WEST WING ALUMNI TO REPRISE THEIR ROLES

ALL-STAR ALUMNI OF NBC'S 'THE WEST WING' WILL REPRISE THEIR ROLES IN ONE OR MORE OF THE FINAL FIVE EPISODES AS SERIES NEARS FINALE ON MAY 14

Rob Lowe, Mary-Louise Parker, Anna Deavere Smith, Emily Proctor, Marlee Matlin, Gary Cole, Tim Matheson, Timothy Busfield and Annabeth Gish to Reprise Memorable Roles from "The West Wing"

BURBANK - March 1, 2006 - The final episodes of NBC's "The West Wing" (Sundays, 8-9 p.m. ET) will see many familiar faces return to see the Emmy Award-winning series off. Rob Lowe, Mary-Louise Parker, Anna Deavere Smith, Emily Proctor, Marlee Matlin, Gary Cole, Tim Matheson, Timothy Busfield and Annabeth Gish will return to the drama to reprise their memorable characters in one or more of the final episodes - but all will not specifically appear in the finale on May 14.

Lowe will come back to serve as a senior political official. The season-long presidential race between Senator Adam Vinick (Alan Alda) and Congressman Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) will be decided before Lowe's return.

Likewise, Deavere Smith will portray presidential adviser Nancy McNally; the Golden Globe-winning Parker ("Weeds") will play women's right advocate Amy Gardner; Proctor returns as Republican attorney Ainsley Hayes; Oscar winner Matlin reprises polling expert Joey Lucas; Cole is Vice President John Hoynes; Busfield comes back as intense reporter Danny Concannon; and Gish will portray Elizabeth Bartlet Westin, the married daughter of President Bartlet (Martin Sheen).

From the drama's inception in 1999 until 2003, Lowe portrayed Seaborn, a Deputy Communications Director who left to run for Congress in California. For his performance as Seaborn, he earned an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2001.

Now in its seventh season, the sophisticated, one-hour drama series stars Emmy winner Sheen ("Apocalypse Now"), the late Emmy-winning John Spencer ("L.A. Law"), Emmy winner Bradley Whitford ("My Fellow Americans"), Emmy winner Richard Schiff ("Deep Impact"), Emmy winner Allison Janney ("American Beauty"), Emmy winner Jimmy Smits ("NYPD Blue," "L.A. Law"), Emmy winner Alan Alda ("M*A*S*H"), Emmy nominee Dule Hill ("Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk!"), Emmy nominee Janel Moloney ("Sports Night"), Emmy winner Stockard Channing ("Six Degrees of Separation"), Joshua Malina ("Sports Night"), Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth ("Wicked") and Mary McCormack ("Private Parts").

"The West Wing" holds the record for most Emmys won by a series in a single season (its first). Other awards include a Peabody Award for Excellence in Television, five Golden Globe nominations and one Golden Globe Award for Best Drama Series, and three Television Critics Association Awards.

"The West Wing" is from John Wells Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Production Inc. Wells serves as the executive producer along with Christopher Misiano, Alex Graves, Lawrence O'Donnell and Peter Noah. Aaron Sorkin is the creator.