(SoapOperaNetwork.com) -- Celebrity Billy Dee Williams joins the cast of General Hospital: NightShift.

"General Hospital's" night time spin-off which will make it's debut on SOAPnet on Thursday, July 12, will also be Billy Dee Williams' first appearance on a soap after 41 years. The 70 year old actor appeared on "Guiding Light" back in 1966 as Dr. Jim Frazier. Williams joins the cast of "General Hospital: Night Shift" as a singing custodian who has a mysterious past.

In this week's issue of TV Guide, Williams is quoted as saying, ""He sings too -- that's a little scary for me but I'm going to make a grand attempt," says Williams with a laugh. "Toussaint, used to be famous. He was a member of the Saints - a group like the Temptations - until his life took a turn. He lost all his success but eventually came to terms with it and ended up a pretty cool, philosophical guy."

In other reports regarding the spin-off, characters of "Night Shift" could possibly be seen on the daytime version "General Hospital." Could "GH" fans be seeing Williams on "GH" in the future? According to Williams, "I don't think so...well it all depends on what they offer," Williams waffles. "I'm a capitalist. Gimme the money, baby!"

"General Hospital: NightShift" will premiere on SOAPnet in July and will air one full hour episodes, once a week, for 13 weeks. "NightShift" will be slated around the younger set of characters from it's daytime version, "General Hospital." Fans can expect to see "NightShift" headlined by Kimberly McCullough (Dr. Robin Scorpio) and Jason Thompson (Dr. Patrick Drake.)

-- Edited by everbran at 10:39, 2007-05-22