Baitz signs a deal with ABC

[Sylph]

Baitz catches lucrative ABC gig

'Brothers & Sisters' creator signs overall deal

By JOSEF ADALIAN

"Brothers & Sisters" creator Jon Robin Baitz is officially joining the ABC Studios brood, inking an overall deal with the studio.

Two-year, seven-figure pact keeps Baitz as exec producer on the Alphabet's Sunday night sophomore hit. It also calls for him to develop projects for the studio through 2009.

ABC Studios exec VP Julia Franz said she first decided to pact with Baitz on "Brothers & Sisters" because of his work as a playwright.

"He's one of the truly great original voices out there, and we are eager to make a home for him so we can continue to develop material together," she said.

After a (much-documented) shaky start behind the scenes, "Brothers & Sisters" finished its frosh season as a clear-cut success, proving to be a good fit with ABC's "Desperate Housewives." Skein — an ensemble starring Sally Field, Calista Flockhart and Rob Lowe — has continued to be a strong performer during the early part of the 2007-08 season.

Baitz said he was looking forward to "formalizing" his relationship with ABC Studios.

"ABC has created a safe TV home for me," he said, adding that the studio has encouraged him to "move ahead and develop new work in my own way." Scribe said he wants to develop shows that "provoke and entertain."

Baitz was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his play "A Fair County," which was produced at Lincoln Center Theater (along with "The Substance of Fire" and "Ten Unknowns").

His most recent play, "The Paris Letter," was part of the opening season at the Mark Taper Forum's Kirk Douglas Theater. He snagged a Humanitas Award for the PBS staging of "Three Hotels," which he directed for the pubcaster's "American Playhouse" series.

Scribe's other TV credits include episodes of "The West Wing" and "Alias."

Baitz exec produces "Brothers & Sisters" with Greg Berlanti, Ken Olin and Mark B. Perry.