Cartoon Network has signed on actor Chris Elliott to star in “Eagleheart,” a live-action comedy that will air in the Adult Swim block. Elliott will play an aging action star with right-wing paranoia.

It appears Jon Gruden won’t be returning to coaching anytime soon. The former Raiders and Buccaneers coach and current “Monday Night Football” analyst has signed an extension with ESPN through the 2011 season, under which he will contribute to the network’s NFL Draft and Super Bowl coverage. Gruden will also work on ESPN Radio for the 2010 Rose Bowl and BCS championship game.

Ken Ober, the host of the old MTV game show “Remote Control,” died over the weekend at age 52. No cause was officially given, though blogs have said he died of a heart attack. Since the “Remote Control” days, Ober had worked as a producer on “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “Mind of Mencia” and “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.”

It’s still about cars for Charlie Vogelheim. He’s been named executive editor at IntelliChoice.com, a site that aims to educate auto consumers. Vogelheim had been vice president of automotive development at J.D. Power and Associates.

Clear Channel has named Derrick Brown director of urban programming, putting him charge of the newly formed Chicago Urban Network. The new network includes the stations WGCI-FM, WVAZ-FM and WGRB-AM.

Linda G. Harvard, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Playboy Enterprises, is leaving the company after 12 years. Her resignation is effective Dec. 31, and Playboy has already begun looking for a successor.

Northstar Travel Media, which publishes Meetings & Conventions magazine, has named Thomas Cintorino executive vice president of digital media. Cintorino previously held a similar position at PennWell Corp.

Warner Bros. International Television Distribution has promoted Michael Puopolo to vice president of research, reporting to senior vice president of sales for Canada, Latin America and Asia Jim Brehm and senior vice president of programming and marketing Greg Drebin. Puopolo has been with the company for 13 years, most recently as director of international research and Latin American client services.

Edward Woodward, star of the 1980s show “The Equalizer,” died over the weekend at age 79 after suffering from a variety of illnesses. On “Equalizer” Woodward played secret agent Robert McCall, a role that earned him a best actor Golden Globe in 1987.

It’s okay for Marty Petty to loaf around. Petty has been named chief executive officer at Creative Loafing, which owns six alternative newsweeklies. Petty previously served as publisher of the St. Petersburg Times and the Hartford Courant.

Journal Register Co. is upping the digital ante, and it’s doing so with Daniel M. Sarko. The company has added Sarko as chief digital officer, a new position at the company. Sarko was previously vice president and interim general manager for interactive at Philadelphia Media Holdings.

John J. O’Conner, a TV critic at The New York Times for more than 25 years, died last week of lung cancer at age 76. O’Conner joined The Times in 1971 and was with the paper until he retired in 1997.

DDB Korea has a new chief executive officer. The agency has named Tae-Yong (Ted) Kim CEO, effective Dec. 1. Kim was previously executive director of the account and marketing divisions at Innocean Worldwide.

Creative Channel Services, a retail marketing agency, has brought in Gregg Nole as senior vice president of client solutions. Nole joins from Sony, where he was most recently director of channel services, consumer sales and marketing.

Gary Ginsberg, executive vice president of global marketing and corporate affairs at News Corp., is leaving the company at the end of the year. Ginsberg, who has acted as a liaison between News Corp. head Rupert Murdoch and the Democratic party, will stay on as an adviser to Murdoch.