Nelvana signs up Hollywood voices

Canada's Nelvana has signed up several hot Hollywood talents including James Woods and Frankie Muniz to voice its new animated TV series and specials.

James Woods (Ghosts of Mississippi, Hercules) has signed on with Nelvana to voice the villainous character of Gloomious Maximus in the first ever Rolie Polie Olie feature length film: Rolie Polie Olie, The Defender of Fun.

The movie recently went into production, and is based on Nelvana’s Rolie Polie Olie TV series – a daytime Emmy-winner created by William Joyce. Now in its fifth season on The Disney Channel, the series follows the familial experiences of Olie, a vibrant young boy who just happens to be a robot.

Emmy-nominated teen actor Frankie Muniz (Malcolm InThe Middle, My Dog Skip) has also signed on with Nelvana as voice talent for its new pre-teen TV series Mo'Ville Mysteries (26×30′).

Muniz will voice the character of Mosely Muldoon, the inquisitive 12-year-old host, guide and narrator of a series that will investigate the bizarre, the unusual and the ridiculous.

The project is currently in production at Nelvana’s Toronto headquarters and is set to air on YTV in autumn 2002.

Nelvana is also in production on Santa Claus Brothers, a new one hour Christmas special that will feature the voice talents of Caroline Rhea (Sabrina, A Bug's Life), Kevin McDonald (Mad TV, Ladies Man), Harland Williams (Dumb & Dumber,There’s Something About Mary), Joe Flaherty (Back To The Future II, SCTV) and Bryan Cranston (Malcolm In The Middle, Saving Private Ryan).

Created by Michael Bedard (Sitting Ducks), the special reveals the North Pole’s best kept secret – the fact that Santa Claus has three sons who are unfortunately a lot more like the Three Stooges than the bearded man himself.