Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios production/distribution companyhas sold its 2 new scripted primetime series to Tribune, Weigel and CBS TV station groups, says Deadline, as part of a 2-hour weekend primetime comedy block, that will be available to over 85% of the US TV market.

Those 2 series (both already covered on S&A) include The First Family, a sitcom about an African American family that resides in The White House, and Mr. Box Office, a sitcom about the biggest movie star in the world who is sentenced to community service, teaching English at the "toughest" high school in America…

The First Family cast includes Christopher P. Duncan (The Jamie Foxx Show) as President William Johnson; Kellita Smith as First Lady Katherine Johnson; Gladys Knight as his mother; Marla Gibbs as the First Lady’s mother; Paul Rodriguez as Dictator Rafael; and Jackee Harry as the First Lady’s sister.

Mr Box Office stars Bill Bellamy (as Mr Box Office), Tim Meadows, Vivica A. Fox, former NBA star/actor Rick Fox, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Jon Lovitz (SNL) and Gary Busey.

"There's a huge shortfall of quality family sitcoms for broadcast television stations, and we are 110 percent committed to filling that enormous void… Our number one priority is to deliver the highest quality content in the sitcom genre, and this initial 208-episode order is a big step in the right direction," said Byron Allen.

As previously noted, each pilots for each new series have been shot, with 104 episodes initially ordered.

They will run two 30-minute blocks each, back-to-back, creating the 2-hour primetime sitcom block on weekends.