"THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE," THE HIT, ANIMATED ADVENTURE COMEDY, AIRS AS A PRESENTATION OF ABC'S "THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY," SATURDAY, JULY 9

The Film's Voice Cast Includes David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton, Wendie Malick and Eli Russell Linnetz

"The Emperor's New Groove," which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Music, Song, will air in HDTV format and 5.1-channel surround sound and Video Description as a presentation of "The Wonderful World of Disney," SATURDAY, JULY 9 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 10/4/01)

The Oscar nomination for the song "My Funny Friend and Me" went to Sting as composer/lyricist and David Hartley as composer. The voice cast includes David Spade ("Joe Dirt," ABC's "8 Simple Rules"), John Goodman ("Monsters, Inc.," TV's "Father of the Pride"), Eartha Kitt ("I Woke Up Early the Day I Died"), Patrick Warburton ("Dirt," ABC's "Less than Perfect," voice of Buzz Lightyear), Wendie Malick (ABC's "Jake in Progress," TV's "Just Shoot Me"), Eli Russell Linnetz, Kellyann Kelso and Bob Bergen.

"The Emperor's New Groove" tells the story of Kuzco (David Spade), the spoiled, teenaged emperor of a mystical kingdom. The self-centered Kuzco makes the mistake of firing his advisor, Yzma (Eartha Kitt). Vowing revenge and seeking the throne, Yzma assigns her faithful but distracted henchman, Kronk (Patrick Warburton), to poison Kuzco. A better cook than a crook, Kronk botches the job and the emperor is turned into a llama instead of being dispatched to the afterlife. Not safe in the palace, Kuzco makes his way to the forest where he discovers life is hazardous for a llama. The emperor is rescued - on a few occasions -- by the jovial peasant Pacha (John Goodman), who lives on a hilltop with his wife, Chicha (Wendie Malick), and their children. Pacha and Kuzco are off to a slapstick romp through the forest that eventually brings them back to the palace.

"The Emperor's New Groove" stars the voice cast of David Spade as Kuzco, John Goodman as Pacha, Eartha Kitt as Yzma, Patrick Warburton as Kronk, Wendie Malick as ChiCha (Pacha's wife), Eli Russell Linnetz as Tipo, Kellyann Kelso as Chaca, Bob Bergen as Bucky (The Squirrel), Tom Jones as Theme Song Guy, Patti Deutsch as Waitress, John Fiedler as Old Man and Joe Whyte as Official.

The 2000 animated film was directed by Mark Dindal from a story by Roger Allers ("Aladdin," "Beauty and the Beast," "The Little Mermaid"), Dindal, Matthew Jacobs ("Young Indiana Jones" series), Chris Williams and David Reynolds ("Fantasia/2000," "A Bug's Life"). The film is a production Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures. (CLOSED-CAPTIONED). This film carries a TV-G parental guideline.

"THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE"
The ABC Television Network's HDTV broadcast of "The Emperor's New Groove" will air in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1-channel surround sound and Video Description via the SAP channel.