Mass. actor and Boston University grad Michael Chiklis was last seen on television hosting the Boston Pops 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular from the Hatch Shell. But he’ll be back on the small screen this fall in a new role, as mobster Vincent Savino on the CBS drama “Vegas.” The series, set in the ’60s, chronicles the transformation of Las Vegas from dusty western town to modern gambling and entertainment mecca, and stars Dennis Quaid as real-life Vegas Sheriff Ralph Lamb . Although Chiklis had expected to take more time off from acting to focus on his music after his last foray into primetime with “No Ordinary Family” (the Lowell native fronts a band), the Emmy award-winning “Shield” star said he couldn’t resist “Vegas.” The pilot of the show was written by “GoodFellas” screenwriter Nick Pileggi and was directed by James Mangold , of “Walk the Line.” And, of course, the show stars Quaid. “I couldn’t pooh-pooh that,” said Chiklis when the Globe caught up with him at a CBS party at the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills earlier this week. As for the Pops Fourth celebration, Chiklis said he would happily return. “For me it was a treat to watch Jennifer Hudson sing, from the stage, oh my God. And right there, first row center is my mom and my dad and uncles and aunts and my brother and my best friends that I grew up with. It’s a party atmosphere, it’s great. It’s a gig I’d like to do for a long time.”