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Playhouse Disney's 'Special Agent Oso' gets Mel Brooks, Brad Garrett to guest star

By April MacIntyre May 18, 2010, 14:42 GMT

04/23/2010 - Mel Brooks - Mel Brooks Honored With A Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame - 6712 Hollywood Blvd - Hollywood, CA. USA © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

The big yellow bear of Playhouse Disney is getting some high profile guest stars.

Academy Award-winning actor, writer, producer, director Mel Brooks, Emmy Award-winning actor Brad Garrett and famed Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz guest star in the second season of Disney Channel's Emmy-nominated Playhouse Disney series, "Special Agent Oso," starring Academy Award nominee Sean Astin.

The fun begins for Oso begins on Saturday July 10 (8:00–8:30 a.m. ET/PT), with new episodes every Saturday throughout July and August.

The season will include the introduction of two new special agent characters: Buffo the water buffalo, voiced by Brad Garrett, is a slightly clumsy and excitable inventor charged with creating all of Oso's special agent gadgets. And Oso finds a new sparring partner in special agent Musa, a mysterious stuffed animal ninja who has taken a vow of silence and dons a traditional keikogi.

Mel Brooks, whose grandson is a fan of the series, guest stars as snoring Grandpa Mel. Lou Holtz guest stars as the football-playing Uncle Lou. Other guest voices include Lisa Loeb, Rita Moreno, Ming-Na, Freddy Rodriguez and Rebecca Romijn.

The hit interactive series emphasizes discovery, humor and organizational skills for preschoolers. Storylines in the upcoming season model social and life skills, from the importance of telling the truth to what to do if you get lost, as well as many fun physical outdoor activity-themes, including playing catch, miniature golf, riding a scooter, playing tag and throwing a football.

Paying homage to special agent classics, the series follows Oso, voiced by Astin, a bumbling stuffed panda bear who works for U.N.I.Q.U.E. (United Network for Investigating Quite Usual Events), an international organization of stuffed animals charged with helping kids accomplish everyday tasks such as mailing a letter, cleaning their room or learning how to use the library.

"Special Agent Oso" airs daily at 8:00 a.m. ET/PT during Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney programming block for preschoolers. The series carries a TV-Y parental guideline.