Aug. 2--Warren Buffett's plan to teach children how to invest their money is about to go online, more than three years after it was billed as a possible network TV show.

"The Secret Millionaire's Club," a title and concept originated by Buffett and his animation friend, Andy Heyward, is now headed for AOL distribution through a series of "Webisodes" to begin this fall.

When the project was first announced in 2003, the idea was to produce 13 episodes and show them on Saturday mornings on CBS or market them on DVDs.

Now AOL will produce several three-to-five-minute Webisodes and distribute them through social networking sites, plus interactive games and other online features.

Besides Buffett on investing, three related series will feature household guru Martha Stewart on cooking, crafting, gardening and event planning; Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen as an environmental protector; and the late astronomer Carl Sagan on the adventures of science.

Buffett pursued the series thanks to Heyward, who for many years has volunteered his company's time and talent to produce the cartoon part of the movie shown at the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. shareholders.

Since plans for "Millionaire's" began, Heyward sold his production company, DiC Entertainment, to Cookie Jar Group for $195 million, according to the entertainment newspaper Variety. He and his wife, Amy Moynihan, then co-founded a children's media company in partnership with AOL, called A Squared Entertainment.

ANDY & AMY -- AE, GET IT?

Capital Cities/ABC, in which Buffett was a major investor, once owned DiC Entertainment, although Heyward bought it back after Disney acquired Cap Cities.

Heyward's previous cartoons include Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Inspector Gadget, Hello Kitty, Super Mario Brothers, Madeline, Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Real Ghostbusters, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Sailor Moon, Hammerman and the Archies.

More closely related to the new programs was "Liberty's Kids," an educational series and Web site on American Revolutionary times.

In one "Millionaire's" Webisode previewed on YouTube, the four club members meet with Buffett, drawn by artist Steven Choi, to decide whether to invest their money to save the Omaha Candy Co. from being torn down by a condo developer.

Buffett, who records his own voice for the series, explains the importance of a "durable competitive advantage," such as a brand name.

"If you see or hear a brand name and it gives you a good feeling, then you'll go out of your way to buy it," Buffett says.