Showtime Greenlights Comedy Pilot from Cameron Crowe, J.J. Abrams

LOS ANGELES: Showtime has given a pilot production order to the comedy Roadies, which is written and directed by Cameron Crowe and executive produced by Winnie Holzman and J.J. Abrams.

The comedy follows the day-to-day life of a successful rock tour, seen through the eyes of music's background players: the crew members who help to get the show on the road. Crowe, who won an Oscar for his semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous, wrote and will direct the one-hour pilot, which has the potential for development as a half-hour series. Crowe will executive produce with Holzman (My So-Called Life, Wicked), who will also serve as showrunner, as well as Abrams (Lost, Fringe, Person of Interest) and Bryan Burk (Lost, Fringe, Person of Interest). Kathy Lingg (Person of Interest, Revolution) is co-executive producer.

The project is produced by Bad Robot Productions, Vinyl Films and Dooley & Company Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

"Cameron Crowe is one of my all-time movie heroes,” said David Nevins, the president of Showtime Networks. “Winnie Holzman created and wrote one of my favorite TV shows ever. J.J., among many other things, is a consummate television producer. Best of all: the comedy script they’ve come up with together is brilliant, original and full of life."

"I love that we’re finally doing Roadies," said Crowe. "J.J. and I have been talking about it for some time. We’re fans of crews, those workers up on the rigging towers, or walking feverishly with eight phones on their belt. Those quietly devoted people live huge lives, they’re often the real keepers of the flame. So happy to also be telling these stories with Showtime, and also with one of my very favorite writer-producers ever, Winnie Holzman. Let’s get this show on the road!"

“The opportunity to work with Cameron Crowe is both an honor and a dream come true,” said Holzman. “I’m grateful to J.J. Abrams, and to Showtime, and thrilled to be along for the ride.”

"Roadies is Cameron Crowe at his most musically passionate, colorful character best,” commented Abrams. “We had been talking about the series for so long, but when he actually handed me the script, it was funnier and sweeter and wilder than I had ever imagined. Showtime is the perfect home for these characters—and there is no one I've been hoping to work with more than the truly brilliant Winnie Holzman."