Peanuts: The Charlie Brown And Snoopy Thread

[StaceyNotStacie]

Wasn't sure where to post this.  There were threads for Halloween and the winter holidays, but nothing for Peanuts as a whole.

 

The Charlie Brown Valentine specials aired tonight on ABC.  Even though we have them on dvd, I always have to watch them when they air on tv.  

 

I can't help but wonder how people would react to these specials if they were airing for the first time today.  Between the Valentine's and Halloween specials, I can't believe how rude those kids are to Charlie Brown.  I know it's just a cartoon, but Lucy and the other girls ticked me off when the valentines were handed out, and then to give him a used valentine the following day because they felt guilty. Everyone treated him so horribly compared to how he treated them; he was nothing but nice to everyone.

[Spartan Girl]

I didn't know about this thread!  AWESOME.

 

And yeah I totally agree that it was unfair how Charlie Brown got so terribly mistreated and branded a scapegoat when he always tried to be nice to everyone.  Even his so-called friend Linus would screw him over...

[WendyCR72]

Anyone excited for the new Peanuts movie coming in November, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first animated special (A Charlie Brown Christmas) and 65 years since the strip debuted? The new animation style seems current yet maintains the Peanuts style! I understand Schulz's son and grandson are involved. (And archival voice work from the late Bill Melendez will voice Snoopy and Woodstock.)

 

Here is the longer trailer.

[StaceyNotStacie]

Our entire family is looking forward to this movie.  I hope that it is similar to other Peanuts cartoons and doesn't seem like every other animated movie.  

[DXD526]

Just to get subversive, there's this -

 

 

I love the horrified kids in the audience!

[GHScorpiosRule]

Anyone excited for the new Peanuts movie coming in November, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first animated special (A Charlie Brown Christmas) and 65 years since the strip debuted? The new animation style seems current yet maintains the Peanuts style! I understand Schulz's son and grandson are involved. (And archival voice work from the late Bill Melendez will voice Snoopy and Woodstock.)

 

Here is the longer trailer.

 

 

I don't like the Pixarish "animation" look to this. Why couldn't they do NORMAL animation? Blah.

[Spartan Girl]

I am excited for the new movie.  The animation looks the same, despite the CGI, and as long as it stays faithful to the spirit of Charlie Brown and Snoopy, I'll have no problems for it.

 

But God help them if they ruin it.

[UYI]

They call him FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASHBEAGLE!

 

The two openings of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show. 

 

Instrumental: 

 

 

Vocal:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-94aF6AF-gM

[WendyCR72]

I always wondered why Schulz would name two different characters almost the same name. I mean, I know that's like real life, but for a cartoon/comic strip, it can be confusing!

 

When the strip debuted, I guess, and maybe for its first decade plus, one of the main girls had the name Patty. (I THINK, while she had no lines, she was in the Christmas special from '65, but I'm not sure.)

 

Obviously, in the mid to late '60s, Peppermint Patty came to be. I have zip against her and Marcie and whatnot, but in terms of the cartoons, I find I do prefer the earlier characters, but I don't hate any of them.  :-)

[StaceyNotStacie]

I guess Dancing With the Stars is more important than the Easter Beagle since there is no air date scheduled this year.  A bit disappointed.  We have this on dvd but it's just the principle of ABC not showing the special.

[UYI]

I always wondered why Schulz would name two different characters almost the same name. I mean, I know that's like real life, but for a cartoon/comic strip, it can be confusing!

 

When the strip debuted, I guess, and maybe for its first decade plus, one of the main girls had the name Patty. (I THINK, while she had no lines, she was in the Christmas special from '65, but I'm not sure.)

 

Obviously, in the mid to late '60s, Peppermint Patty came to be. I have zip against her and Marcie and whatnot, but in terms of the cartoons, I find I do prefer the earlier characters, but I don't hate any of them.  :-)

 

Oh, CheckeredDress!Patty, as I call her,  had lines, alright. Not only in the Christmas special (not that it was much--mainly saying Charlie Brown was hopeless at life), but in a few of the other late 60's specials as well, like Charlie Brown's All Stars! (which was actually the second special, in 1966--it focused on the baseball team) and You're In Love, Charlie Brown, which was in 1967 and focused on Charlie Brown's crush on the Little Red-Haired Girl. She was just as nasty as Lucy, if not nastier. I mean, just listen to this song from the movie A Boy Named Charlie Brown:

 

 

With friends like these...

 

Also, a day late now, but the Easter Beagle delivers eggs to all the children (except, of course, Charlie Brown):

 

 

I can talk about the Peanuts specials all day long. Beware. :)

[WendyCR72]

Kristen Bell will host "It's Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown!" on ABC at 9 ET/8 CT on Monday, November 30th. (So judging by this, the first airing of the special won't even be in December. Talk about early! Although I know ABC airs it twice: Once with the edited for time version and the uncut version. Or so it has for years now. I believe the new movie also comes out this November, as well, so maybe it's also about synergy.)

[Notwisconsin]

50th anniversary of WHAT? The Characters first appeared on Television in 1961. (in a CAR commercial, no less), and the strip dates from 1950 (late '40s if you include it's predecessor, "Lil' Folks").

 

As to "Patty" vs. "Peppermint Patty" the first one was for the most part replaced by Lucy and vanished into oblivian, while the latter became the #3 focus of the strip after Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Shultz's interests changed over the years, and around the last few years of his life, he was focusing on Rerun Van Pelt and a "second generation"

Edited August 5, 2015 by Notwisconsin

[WendyCR72]

50th anniversary of WHAT? The Characters first appeared on Television in 1961. (in a CAR commercial, no less), and the strip dates from 1950 (late '40s if you include it's predecessor, "Lil' Folks").

 

The 50th anniversary of the Christmas special. It first was shown in 1965. And the upcoming movie opening is in honor of the 65th anniversary of the start of the Peanuts strip. (1950 - October 2nd, to be exact.)

[Spartan Girl]

Still on an emotional high from watching The Peanuts Movie, so I've been rewatching some of the old specials.

Charlie Brown's treatment from the other kids never fails to anger me. I really think that Snoopy was the one true friend he's got. And that says a lot when you think about how many times Snoopy takes him for granted or even joins the other kids in making fun of him. But in his own way, Snoopy is loyal. And he doesn't act like a self-righteous hypocrite like Linus does all too often.

And yet no matter how badly he was treated, he still went out of his way to be nice to him. He even stands up for Lucy to Schroeder in "Is this Goodbye, Charlie Brown?" (when Lucy and Linus temporarily move away). He accuses Schroeder of always being mean to Lucy. LUCY, who made his life a perfect hell. And after all that, all those times she pulled that damn football away, he still has enough compassion to stand up for her.

Un-freaking-believable.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Spartan Girl

[UYI]

Schroeder stood up for Charlie Brown at least twice: in "Charlie Brown's All Stars", when everyone else was giving him crap about how bad their baseball team was and blaming him for losing their game, and in "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown" when the girls try to give him a used Valentine the day after Valentine's Day, where he didn't get any (Charlie Brown ignores him and takes it anyway).

[Spartan Girl]

Yeah, I definitely give Schroeder for that. He stood up for Charlie Brown more than Linus ever did.

[SmithW6079]

As to "Patty" vs. "Peppermint Patty" the first one was for the most part replaced by Lucy and vanished into oblivian[sic]

Not really. Patty, Lucy, and Violet were all friends and present in the strip at the same time. Patty and Violet were always secondary characters to Charlie Brown, Linus, and Lucy.

[Dirtybubble]

The Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special airs tonight at 8 on ABC (I think it's ABC anyway).

 

Enh not my favorite from the Peanuts gang.  I think it stems to my dislike of Peppermint Patty; she just always came across as too bossy.  Yeah I know Lucy is bossy too but IDK her behavior was always funny to me and Patty was just mean *shrug*.

 

[Frost]

The Thanksgiving special isn't my favorite either. It doesn't have enough humor or sweetness to counteract the meanness shown to Charlie Brown. Peppermint Patty didn't even apologize directly! And Lucy disappeared after the football incident so she didn't have a redeeming moment either. Plus, how odd that Linus would go off with the Brown family for Thanksgiving dinner. Although I do like Charlie Brown's lament that his grandmother lives in a condominium rather than a house over the river and through the woods.

I'm definitely looking forward to the Christmas special.

[Blergh]

The Thanksgiving special isn't my favorite either. It doesn't have enough humor or sweetness to counteract the meanness shown to Charlie Brown. Peppermint Patty didn't even apologize directly! And Lucy disappeared after the football incident so she didn't have a redeeming moment either. Plus, how odd that Linus would go off with the Brown family for Thanksgiving dinner. Although I do like Charlie Brown's lament that his grandmother lives in a condominium rather than a house over the river and through the woods.

I'm definitely looking forward to the Christmas special.

 

 

Ironic that this was virtually the only special in which Franklin was in. Evidently, he was introed to show 'diversity' but once he'd  been the conduit to present his friends Peppermint Patty and Marcie, he seemed to quietly make his exit. I agree that Peppermint Patty was at her worst here (and, ironically, she and Marcie were usually the most likable girl characters to Charlie Brown). At least Marcie stood up to Peppermint Patty and called her out on her rudeness after Peppermint Patty dissed Snoopy's attempt to put together a fake turkey with virtually no warning from popcorn and toast. However; why Marcie (and Franklin) went over to Charlie Brown's house for Thanksgiving instead of telling Peppermint Patty it was a bad idea and going to their own families' homes for Thanksgiving is unclear.

    Also, in addition to Charlie Brown's lament that his (unseen) grandmother lived in a condo, I always thought it funny how he referred to himself as 'Charlie Brown' and not   'Charlie' to his own grandmother but maybe the woman had more than one grandson named Charlie via different offspring.  But, then again, NO ONE called him just 'Charlie'- not even his spacey sister Sally (where was she on Thanksgiving?).

[WendyCR72]

But, then again, NO ONE called him just 'Charlie'- not even his spacey sister Sally (where was she on Thanksgiving?).

 

No idea where Sally was. But Lucy did call Charlie Brown "Charlie" exactly once: In the Christmas special, when she went on to say how Christmas was run by some big eastern syndicate. And while it was more proper, it didn't sound right to me. LOL!

[Blergh]

Wendy,

 

 I stand corrected but I guess since Lucy was saying it so sarcastically, it didn't register as being her actually calling him his 'real' name-ddd as that sounds. I have to admire Sparky for insisting on prominent characters with extra long names (e.g. Peppermint Patty)being used in full despite the very limited spaces dialogue and thought bubbles had in comic strips.

 

   Back to this particular special, I wonder if Snoopy might have been more apt to have dressed up as a Massachussets Native American instead of a Pilgrim at the end tag.

[WendyCR72]

Speaking of Snoopy, I find it interesting that his "look" was still in flux over time (whereas the Peanuts characters as we have come to know them seemed pretty set in animation style by, say, the mid to late '50s - versus the very different style from '50 to '55-ish).

 

Compare his look in the 1965 Christmas special to the specials in the '70s onward. He still is more "human", but his body shape in '65 was a bit more streamlined/lanky than he would be later and still is.

 

I have the Blu-Ray of the special and there is a featurette of its creation and the whole bit of CBS having no faith in it and how everyone thought it was going to be a one and done (except for, as legend went, some drunk staffer at the company Christmas party. LOL!). If you scour YouTube, there also was/may still be a deleted scene of Linus crashing into sponsor Coca-Cola's sign (after poor Charlie Brown hit the tree with the opening credits). Which has not been shown in eons. (I was born in '72, so after my time, but I have heard of it. (Likely removed as Coca-Cola no longer sponsored the special and Dolly Madison took over.)

 

Oh, wow. It is still up. Watch the scene of Snoopy swinging Linus and Charlie Brown with the (lesser quality) deleted scene here. Or if black and white is too primitive for you, the same poster somehow has it in (faded) color.

 

And, something I did not know, there was also a bit more to the ending when the gang was singing, another Coke mention. (It morphs from great quality color to black and white again, but I think it's worth a look.)

 

And here are the full original 1965 end credits with the Cole greeting. No morphing from color to B&W here; this is all B&W!)

[DrSparkles]

WTF just happened at the end of the 50 th anniversary CB cmas? Boys choir was kicked out by what? Some random dogshit?!

[WendyCR72]

It was cool seeing the original voice actress for Lucy in A Charlie Brown Christmas on It's Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown! Ironic that she said she was so shy and hated calling Charlie Brown a blockhead.  :-)

[UYI]

I think I'm one of the only people on Earth who knew before that special tonight that Fergie was the voice of Sally in a few of the Peanuts specials during the mid 80's. 

 

And for those wondering why Peter Robbins, the original voice of Charlie Brown, wasn't interviewed for tonight's special, um...here's why:

 

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-charlie-brown-threats-20151110-story.html

[WendyCR72]

Um...wow. That's about all I can say about Peter Robbins. I know the man who voiced Linus, Chris Shea, sadly passed away back in, I believe, 2010 or 2011.

[Amethyst]

WTF just happened at the end of the 50 th anniversary CB cmas? Boys choir was kicked out by what? Some random dogshit?!

 

LMAO!  I wasn't into the anniversary special, so when Pentatonix came on, I took that as a bathroom opportunity.  I can't say I'm familiar with their music, but I wasn't enjoying it enough to stick around for it.

[Frost]

I loved the Charlie Brown Christmas special just as much this time as I did watching as a kid.  It's hard to watch so many of the kids being snarky and mean to Charlie Brown but it is kind of true to life and I was proud of him for persevering in his role as director.  Kids can be horrible in the moment but they can turn around and be nice just as quickly.  They did a great job restoring the animation.  The colors were brilliant and everything looked sharp. 

 

I was looking forward to the Great Holiday Baking Show so I left the TV on ABC and was very sorry I did so.  The filler Peanuts stuff afterwards was awful.  I didn't like the voices, the animation, or the stories.  Bah humbug!

[Blergh]

Having seen (and loved ) the Christmas special a great deal over the years, I virtually had it memorized so had no need to see it again yesterday. Yes, I agree with everyone else how it was great seeing ALL these snotty acquaintances actually become NICE to Charlie Brown and even though we all know they went right BACK to being snotty as soon as Christmas was over, at least Wishy-Washy will always have THAT time in which he was done right by them.

    Anyway, for laughs and giggles, I saw the Thanksgiving special again yesterday- and I discovered to my foggy memory cells dismay that Charlie Brown's sister Sally WAS in it and even stayed around to go with the rest of them to go to Grandmother's condo. Oops!  It was interesting how, in this special, Marcie definitely sounded like an authentic grade schooler more than any of the other performers yet convincingly sounded intelligent enough to present the flawless argument to Peppermint Patty re her rudeness citing Linus's historic (albeit sanitized) summation of Thanksgiving.

 

  Yes, sad that Chris Shea (the original Linus) died in 2010 but he did more than that as a performer. He was a neighbor kid whom Oscar and Felix would vent about the other to and seek as well as get advice from. Who'd have predicted that Jack Klugman would wind up outliving him!?

[Spartan Girl]

Seeing the special made me remember how much I loved the "Joe Cool" song.

And "Happiness" never fails to choke me up.

[merylinkid]

I love the music in the Christmas special.    Every time it comes on the radio (my radio station went to all Christmas music the second week in November), I do the shrug dance while driving.   I just can't help myself.

[FortKnox]

I to love the music in the special. In fact here in Nashville there's a band called The Ornaments that plays the music and they did it every December for the last 10 years.

http://bestevents.us/nashville-the-ornaments-10th-anniversary-presenting-a/859167

[FortKnox]

http://jsonline.com/news/former-charlie-brown-voice-actor-sentenced-to-prison-b99630227z1-360878211.html

San Diego— The man who as a child provided the voice for beloved "Peanuts" character Charlie Brown is headed to prison, despite a last-ditch effort to withdraw his guilty plea to charges of making criminal threats.

Peter Robbins, 59, was sentenced Monday to four years and eight months in prison, of which he will have to serve 80%.

Robbins, who voiced Charlie Brown as a child actor, from 1965 to 1971, said at a previous hearing that he has bipolar disorder and also suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.

When he entered his guilty pleas last month in San Diego Superior Court, he admitted sending threatening letters to a manager at a mobile home park in Oceanside where he had been living, saying he would harm the manager and his wife. He also sent letters to various people, including members of the media, in which he offered to pay money to have county Sheriff Bill Gore killed.

One of the victims in the case, Renee Brophy, spoke in the courtroom on behalf of her family and the residents of the Laguna Vista mobile home park, which she and her husband manage.

"Let's be clear, Peter Robbins has created more than just a little chaos," she said, adding that the defendant had sent rude, crude and graphic messages and drawings to her husband, Patrick.

"He created a nightmare for me, my husband and my family."

Edited December 8, 2015 by FortKnox

[StaceyNotStacie]

Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown and Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown have made it into the rotation on Discovery Family.  Both are airing today (12/12) and again on 12/21 (next Monday).  Not my favorite movies, but they're still going on the dvr for a family movie night.  

 

I Want a Dog For Christmas is on this Tuesday (12/15) ABC.  ABC is also re-airing the Charlie Brown Christmas special from earlier this month on Christmas Eve.

 

Oh yeah, and the Peanuts Movie was nominated for a Golden Globe this past week.  They're up against Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur, among other animated movies.  I'm hopeful, but doubtful that they will win considering that the Disney/Pixar movies seem to be favored in this category.

[StaceyNotStacie]

Cartoon Network and Boomerang debuted a new Peanuts show this morning. It's cute, but not as good as the old cartoons (or the movies) 

[bmoore4026]

Fifty years.  Fifty years of Charlie Brown getting nothing but rocks, Lucy touching dog lips, Snoopy fighting the Red Baron, Sally getting screwed out of trick or treating, and Linus' blind faith.  Yet, we still like watching this.  It just wouldn't be Halloween without.

Now for something truly scary - the third Trump/Clinton debate.

[UYI]

I cannot believe they didn't air The Great Pumpkin unedited for the 50th anniversary. That is BULLSHIT. 

[WendyCR72]

25 minutes ago, UYI said:

I cannot believe they didn't air The Great Pumpkin unedited for the 50th anniversary. That is BULLSHIT. 

I don't know about this yet, but ABC tends to air the Christmas special as once with the edited to pieces version and then a re-airing about a week or so later with the unedited version. I'm thinking (hoping?) the same will hold true for The Great Pumpkin. Maybe Halloween night?

ETA: Not Halloween, but on 10/28. The unedited version airs from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on ABC.

[UYI]

18 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

I don't know about this yet, but ABC tends to air the Christmas special as once with the edited to pieces version and then a re-airing about a week or so later with the unedited version. I'm thinking (hoping?) the same will hold true for The Great Pumpkin. Maybe Halloween night?

ETA: Not Halloween, but on 10/28. The unedited version airs from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on ABC.

Oh, okay! Not that it really matters to me--I have it on DVD--but it's good to know they'll be running it unedited. :) 

[Twilight Man]

One of the strangest collaborations ever has finally ended.

MetLife is parting ways with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the gang.

I guess the Peanuts gang will have to go back plugging Zingers and Cheerios.

Let's look back at some of the best commercials in which you choose your life insurance

because of what a small animated child told you.

[bmoore4026]

9 hours ago, Twilight Man said:

One of the strangest collaborations ever has finally ended.

MetLife is parting ways with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the gang.

I guess the Peanuts gang will have to go back plugging Zingers and Cheerios.

Let's look back at some of the best commercials in which you choose your life insurance

because of what a small animated child told you.

:(  Thanksgiving just won't be the same

[Twilight Man]

So what are the songs that Schroeder plays on his toy piano while Snoopy dances?

1.  "It's a Long Way to Tipperary"

     They sang this at the end of the finale to "Mary Tyler Moore" (and more recently, at the end of an episode of "Sealab 2021").

2.   "There's a Long, Long Trail"

         Charlie Brown and his fellow summer campers sing the song around the campfire in "It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown."

3.   "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag"

         Laurel and Hardy made a film in the '30s called "Pack Up Your Troubles" that featured this song.

4.   "Roses of Picardy"

 

Happy 50th Anniversary, Great Pumpkin!!

Edited October 28, 2016 by Twilight Man

[GHScorpiosRule]

Well Shoot. I missed Charlie Brown Christmas! It was on last night.

Now I'll have to keep checking for when ABC will re-air it again.

[chitowngirl]

Check the Disney and Freeform schedules too. They are all the same company.

eta- ABC is airing A Charlie Browm Christmas on December 22nd.

Edited December 9, 2016 by chitowngirl

[Dr.OO7]

As per tradition, I'm watching "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". This and the "Halloween" movies make the holiday for me.

[Annber03]

Same. 

Poor Charlie Brown. "I got a rock." 

[Twilight Man]

Good Grief!!!

Will the Peanuts holiday specials air "for free" on network TV this year????

or will we have to subscribe to Apple TV?????

Apple TV (which has already created the very funny and informative Snoopy In Space series

and is also fast at work on yet another Peanuts series)

apparently has purchased the rights to the holiday Peanuts specials.

Does that mean that all of us will be getting a rock for Halloween this year???   Stay tuned.

 

Apple TV also states that they are interested in making yet MORE Peanuts holiday specials

revolving around Earth Day and Mother's Day among others.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Twilight Man said:

Good Grief!!!

Will the Peanuts holiday specials air "for free" on network TV this year????

or will we have to subscribe to Apple TV?????

Apple TV (which has already created the very funny and informative Snoopy In Space series

and is also fast at work on yet another Peanuts series)

apparently has purchased the rights to the holiday Peanuts specials.

Does that mean that all of us will be getting a rock for Halloween this year???   Stay tuned.

 

Apple TV also states that they are interested in making yet MORE Peanuts holiday specials

revolving around Earth Day and Mother's Day among others.

Each of the Peanuts holiday special will be available to stream for free for a 3 day period on AppleTv. 
 

Quote

Great Pumpkin will stream outside of the TV+ paywall from October 30 through November 1, allowing anyone, even viewers without an Apple TV+ account or device, to watch. (The Apple TV+ app is available on numerous non-Apple platforms and devices.) Similarly, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will debut on the Apple platform November 18 and stream for free from November 25 through November 27. Apple said A Charlie Brown Christmas will begin streaming on Apple TV+ on December 4, and will have a free window from December 11 to December 13.