episode Number: 20

George experiences the power of celebrity death when she plucks the soul of a rock star.

The Escape Artist

Episode Number: 21

George nearly falls for someone she is supposed to reap, while Reggie makes friends with a young pet reaper.

Be Still My Heart

Episode Number: 22

George reunites with her new love at his father’s funeral.

Death Defying

Episode Number: 23

After losing her virginity to Trip, George sours on love when he doesn’t call.

Ashes To Ashes

Episode Number: 24

When George tries to pass herself off as the relative of a homeless man, she finds herself more involved in his death than she planned.

Forget Me Not

Episode Number: 25

Ray and Mason fight for Daisy’s affection, and George must persuade an old lady that she has really died.

Last Call

Episode Number: 26

George regrets the things she didn’t accomplish in her life, while Mason prepares to move on in the afterlife. Meanwhile, Reggie stays home alone.

Always

Episode Number: 27

George and Rube both find themselves coming face to face with their past lives.

Haunted

Episode Number: 28

Halloween is a busy day for the Reapers as a serial killer stalks the city.