NORTH HOLLYWOOD — The outside of Salami Studios looks more like an abandoned building than the hotbed for one of the hottest animated shows on the Disney Channel. Behind the rather dismal exterior is the modern-looking recording studio where the audio for “Handy Manny” is recorded.

“Handy Manny” is a multicultural series that teaches young viewers basic Spanish words and phrases plus exposes them to aspects of Latin culture. This is done through the industrious handyman Handy Manny (voiced by Wilmer Valderrama) and his talkative tools.

New episodes include the introduction of a new character: Flicker, a talking flashlight. Country singer Grey DeLisle provides the voice.

Audio has to be finished months in advance to give the computer animators time to create the visual part of the series.

Fred Stoller arrives first. The lanky stand-up comedian provides the voice of Rusty The Wrench. He's appeared on television shows from “Seinfeld” to “My Name Is Earl.”

“I have been doing more voice work in recent years,” Stoller says. “You don't have to shave or get dressed up. It is a lot of fun because you can be the voice of a cat or a monkey wrench, things you could never do on camera.”

The rest of the cast filters in over the next 45 minutes. The talent includes Carlos Alazraqui (Felipe the Phillips Screwdriver), Dee Bradley Baker (Turner the Screwdriver), Tom Kenny (Mr. Lopart), Kath Soucie (Dusty the Saw), Nika Futterman (Squeeze the Pliers), Nancy Truman (Kelly) and Valderrama.

Moments before the cast is to move to the recording studio, Valderrama is going over his script in a small room on the second floor of the building. He was working as an executive producer and on-air host of “Yo Momma” when the chance to be a voice actor was suggested.

The show is not just another job for Valderrama. He wanted to make sure “Handy Manny” had just the right tone.

“I didn't want it to be preachy,” Valderrama says. “I wanted the show to be something fun where subliminally kids could walk away with something. I love how diverse it is. I think it is a show that screams what America is today.”

When he came to the United States from Venezuela at the age of 14, Valderrama could not speak English. He devoted every free moment to learning the language and was speaking English comfortably in a few months. Four years later he was cast on “That '70s Show.” That's a big reason he takes great pride in how “Handy Manny” helps foster interest in a second language.

At 6:35 p.m., the voice talents file into the studio. Some animated shows record each actor separately. Their work is edited together later. That's not how “Handy Manny” works. The gang's all here.

All of the voice acting work has paid off for the series. Since its debut in September 2006, “Handy Manny” has consistently ranked among the top 20 series on broadcast and basic cable with its target audience of viewers ages 2-5.

And it is a hit in other parts of the world. “Handy Manny” is a top-rated show in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Argentina, Chile and Columbia.