The Connersare about to get a visit from one of Dan’s (John Goodman) old friends. Premiering back on September 21, Season 5 of the ABC hit sitcom keeps chugging along and now Lanford will see a new guest arrive in the form of Academy Award nomineeWilliam H. Macy. He’s set to guest star as Smitty, a close buddy of Dan’s from high school who’ll swing by Lanford for a while to hang out with the Conners.
Macy will bring quite the pedigree with him to the Conner household, scoring a pair of Emmys for both writing and starring inDoor to Doorand an Academy Award nomination for 1996’sFargo. He originally broke onto the scene with 1991’sHomicidebefore landing the starring role inThe Coen Brothers' massive film which turned him into a superstar. Despite his massive presence on the big screen with subsequent roles inBoogie Nights,Magnolia,Jurassic Park III, andWag the Dog, among others, Macy has been a television mainstay for some time now, earning Emmy nominations for everything fromERto perhaps his biggest small screen role inShameless. Among his credits on TV areSports Nights,A Slight Case of Murder,Curious George, and, more recently,The Dropout.
Macy comes into the picture during a time of change for the Conner family. The end of Season 4 saw both Darlene (Sarah Gilbert) and Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) tie the knot with their respective beaus Ben (Jay R. Ferguson) and Neville (Nat Faxon), meaning they finally decide to move out of the Conner house. To save money, they go on a double honeymoon, leading to a chaotic, stressful getaway full of the hilarity the family is known for. The arrival of Macy as Smitty could pave the way for more Dan-centric stories with an old buddy around the house to joke around with.
RELATED:How to Watch ‘The Conners’ Season 5
Macy will join a cast starring Goodman, Metcalf, and Gilbert alongsideLecy Goranson,Michael Fishman,Emma Kenney,Ames McNamara, andJayden Rey. A follow-up to the beloved original seriesRoseanne,The Connersis created byMatt Williams, who also conceived of the original series.Bruce Helford,Bruce Rasmussen, andDave Caplandeveloped the series and served as executive producers alongside Gilbert,Tom Werner, andTony Hernandez.
The ConnersSeason 5 is currently airing on ABC with episodes available to stream on Hulu after airing. Check out a promo for the hit sitcom below.
