Billy Baldwin, co-star of Dirty Sexy Money.

William (Billy) Baldwin doesn't think the acting Baldwin brothers get enough credit for the high quality and diversity of their work.

"I do think of that periodically, not from the perspective of conceit, but I get irked at times," said Baldwin, who plays Patrick Darling in Dirty Sexy Money, which returns for its second season on Wednesday (A, ABC).

"I so wish somebody would do a very high-profile piece on precisely what you're talking about."

William, Alec, Stephen and Daniel Baldwin certainly haven't been shy about taking on challenging roles in a wide variety of film and TV projects.

So you can understand why William gets frustrated when the Baldwin brothers become the source of giggles, primarily and simply because there are four of them.

"I only think of it when, for example, my publicist sent me this article that was written about my brother Alec and me in Men's Vogue," Baldwin recalled. "The opening line of the article was -- now, it was overall favourable and I'm not nit-picking and I don't need everything that is said about me to be a glowing rave -- but at the same time, the guy said that my family's name has been the punchline of jokes for decades. And it just made me think, what did he mean by that? Why did he say that?"

Baldwin acknowledged that he and his brothers have provided some fodder for the gossip magazines through the years, but that shouldn't interfere with an honest evaluation of the brothers' on-screen output.

"There's a lot of stuff that I'm sure has gotten us into trouble, my brother's politics, and my politics, and stuff with my brother Alec's divorce with Kim (Basinger), blah blah blah," Baldwin said. "I know there's the fun my brother Stephen will have with his born-again Christianity, or with my brother Alec and the voice-mail with his daughter.

"But if you get right down to it, my brother Alec is an Oscar nominee, a Tony nominee, an Emmy nominee, a Golden Globe nominee and a SAG nominee. Do you know how many people in the history of Hollywood ever have done that? About three or four."

As for Billy's career, he admitted he has been very selective when it comes to picking roles. He also admitted that has worked against him at times, as he has missed chances to capitalize in the aftermath of critically acclaimed projects.

Nonetheless, at this stage of his life, Baldwin has three small kids with his wife Chynna Phillips (formerly of the pop group Wilson Phillips), so he's appreciative of the regular work Dirty Sexy Money -- which also stars Donald Sutherland and Peter Krause -- has provided.

"Comparing movies to television, if any actor could have George Clooney's career or Brad Pitt's career -- just in terms of when you book them their agent tells you, 'He's not available till the spring of 2011' -- that's the creme de la creme," Baldwin said.

"But I'm in my 40s, I'm married, I've been with Chynna for 18 years, I have three kids. So to get out of bed and have the security of knowing you're on a hit TV series -- for which we haven't quite cleared the final hurdle -- that's also what we're all shooting for, to be a regular on The Sopranos, or Desperate Housewives, or whatever.

"Knowing your children are provided for is important. I'm not in George Clooney's situation, but I'm on a hit TV series. So I'm in one of the two best situations I could be in.

"And on this show, we are having as much fun as it looks like we're having."