HBO orders fourth season of showbiz comedy

LOS ANGELES -- The Hollywood adventures of Vincent Chase will continue into 2007 and beyond.

HBO has picked up a fourth season of its comedy "Entourage," which scored its first Emmy win (for supporting actor Jeremy Piven) this year and also enjoyed its best ratings in three seasons over the summer. The network has ordered 12 new episodes of the show.

"'Entourage' is a standout hit for HBO," HBO Entertainment President Carolyn Strauss says. "Thanks to a terrific cast and razor-sharp writing and directing, this smart, funny show has become a genuine phenomenon."

The show's third season, which focused on Vince's (Adrian Grenier) career following the blockbuster success of his movie "Aquaman," averaged about 2.5 million viewers for first-run airings (not counting repeats or on-demand viewing), easily the best of its run so far. The 12-episode run conclude with Vince, who had self-sabotaged his career several times post-"Aquaman," firing long-time agent Ari Gold (Piven).

The series also stars Kevin Connolly as Eric, Vince's long-time friend and manager; Kevin Dillon as Vince's older brother Johnny Drama; and Jerry Ferrara as Turtle, Vince's friend, driver and wannabe music manager.

Season three will resume in early 2007 with eight more shows that will likely be paired with the final episodes of "The Sopranos." HBO hasn't set a firm timetable for the fourth season.