ABC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Former “All My Children“ leading men Cameron Mathison and Thorsten Kaye are scheduled to help heat up the primetime schedule later this winter. Mathison is scheduled to hit the sheets with one of televisions original housewives on the last season of ABC’s “Desperate Housewives.” Meanwhile, Kaye will show up on NBC’s highly anticipated mid-season replacement, the musical drama “Smash,” where his character will turn the temperature up for a brassy and determined Broadway producer going through some rough personal and professional times.

Mathison will appear opposite former “One Life to Live” star Marcia Cross on “Desperate Housewives” this January. In the wake of an unsuccessful suicide attempt, Cross’ character, Bree Van de Kamp, will take up an interesting new hobby to mask her personal woes. The fiery red head will begin picking up random men at bars for drinks and hot sex. Mathison will make an enticing contribution to Bree’s nasty new habit on Sunday, January 22. Mathison debuted as Ryan Lavery on “AMC” in 1997 and, amongst various other projects, has recently been keeping busy as a correspondent for “Good Morning America.”

Last fall, a publicist for the NBC’s “Smash” confirmed to Soap Opera Network that, while scripts were still in the middle of being written, Kaye would be portraying the recurring role of a love interest for the character of Eileen Rand on the series. Eileen, played by Academy Award winner (“Prizzi’s Honor“) Angelica Huston, will be going through a very tense split from her business partner and husband - who both just happen to be the same man, Jerry Rand (Michael Christofer). When recently contacted for an update on Kaye’s role we were told there was “nothing further” to add at this time. As per Kaye’s official website, look for the actor to make his debut on the seventh original episode of the series which should air in March. Kaye started his daytime career on “One Life to Live” in 1995 and ended it, for the time being, on “AMC” in 2011. “Smash” debuts on Monday, February 6 on NBC.

Photo Credit Bob D’Amico/ABC

Something must be in the air as ABC stars Marcia Cross and Patrick Dempsey have welcomed twins into their respective families.

People magazine is reporting that Marcia Cross, 44, who plays Bree Van De Kamp on ABC’s “Desperate Housewives, gave birth to fraternal twin girls on Tuesday, February 20. The actress and stockbroker husband Tom Mahoney, 49, named the twins Eden and Savannah, the magazine stated.

“Mother and babies are all doing well,” said spokesperson Heidi Slan.

Previously, Cross was ordered to bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy. “Housewives” was forced to work around her pregnancy order and decided to rap Cross’ storyline earlier than planned.

In other news, Patrick Dempsey, 41, who plays Dr. Derek Shepherd on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” also welcomed twins in to the world during the month of February. Along with wife Jillian, Dempsey said hello for the first time to Darby Galen and Sullivan Patrick. The twins were born on Thursday, February 1. The Dempsey’s also have a four-year-old daughter named Talula.

“I think the thing about Patrick is, obviously he has a tremendous love for his wife and his daughter, but he has a tremendous sense of duty,” said “Anatomy” co-star Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey), when speaking to People magazine.

“He’s really sort of old-fashioned in that way – he’s got a good sense of being a gentleman and taking care of his family, and that’s what makes him a good dad. It’s an admirable quality.”