Lesley Ann Warren making debut on ‘Housewives’

Teri Hatcher and Lesley Ann Warren are running errands during one of their rare hours away from the set of “Desperate Housewives.” They call in from their cell phones to promote Warren’s debut tonight as Sophie Bremmer, the klutzy mother to Hatcher’s equally clumsy Susan.

And if the actresses are at all like their accident-prone characters, it’s a good thing they’ve both pulled over to the side of the road.

Viewers will learn that Susan – who got locked out of her house naked, fell through a floor, tripped over a bush and accidentally burned down a neighbor’s house – inherited her mom’s penchant for misfortune.

“All hell breaks loose,” Warren teases.

“We’re not kidding,” Hatcher adds, laughing. “People are maimed, cars are damaged, buildings are destroyed.”

Warren’s casting is “absolutely brilliant,” says James Denton, who plays Hatcher’s love interest, Mike the plumber. “Lesley Ann looked at some episodes, came in – and basically is Susan. Though I kid her that she’s way too young to be playing Teri’s mom.”

That was precisely the concern Warren, 58, had when approached to play parent to Hatcher, 40.

“I wanted to run screaming out of the room,” admits Warren, still beloved by fans – including Hatcher – for the 1965 TV musical “Cinderella.”

Then came the news that Sophie’s boyfriend, pancake-house owner Morty, would be played by 75-year-old TV icon Bob Newhart.

But Warren was reassured by “Housewives” creator Marc Cherry that Sophie would be portrayed as girlish and flirtatious.

“She’s more like my sister, dragging me out to bars,” says Hatcher, describing their buddy relationship as similar to the one Susan shares with her teenage daughter, Julie.

Warren’s fitting in so well that she may be tapped to return for Season 2, which is happy news for Hatcher: “As far as I’m concerned, she’s welcome every single day.”