Jennifer Love Hewitt Eric Idle Jonathan Katz Lisa Kudrow Jane Leeves Eugene Levy Vicki Lewis Jennifer Jason Leigh Heather Locklear Andrea Martin Melissa Manchester Wink Martindale Reba McEntire Idina Menzel Kathy Najimy Wayne Newton John O'Hurley Cheri Oteri Joe Pantoliano Mandy Patinkin Jeremy Piven Annie Potts Charles Nelson Reilly Carl Reiner Paul Reubens RuPaul William Shatner Richard Simmons Jerry Stiller George Takei Jeffrey Tambor Holland Taylor Jay Thomas Stephen Tobolowsky Jim Varney Vince Vaughn Patrick Warburton Steven Weber Betty White Fred Willard Steven Wright Production Development The series was produced by Tad Stones, who had previously produced and directed the animated television series Aladdin. The directors of Hercules, John Musker and Ron Clements, jokingly said to him while the film was being produced: "Hey, Tad, we're doing a pilot for a series". The producers decided that the irreverence of the movie would be captured more easily by setting it within the events of the movie, with Stones declaring that "by ignoring continuity and trying to stay true to the elements of humor and adventure in the film, we came up with a much stronger series that really stands on its own". Since James Woods signed to voice Hades again, along with most of the cast of the film, many big-name actors were interested in taking part on the show. Over 150 celebrities took a part in the series, some self-lampooning: Merv Griffin played a griffin talk show host, game show host Wink Martindale played a riddle-expert sphinx and Mike Connors, famous for Mannix, played Athenian policeman Chipacles (named after CHiPs). Disney's revamping of Greek legend moved to the small screen in the late summer of 1998. Disney's Hercules had the Greek god still in "geek god" mode, before his "Zero to Hero" transformation. In the series, "Herc" was enrolled at Prometheus Academy, a school for both gods and mortals. Since events occur before young Herc meets and falls for the lovely Megara (Meg), he is joined by two new friends Cassandra (voiced by comedian Sandra Bernhard) and Icarus (voiced by French Stewart). Animation The animated television series' episodes and the direct-to-video film Hercules: Zero to Hero were animated by Toon City Animation, Inc. in Manila, Philippines, Walt Disney Animation Australia, Walt Disney Animation (Japan), Inc., Walt Disney Television International Japan, Studios Basara, Tama Productions, Delta Peak Productions, Frontier Pictures, Win Wood Productions, Nakamura Productions, Wang Films Productions Co., Ltd. and