It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Encyclopedia
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a 1966 American prime time
animated
television special
based on the comic strip
Peanuts
by Charles M. Schulz
.
A Halloween special, it was the third Peanuts special (and second holiday-themed special, following A Charlie Brown Christmas
) to be produced and animated by Bill Melendez
. Its initial broadcast took place on October 27, 1966, on CBS
, preempting My Three Sons
. CBS re-aired the special annually through 2000, with ABC
picking up the rights beginning in 2001. The program was nominated for an Emmy award. It has been issued on home video
several times, including a Remastered Deluxe Edition of the special released by Warner Home Video
on September 2, 2008, with the bonus feature It's Magic, Charlie Brown
which was released in 1981.
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, a retrospective book was published in 2006 entitled, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: The Making of a Television Classic with the entire script, never-before-seen photographs, storyboard excerpts, and interviews with the original child actors who provided the voices of the Peanuts gang.
. Linus van Pelt
writes his annual letter to The Great Pumpkin
, despite Charlie Brown
's disbelief, Snoopy
's laughter, Patty
's assurance that the Great Pumpkin is a fake, and even his own sister
's violent threat to make her brother stop. When Linus goes out to mail the letter but cannot reach the mailbox, Lucy refuses to help him; so he uses his blanket to open the box, and throws the letter in.
On Halloween night, the gang, including Charlie Brown's younger sister Sally
, goes trick-or-treating
. On the way, they stop at the pumpkin patch to ridicule Linus' missing the festivities, just as he did last year; but Linus is convinced that the Great Pumpkin, recognizing the sincerity of his patch, will come, and even persuades Sally to stay and wait with him. The gang goes off, leaving Linus and Sally behind. During trick-or-treating, everyone gets assorted candy, apples, gum, cookies, money, and popcorn balls except for Charlie Brown, who gets a rock from every house they visit. After trick-or-treating, and another visit to the pumpkin patch, the gang goes off to Violet Gray's Halloween party. Meanwhile, Snoopy, wearing his World War I flying ace gear, climbs aboard his Sopwith Camel
(his doghouse) to fight with the Red Baron
. After a fierce but losing battle, Snoopy makes his way across the countryside to briefly crash the Halloween party, where he is entertained by Schroeder
's playing of World War I tunes on his piano, and then goes to the pumpkin patch. When Linus sees a shadowy figure rising from the moonlit patch, he believes the Great Pumpkin has arrived, and faints. When Sally sees that it is only Snoopy, she is angered over missing the trick-or-treating festivities as well as the Halloween party as the kids come to take her away with them. As they leave, and still convinced that the Great Pumpkin will show up, Linus promises to put in a good word for them.
At 4:00 AM the next morning, Lucy wakes up and sees that Linus is not in his bed. She finds her brother asleep in the pumpkin patch, takes him home, and puts him to bed. Later, Charlie Brown and Linus are at a rock wall, commiserating about the previous night's disappointments. When Charlie Brown says that he has done stupid things in his life also, Linus angrily vows to him that the Great Pumpkin will come to the pumpkin patch next year.
." Schulz said that after the program first aired, bags and boxes of candy came in from all over the world "just for Charlie Brown."
:
Sextet. The lively instrumental, "Linus and Lucy
", associated originally with A Charlie Brown Christmas
, is used at the beginning of this cartoon as Linus and Lucy prepare a pumpkin to be a jack-o-lantern, as Linus mails his letter to The Great Pumpkin
, and when Lucy wakes up at 4 AM to take Linus home from the pumpkin patch. Guaraldi's theme for the special, "The Great Pumpkin Waltz," plays throughout, as when Linus is writing the Great Pumpkin towards the beginning.
The World War I
songs played by Schroeder on his toy piano while Snoopy dances are:
" (the fourth episode of the twentieth season of The Simpsons
) is called "It's the Grand Pumpkin, Milhouse". It is a parody of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (and was supposed to be named "It's the Great Pumpkin, Milhouse", but due to legal reasons, was rejected) and contains several references to the Peanuts
series. In the segment, Milhouse wears the same clothes and plays the same role as Linus van Pelt
. Lisa is modelled after Sally Brown
and Bart looks like Charlie Brown
; he even says "good grief", echoing Charlie Brown's catchphrase. A redesigned version of Santa's Little Helper
can be seen sleeping on top of his dog house and Homer is seen sleeping on top of his house in a manner similar to Snoopy
. When Marge first speaks, she uses a muted trombone. This is a parody of the "wah wah wah" voice that is used for adults in the various Peanuts specials. The dance scene during the Halloween party is a parody of the dance scene in A Charlie Brown Christmas
right down to Kang and Kodos in a non-speaking cameo
as the twins 3 and 4." Parts of the segment had music by Vince Guaraldi
(best known for composing music for animated adaptations of the Peanuts comic strip), which they had obtained the rights to use.
The special is mentioned in the power metal
band Helloween
's song "Halloween", from their 1987 album Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1. It was a puzzle on the October 26, 2011, episode of Wheel of Fortune.
as part of its Snoopy's Home Video Library. This version included the CBS edit of the "trick-or-treat" scene and removed the entire sequence of Schroeder playing World War I-era songs. Paramount later released the special on VHS in the 90s. It was later released on DVD on September 12, 2000 with You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown
as a bonus special. After Warner Brothers obtained the off-air rights to the Charlie Brown library of TV specials, they released a new DVD release under the new "Remastered Deluxe Edition" line on September 2, 2008. On this DVD, the bonus special was It's Magic, Charlie Brown
(You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown got its own DVD later that year), and it included a new featurette titled "We Need a Blockbuster, Charlie Brown". A Blu-ray/DVD combo pack was released on September 7, 2010 with the same features as the Warner DVD.
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
animated
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
based on the comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
by Charles M. Schulz
Charles M. Schulz
Charles Monroe "Sparky" Schulz was an American cartoonist, whose comic strip Peanuts proved one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium, and is still widely reprinted on a daily basis.-Early life and education:Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Schulz grew up in Saint Paul...
.
A Halloween special, it was the third Peanuts special (and second holiday-themed special, following A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas is the first prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was produced and directed by former Warner Bros. and UPA animator Bill Melendez, who also supplied the voice for the character of Snoopy...
) to be produced and animated by Bill Melendez
Bill Melendez
José Cuauhtémoc "Bill" Meléndez was a Mexican-American character animator, film director, voice artist and producer, known for his cartoons for Warner Brothers, UPA and the Peanuts series...
. Its initial broadcast took place on October 27, 1966, on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, preempting My Three Sons
My Three Sons
My Three Sons is an American situation comedy. The series ran from 1960 to 1965 on ABC, and moved to CBS until its end on August 24, 1972. My Three Sons chronicles the life of a widower and aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas , raising his three sons.The series was a cornerstone of the CBS...
. CBS re-aired the special annually through 2000, with ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
picking up the rights beginning in 2001. The program was nominated for an Emmy award. It has been issued on home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
several times, including a Remastered Deluxe Edition of the special released by Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
on September 2, 2008, with the bonus feature It's Magic, Charlie Brown
It's Magic, Charlie Brown
It's Magic, Charlie Brown is the 21st prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on April 28, 1981...
which was released in 1981.
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, a retrospective book was published in 2006 entitled, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: The Making of a Television Classic with the entire script, never-before-seen photographs, storyboard excerpts, and interviews with the original child actors who provided the voices of the Peanuts gang.
Plot
With autumn already in full swing, the Peanuts gang prepares for HalloweenHalloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
. Linus van Pelt
Linus van Pelt
Linus van Pelt is a character in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. The best friend of Charlie Brown, Linus is also the younger brother of Lucy van Pelt and older brother of Rerun van Pelt. He first appeared on September 19, 1952; however, he was not mentioned by name until three days later....
writes his annual letter to The Great Pumpkin
The Great Pumpkin
The Great Pumpkin is an imaginary character in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.The Great Pumpkin is a holiday figure that seems to exist only in the imagination of Linus van Pelt. Every year, Linus sits in a pumpkin patch on Halloween night waiting for the Great Pumpkin to appear...
, despite Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown
Charles "Charlie" Brown is the protagonist in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.Charlie Brown and his creator have a common connection in that they are both the sons of barbers, but whereas Schulz's work is described as the "most shining example of the American success story", Charlie...
's disbelief, Snoopy
Snoopy
Snoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...
's laughter, Patty
Patty (Peanuts)
Patty is a character in the comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz . Her closest friend is Violet...
's assurance that the Great Pumpkin is a fake, and even his own sister
Lucy van Pelt
Lucille "Lucy" van Pelt is a fictional character in the syndicated comic strip :Peanuts, written and drawn by Charles Schulz. She is the main bully and the older sister of Linus and Rerun. Lucy is a crabby and cynical eight-year old girl, and often bullies the other characters in the strip,...
's violent threat to make her brother stop. When Linus goes out to mail the letter but cannot reach the mailbox, Lucy refuses to help him; so he uses his blanket to open the box, and throws the letter in.
On Halloween night, the gang, including Charlie Brown's younger sister Sally
Sally Brown
Sally Brown is the younger sister of Charlie Brown in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles Schulz. She was first mentioned in early 1959 and throughout a long series of strips before her first appearance in August 1959.-Appearance:...
, goes trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating or "Guising", is a customary practice for children on Halloween in many countries. Children in costumes travel from house to house in order to ask for treats such as candy with the question "Trick or treat?"...
. On the way, they stop at the pumpkin patch to ridicule Linus' missing the festivities, just as he did last year; but Linus is convinced that the Great Pumpkin, recognizing the sincerity of his patch, will come, and even persuades Sally to stay and wait with him. The gang goes off, leaving Linus and Sally behind. During trick-or-treating, everyone gets assorted candy, apples, gum, cookies, money, and popcorn balls except for Charlie Brown, who gets a rock from every house they visit. After trick-or-treating, and another visit to the pumpkin patch, the gang goes off to Violet Gray's Halloween party. Meanwhile, Snoopy, wearing his World War I flying ace gear, climbs aboard his Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
(his doghouse) to fight with the Red Baron
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
. After a fierce but losing battle, Snoopy makes his way across the countryside to briefly crash the Halloween party, where he is entertained by Schroeder
Schroeder (Peanuts)
Schroeder is a fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz. He is distinguished by his precocious skill at playing the toy piano, as well as by his love of classical music and the composer Ludwig van Beethoven in particular...
's playing of World War I tunes on his piano, and then goes to the pumpkin patch. When Linus sees a shadowy figure rising from the moonlit patch, he believes the Great Pumpkin has arrived, and faints. When Sally sees that it is only Snoopy, she is angered over missing the trick-or-treating festivities as well as the Halloween party as the kids come to take her away with them. As they leave, and still convinced that the Great Pumpkin will show up, Linus promises to put in a good word for them.
At 4:00 AM the next morning, Lucy wakes up and sees that Linus is not in his bed. She finds her brother asleep in the pumpkin patch, takes him home, and puts him to bed. Later, Charlie Brown and Linus are at a rock wall, commiserating about the previous night's disappointments. When Charlie Brown says that he has done stupid things in his life also, Linus angrily vows to him that the Great Pumpkin will come to the pumpkin patch next year.
Voice actors
- Christopher Shea as Linus van PeltLinus van PeltLinus van Pelt is a character in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. The best friend of Charlie Brown, Linus is also the younger brother of Lucy van Pelt and older brother of Rerun van Pelt. He first appeared on September 19, 1952; however, he was not mentioned by name until three days later....
- Peter Robbins as Charlie BrownCharlie BrownCharles "Charlie" Brown is the protagonist in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.Charlie Brown and his creator have a common connection in that they are both the sons of barbers, but whereas Schulz's work is described as the "most shining example of the American success story", Charlie...
and Pig-PenPig-Pen"Pig-Pen" is a character in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. He is a young boy who is, except on very rare occasions, very dirty.-History:"Pig-Pen" is a nickname, invariably written in quotation marks in the strip... - Sally Dryer as Lucy van PeltLucy van PeltLucille "Lucy" van Pelt is a fictional character in the syndicated comic strip :Peanuts, written and drawn by Charles Schulz. She is the main bully and the older sister of Linus and Rerun. Lucy is a crabby and cynical eight-year old girl, and often bullies the other characters in the strip,...
- Glenn Mendelson as SchroederSchroeder (Peanuts)Schroeder is a fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz. He is distinguished by his precocious skill at playing the toy piano, as well as by his love of classical music and the composer Ludwig van Beethoven in particular...
- Kathy Steinberg as Sally BrownSally BrownSally Brown is the younger sister of Charlie Brown in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles Schulz. She was first mentioned in early 1959 and throughout a long series of strips before her first appearance in August 1959.-Appearance:...
- Ann Altieri as Violet Gray
- Lisa DeFaria as PattyPatty (Peanuts)Patty is a character in the comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz . Her closest friend is Violet...
- Bill Melendez as SnoopySnoopySnoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...
Viewer response
Charlie Brown's repeated line of "I got a rock" caused some stir among many viewers of the show, according to Charles Schulz in the book and retrospective TV special "Happy Birthday, Charlie BrownHappy Birthday, Charlie Brown
Happy Birthday, Charlie Brown is an Emmy-award winning prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network in 1979....
." Schulz said that after the program first aired, bags and boxes of candy came in from all over the world "just for Charlie Brown."
CBS telecast edits
During the 1980s and 1990s, when the special aired on CBS, the network trimmed the "trick-or-treat" sequence, such that after the Peanuts gang knock on the first door and say "trick-or-treat," it cuts to the gang after they finished trick-or-treating comparing what they got at the last house.ABC telecast edits
To make room for the longer commercial breaks during modern airings, ABC cut two scenes, which were later restored when aired in conjunction with You're Not Elected, Charlie BrownYou're Not Elected, Charlie Brown
You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown is the ninth prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz and the eighth one to air. It originally aired on CBS on October 29, 1972, right before the 1972 election....
:
- Lucy pleading Charlie Brown to kick the football, and subsequently pulling it away as he tries to do so, a staple in the comic strips since 1952.
- Snoopy (as the World War I flying ace) prompting Schroeder to play World War I era songs.
Music
The music was performed by the Vince GuaraldiVince Guaraldi
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Guaraldi was an Italian American jazz musician and pianist noted for his innovative compositions and arrangements and for composing music for animated adaptations of the Peanuts comic strip...
Sextet. The lively instrumental, "Linus and Lucy
Linus and Lucy
"Linus and Lucy" is a popular jazz piano tune written by Vince Guaraldi appearing in many of the Peanuts animated television specials. Named for the fictional siblings Linus and Lucy van Pelt, it was released in 1964 on the Vince Guaraldi Trio's album Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown...
", associated originally with A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas is the first prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was produced and directed by former Warner Bros. and UPA animator Bill Melendez, who also supplied the voice for the character of Snoopy...
, is used at the beginning of this cartoon as Linus and Lucy prepare a pumpkin to be a jack-o-lantern, as Linus mails his letter to The Great Pumpkin
The Great Pumpkin
The Great Pumpkin is an imaginary character in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.The Great Pumpkin is a holiday figure that seems to exist only in the imagination of Linus van Pelt. Every year, Linus sits in a pumpkin patch on Halloween night waiting for the Great Pumpkin to appear...
, and when Lucy wakes up at 4 AM to take Linus home from the pumpkin patch. Guaraldi's theme for the special, "The Great Pumpkin Waltz," plays throughout, as when Linus is writing the Great Pumpkin towards the beginning.
The World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
songs played by Schroeder on his toy piano while Snoopy dances are:
- The "Happy" Songs:
- "It's a Long Way to TipperaryIt's a Long Way to TipperaryIt's a Long Way to Tipperary is a British music hall and marching song written by Jack Judge and co-credited to, but not co-written by, Henry James "Harry" Williams. It was allegedly written for a 5 shilling bet in Stalybridge on 30 January 1912 and performed the next night at the local music hall...
" - "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-BagPack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag"Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag, and Smile, Smile, Smile" is the full name of a World War I marching song, published in 1915 in London. It was written by George Henry Powell under the pseudonym of "George Asaf", and set to music by his brother Felix Powell...
"
- "It's a Long Way to Tipperary
- The "Sad" Songs:
- "There's a Long, Long TrailThere's A Long Long Trail A-Winding"There's a Long, Long Trail" is a popular song of World War I. The lyrics were by Stoddard King and the music by Alonzo "Zo" Elliott, both seniors at Yale....
" - "Roses of PicardyRoses of PicardyRoses of Picardy is a wartime ballad written by lyricist Frederick Weatherly while he was an army officer in 1916. Set to music by Haydn Wood, it was one of the most famous songs from World War I....
"
- "There's a Long, Long Trail
Popular culture references
The final segment of "Treehouse of Horror XIXTreehouse of Horror XIX
"Treehouse of Horror XIX" is the fourth episode of the twentieth season of The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 2, 2008...
" (the fourth episode of the twentieth season of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
) is called "It's the Grand Pumpkin, Milhouse". It is a parody of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (and was supposed to be named "It's the Great Pumpkin, Milhouse", but due to legal reasons, was rejected) and contains several references to the Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
series. In the segment, Milhouse wears the same clothes and plays the same role as Linus van Pelt
Linus van Pelt
Linus van Pelt is a character in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. The best friend of Charlie Brown, Linus is also the younger brother of Lucy van Pelt and older brother of Rerun van Pelt. He first appeared on September 19, 1952; however, he was not mentioned by name until three days later....
. Lisa is modelled after Sally Brown
Sally Brown
Sally Brown is the younger sister of Charlie Brown in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles Schulz. She was first mentioned in early 1959 and throughout a long series of strips before her first appearance in August 1959.-Appearance:...
and Bart looks like Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown
Charles "Charlie" Brown is the protagonist in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.Charlie Brown and his creator have a common connection in that they are both the sons of barbers, but whereas Schulz's work is described as the "most shining example of the American success story", Charlie...
; he even says "good grief", echoing Charlie Brown's catchphrase. A redesigned version of Santa's Little Helper
Santa's Little Helper
Santa's Little Helper is a recurring character in the American animated television series The Simpsons. He is the pet greyhound of the Simpson family. The dog was introduced in the first episode of the show, the 1989 Christmas special "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", in which his owner abandons...
can be seen sleeping on top of his dog house and Homer is seen sleeping on top of his house in a manner similar to Snoopy
Snoopy
Snoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...
. When Marge first speaks, she uses a muted trombone. This is a parody of the "wah wah wah" voice that is used for adults in the various Peanuts specials. The dance scene during the Halloween party is a parody of the dance scene in A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas is the first prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was produced and directed by former Warner Bros. and UPA animator Bill Melendez, who also supplied the voice for the character of Snoopy...
right down to Kang and Kodos in a non-speaking cameo
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
as the twins 3 and 4." Parts of the segment had music by Vince Guaraldi
Vince Guaraldi
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Guaraldi was an Italian American jazz musician and pianist noted for his innovative compositions and arrangements and for composing music for animated adaptations of the Peanuts comic strip...
(best known for composing music for animated adaptations of the Peanuts comic strip), which they had obtained the rights to use.
The special is mentioned in the power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band Helloween
Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
's song "Halloween", from their 1987 album Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1. It was a puzzle on the October 26, 2011, episode of Wheel of Fortune.
Home video releases
"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" was first released on VHS by Hi-Tops VideoHi-Tops Video
Hi-Tops Video was a children's home video sublabel of Media Home Entertainment and Kartes Video Communications , active from 1985 until 1992...
as part of its Snoopy's Home Video Library. This version included the CBS edit of the "trick-or-treat" scene and removed the entire sequence of Schroeder playing World War I-era songs. Paramount later released the special on VHS in the 90s. It was later released on DVD on September 12, 2000 with You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown
You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown
You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown is the ninth prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz and the eighth one to air. It originally aired on CBS on October 29, 1972, right before the 1972 election....
as a bonus special. After Warner Brothers obtained the off-air rights to the Charlie Brown library of TV specials, they released a new DVD release under the new "Remastered Deluxe Edition" line on September 2, 2008. On this DVD, the bonus special was It's Magic, Charlie Brown
It's Magic, Charlie Brown
It's Magic, Charlie Brown is the 21st prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on April 28, 1981...
(You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown got its own DVD later that year), and it included a new featurette titled "We Need a Blockbuster, Charlie Brown". A Blu-ray/DVD combo pack was released on September 7, 2010 with the same features as the Warner DVD.