Catching up with Ted Danson...

After spending 13 years behind the bar on "Cheers" and six seasons as a grumpy doc on "Becker," Ted Danson has one of the most successful sitcom records of anyone in television.

So what is he doing for an encore?

The 60-year-old star is playing corrupt billionaire/family man Arthur Frobisher - who may or may not be dead - on the FX drama "Damages."

"I bring baggage with me, it's Ted, it's good old Ted who makes us laugh and smile," he said Tuesday. "So the balance of doing that while you're in the backseat of an Escalade with a hooker snorting cocaine and having somebody killed is kind of an interesting dynamic. You really want to hate this guy but part of you doesn't abandon your memories of 'Cheers.' My baggage makes it complex."

Ted joined fellow "Damages" cast members for a brief panel at the Television Critics Association tour in Beverly Hills and joked that he only seems to play bad guys when he works with Glenn Close, the series' star. They had previously played a married couple in 1983's "Something About Amelia" and Danson's character was molesting their daughter.

"When you're in your 30s, it's easier to be the easy-going womanizing bartender. When you're in your 60s, this is way more fun."

He was apparently killed off at the end of last season. But since he returns on a recurring basis, it's not known if he survived the hit put on him or if it is in flashbacks or a as a ghost.

"I always thought it would be interesting to bring in new fresh meat for (Glenn's) character to devour so I didn't expect to be coming back," he said. "But I'm thrilled to be working with fun, talented, creative people is just a ball - really lovely."

The Emmy winner is also doing a recurring role as himself on Larry David's HBO sitcom "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

"It's Larry's world so he just assumes that when he picks up the phone, we will come. And we do. The phone rings and for some sad reason, I'm available and I'm off to do 'Curbed' or 'Damages.'"