Beau Bridges signs on as CIA director

LOS ANGELES -- One of the books that made an impression on Beau Bridges when he was growing up was "The Wisdom of Insecurity" by Alan Wilson Watts.

So why is Bridges joining the cast of "The Agency" (CBS, Thursdays, 9 p.m.) as CIA Director Tom Gage, the man meant to provide ultimate security?

"One of the things that attracted me to this subject matter is the chance to deal with the whole notion of security, which I think is important to all of us right now," said Bridges as he waited to film a scene at a Hancock Park house being used as a Washington politician's home.

Bridges, 60, a second-generation Hollywood star, expounds on Watts' book. He ponders that "insecurity is the way of the world so you would probably be a lot better off if you accepted that fact. ... You just need to jump into the river of change and enjoy yourself."

But he also acknowledges the country's obsession with security since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the complexity of balancing that against constitutional guarantees of personal freedom.

Mirrors current events

Though fictional, the show's portrayal of the inner workings of the CIA mirrors present-day events. The pilot referred to Osama bin Laden and a terrorist bomb attack. A subsequent episode was about anthrax. Filmed before Sept. 11, both were shelved, then re-edited before airing.

The producers are no longer as nervous about such story lines. "Smallpox," about terrorism and biological weapons, is the episode being filmed on this night.

But in a midseason effort to shore up the series after its sideswiped debut, the decision was made to replace CIA Director Alex Pierce, played by Ronny Cox.

"Ronny is a terrific actor but the character we had asked him to portray was a real insider. To enhance the drama we needed an outsider. ... Someone who can ask the questions about how things work, questions which the audience would want to ask," says executive producer Shaun Cassidy.

So Cox left a few episodes ago, his character forced out of the agency when a Cold War incident. On Feb. 7, Bridges will arrive as Gage -- ex-senator, war hero, family man. "Beau took a leap of faith. We had nothing for him to read. He trusted all of us to deliver," says Cassidy, who described Bridges as possessing "grounded Henry Fonda" characteristics. "We wanted someone in the Harry Truman mold who can cut to the point. ... This is definitely 'Mr. Bridges Goes to Washington.'"

"I didn't know too much about the CIA," admits Bridges. His research included reading "The Secret History of the CIA" and "The Book of Honor: Covert Lives and Classified Deaths at the CIA."

The leadership aspect

"The hardest thing I've ever had to do that was important in my life was be a good father," says Bridges, the father of five. His deal includes an agreement that he can leave early on nights his daughter plays basketball for her high school team.

Gage is also a man who isn't going to miss his daughter's soccer game, whatever the demands of his job.

"I like the leadership aspect of this character," says Bridges, reflecting on the leadership qualities of two men he admires -- his father, Lloyd Bridges, who died in 1998 at age 85, and John Wooden, the famous UCLA basketball coach. Bridges played for Wooden for one year, though he "sat on the bench most of the time." On Gage's desk, viewers may spot a "pyramid of success" building block like the one Wooden once used to illustrate life's lessons. The apex represents "faith" and "patience."