RYAN O'NEAL TO GUEST STAR ON ABC'S "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES"

Film icon Ryan O'Neal will guest star on an upcoming episode of "Desperate Housewives," playing Rodney Scavo, father-in-law to harried Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman).

The episode, "Your Fault," currently filming, will air next year on ABC. The story finds Rodney Scavo (O'Neal) paying a visit to Wisteria Lane to see his son, Tom (Doug Savant), favorite daughter-in-law Lynette and his four grandkids.

"Desperate Housewives" is a primetime soap with a truly contemporary take on "happily ever after " -- where the secret lives of housewives aren't always what they seem The series stars Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree Van De Kamp, Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis, James Denton as Mike Delfino, Nicollette Sheridan as Edie Britt, Steven Culp as Rex Van De Kamp, Mark Moses as Paul Young, Ricardo Antonio Chavira as Carlos Solis, Cody Kasch as Zach Young, Andrea Bowen as Julie Mayer, Jesse Metcalfe as John and Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young.

Marc Cherry ("The Golden Girls") is executive producer and creator of the series. Michael Edelstein ("Threat Matrix") and Tom Spezialy ("The District," "Ed") are executive producers, Kevin Murphy ("Reefer Madness") is co-executive producer and Charles Pratt Jr., ("Melrose Place," "General Hospital") is consulting producer of the series, from Touchstone Television.