Danson joins 'CSI' cast

It is a long way from running a bar on the sitcom 'Cheers', but this autumn Ted Danson will join the cast of 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation', CBS has announced.

Danson will play the new supervisor for the Las Vegas CSI team.

It is the position originally held by William Petersen and then filled by Laurence Fishburne, who had been on the show since its 2008-09 season.

Besides his CSI duties, Danson will remain a series regular on the HBO comedy series, 'Bored to Death', CBS said.

The 63-year-old Danson first found TV stardom nearly 30 years ago playing Boston bar owner Sam Malone on 'Cheers', a comedy hit on NBC that ran for 11 seasons.

CSI will begin its 12th season with Danson aboard on September 21.