The classic animated Halloween-themed PEANUTS special, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” created by late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, as well as a bonus PEANUTS cartoon in which Linus runs for class president, will air THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, on the ABC Television Network. PEANUTS specials and movies with complimentary books can be great tools to get kids of all ages excited about reading.
In the 1966 animated special “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” The PEANUTS gang celebrates Halloween, with Linus hoping that, finally, he will be visited by The Great Pumpkin, while Charlie Brown is invited to a Halloween party. Cast members include Peter Robbins (“Charlie Brown”) and Christopher Shea (“Linus”). The cast also includes Sally Dryer as Lucy, Chris Doran as Schroeder, Bill Melendez as Snoopy, Kathy Steinberg as Sally, Tracy Stratford as Violet and Ann Altieri as Frieda.
The special was executive produced by Lee Mendelson, created, and written by Charles M. Schulz. Bill Melendez is the producer and director and Vince Guaraldi is the music composer.
On October 2, 1950, the PEANUTS comic strip launched in seven American newspapers. Introducing Charlie Brown kicking the football-Good Grief, Linus and his Security blanket and Lucy leaning over Schroeder's piano, all images which everyone has their own memory. The impact the PEANUTS has had, around the world, for decades is hard to compare. Over 60 years later, the comic strip appears in over 2,200 newspapers, in 75 countries and 21 languages. PEANUTS animated specials have become a seasonal tradition. Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez’s association with Charles Schulz stretches back to 1965 with “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” which debuted on CBS in 1965 with Mendelson as executive producer and Bill Melendez as animator and director. The three men continued their long-term association until Schulz’s death, working together on 50 PEANUTS network specials and four feature films. The network specials won five Emmys, two Peabodys, and eighteen other Emmy nominations.
Whether your family reads the book and then see the special or vice versa, seeing a story come to life motivates children to read. A collection of Charles Schulz books is a wonderful addition to any family library.
R.R.Cratty
The PEANUTS characters and related intellectual property are owned by Peanuts Worldwide LLC, a joint venture owned 80% by Iconix Brand Group, Inc. and 20% by members of the Charles M. Schulz family.
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