BITTY SCHRAM RETURNS TO GUEST-STAR IN EIGHTH & FINAL SEASON OF AWARD-WINNING HIT SERIES "MONK"

Production Start on Last Season of TV's Favorite Show

NEW YORK, NEW YORK � March 24, 2009 � USA Network announced today that original show cast member Bitty Schram will guest-star in an episode of the eighth and final season of the critically acclaimed original series MONK. The last season of the hit show, which stars Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG winner Tony Shalhoub, started production this week in Los Angeles and will debut this summer.

Schram ("A League of their Own") co-starred on the show from its inception as Monk's beloved nurse and "Girl Friday" sidekick, Sharona Fleming. During season three, her character moved back to New Jersey with her son to re-marry her ex-husband.

"We couldn't think of a better way to help wrap up the series than with the return of Bitty's character," said Shalhoub. "Bringing some closure to Sharona is long overdue."

Tony Shalhoub ("Big Night," "Wings," "Men in Black") has earned three Emmy Awards (with six nominations), a Golden Globe Award and two SAG Awards for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of Adrian Monk, a brilliant detective who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Due to the tragic unsolved murder of his wife, Monk developed an abnormal fear of germs, heights, crowds and virtually everything else, which provides an unusual challenge to solving crimes � not to mention his day-to-day existence. Traylor Howard ("Two Guys and a Girl," "Me, Myself and Irene"), Ted Levine ("Heat," "Moby Dick") and Jason Gray-Stanford ("Taken," "A Beautiful Mind") also star.

MONK is executive produced by David Hoberman ("Bringing Down the House," "The Negotiator"), Andy Breckman ("The Late Show with David Letterman," "Rat Race"), Tony Shalhoub, Randy Zisk ("House," "Grey's Anatomy") and Tom Scharpling ("The Best Show on WFMU"). David Breckman ("Saturday Night Live"), Jack Bernstein, Hy Conrad and Joe Toplyn serve as co-executive producers. Anthony Santa Croce ("Carnivale") returns as producer with Fern Field ("Kane & Abel," "Heartsounds") serving as consultant. MONK is from Universal Cable Productions in association with Mandeville Films, Inc. and ABC Studios.

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