Nick Jonas is a deadbeat dad ... on 'Last Man Standing.'

According to TVLine, Jonas will play Ryan, the absentee father of Mike Baxter's (Tim Allen) grandson. Jonas will appear in the Christmas-themed episode of the ABC comedy.

Jonas popped up on Matthew Perry's 'Mr. Sunshine' and recently filmed a guest appearance for NBC's midseason musical drama, 'Smash.'

He'll be appearing in 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' on Broadway starting this winter.

In other casting news ...

Where is the '227' cast now? NBC's 'Today' show stopped off at '227' today during its Classic TV Families Reunion Week. While the address might not be immediately familiar to some, it's significant as the series was one of the few '80s shows to feature an African-American cast.

'227,' which ran from 1985 to 1990, starred Marla Gibbs, who at that point was known best as the sassy maid from 'The Jeffersons.' Gibbs played a mom in a Washington, D.C. middle class neighborhood, while sexy Jackée Harry became the series' breakout star and the late Helen Martin had the best lines.

What's the cast up to now? Find out after the jump.

Alaina Reed Hall, who starred as Olivia on 'Sesame Street' and later set up shop at '227,' died Dec. 17 in Los Angeles after a lengthy fight with breast cancer, according to a report in the Springfield News-Sun. The Ohio native was 63.

Hall played Olivia, a kind-hearted photographer, for 12 seasons on the venerable children's show. She told the News-Sun in 2004 it was "the best job I ever had." While still working on 'Sesame,' Hall was cast in the urban sitcom '227' as Rose Holloway. That series ran from 1985 until 1990 and preceded other small parts on series' ranging from 'Blossom' to a recurring role as a judge on 'Ally McBeal.' Get more at PopEater.com

Another celebrity death has hit the world of the small screen.

Actress Alaina Reed Hall, probably best remembered for playing Rose on the sitcom 227 and Olivia on Sesame Street from the late 70s to the late 80s, passed away last week after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 63

Of course, her career stretches far beyond those two shows with parts on just about every major show in the last few decades including Friends, ER and Ally McBeal, but she was always Olivia to me. She was on the show and even the big screen spinoff Follow That Bird during my formative years, so her sweet and endearing demeanor performance as Olivia pretty much stuck her with the role.

I'm sure if I met her in person, I would accidentally call her Olivia at least four times and something tells me she would not have minded a bit.

It may have been the Me Decade.

But in TV land, the sisters were doin' it for themselves and finally getting respect as cops, war nurses and working moms; iconic shows like 'Hill Street Blues,' 'St. Elsewhere' and 'L.A. Law' would forever change (for the better) cop, medical and legal dramas; and no idea was too high concept to fill a primetime spot (time-travelling physicist? check; housewife-turned-CIA op? check; New York City beauty in love with a subterranean monster? check).

The bottom line: They all add up to 10 years of fine channel surfing -- and our awesome list of the 40 best series of the 1980s.

Oh, they don't make 'em like this anymore.

After the jump is a video from the NBC 60th Anniversary show in 1986 (very interesting). It's rather surreal. We get to see Bea Arthur, Nell Carter, Charlotte Rae (Mrs. Garrett from Facts of Life), Marla Gibbs, and Alfonso Ribiero sing a song about "family." That's the NBC family, that is, as all of them were starring on shows at the time (Facts of Life, Golden Girls, Gimme A Break, 227, and Silver Spoons). Punky Brewster herself makes an appearance too, but only to say three words and gives a thumbs up. Barbara Eden introduces the song. The most cringe-worthy moment isn't any of the singing, it's when Gibbs and Carter pass each other on the stairs and casually say that they love each other's shows.

Can you imagine a network doing this now? I want to see Hugh Laurie, Stewie, the guys from Prison Break, Marge Simpson, and Gordon Ramsay get on stage at the next Emmy Awards and sing about the FOX family.

[via Best Week Ever]