Rerun van Pelt
Encyclopedia
Rerun van Pelt is Linus
and Lucy
's younger brother in Charles M. Schulz
's comic strip
Peanuts
.
in which Lucy threw Linus
out of the house only to learn that yet another little brother had just been born. Upon learning the news, Lucy exclaimed "A new baby brother?!! But I just got rid of the old one!!!" With that, she let Linus back in, uttering in misery, "You can't shovel water with a pitchfork".
The irony of the situation wasn't lost on Linus, who laughed himself silly over his sister's scheme being defeated, thus causing her to lose her temper and tie his blanket over his mouth.
Lucy, who always wanted to be an only child (or to have a younger sister), is less than thrilled at the prospect of having a second younger brother, and comments that getting one was like watching reruns on television; thus, Linus comes up with the idea of calling the family's new addition "Rerun". "Rerun van Pelt! Good Grief!" mutters Lucy with a less-than-thrilled look on her face.
Rerun's first appearance was on March 26, 1973, depicted as a smaller version of Linus. Over time, Lucy warmed up to Rerun and became something of a mentor to him, more kind with Rerun than she had ever been with Linus. Linus also took Rerun under his wing in later years, attempting to "convert" Rerun to his belief in "The Great Pumpkin
," and taking his little brother along on door-to-door "missions" to spread the word of the Great Pumpkin.
's baseball
team and being involved in a gambling scandal (he bet a nickel with Snoopy
that Charlie Brown's team would win) that ends in the team having to forfeit one of their rare victories. Later strips have him verbalizing in thought balloons and feature him as a nervous passenger on the back of his mother's bicycle
.
Rerun was rarely used in the 1980s; by that time, Schulz had run out of ideas about how to use him. However, in the 1990s, he resurfaces, having grown to where he is almost equal in height to his siblings and the other kids. To distinguish him, Schulz added overall
s and a flattened hair style.
Schulz made Rerun into a main character in the strip's final years, and much of the focus during this time is from Rerun's perspective; Schulz admitted in a 1997 interview with Gary Groth
that the character virtually "took over" the comic. In the 2009 documentary, "Sibling Rivalry: Growing Up Van Pelt," included on the "I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown" DVD, Schulz's widow, Jean Schulz, speculated that Rerun's expanded presence in the comic strip may have resulted from the presence of grandchildren in Schulz's life. Most of his story lines involve his anxieties and struggles with being a "little kid" among big kids, and his desire to play with Snoopy
and have a dog of his own.
As the other Peanuts kids were older than Rerun, he was usually excluded from their squabbles and rivalries, and several of them were shown as protective or mentoring towards him. On different occasions, Charlie Brown was shown teaching Rerun how to deliver newspapers, and winning back Rerun's marbles from the bully, Joe Agate. Even Sally Brown, herself younger than the other children, was shown giving Rerun a tour of the bus stop and school just weeks before he started kindergarten.
A running gag
in the strip has Rerun hiding under his bed in an attempt to get out of going to school, a ploy that usually does not work. Though intelligent, Rerun displays a rebellious streak in school, always drawing "underground comics
" (usually referring to them as "basement comics") instead of painting flowers, as his teacher instructs. Rerun is also often shown flirting with an unnamed pigtailed girl in his kindergarten class. On one occasion he jokes about taking her away to Paris
, and is suspended from school for harassment
.
Rerun's animated debut is in the animated
television special
It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown
, and his first major appearance in the strip was adapted in the first produced episode of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show
. Rerun only made one other appearance in a television special
before 2000, Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!
. Rerun breifly appeared in Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales
, and the 2003 animated
television special
I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown
. This episode uses Rerun as its primary character. Rerun's most recent television appearance is in the 2006 television special He's a Bully, Charlie Brown
.
Various actors have voiced the animated Rerun since 1976, including Vinny Dow, Jason Mendelson, Timmy Deters, and Jimmy Bennett
.
Stage
Neither of the Broadway productions of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
and Snoopy! The Musical featured Rerun, but various local and regional productions have included Rerun as a character.
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....
and Lucy
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 younger brother in 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...
's 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...
.
Introduction
Rerun started as a minor character in the Peanuts universe, only becoming a main character in the last decade of the comic strip. Rerun was first mentioned in the strip on May 23, 1972, during a storylineStory arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
in which Lucy threw Linus
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....
out of the house only to learn that yet another little brother had just been born. Upon learning the news, Lucy exclaimed "A new baby brother?!! But I just got rid of the old one!!!" With that, she let Linus back in, uttering in misery, "You can't shovel water with a pitchfork".
The irony of the situation wasn't lost on Linus, who laughed himself silly over his sister's scheme being defeated, thus causing her to lose her temper and tie his blanket over his mouth.
Lucy, who always wanted to be an only child (or to have a younger sister), is less than thrilled at the prospect of having a second younger brother, and comments that getting one was like watching reruns on television; thus, Linus comes up with the idea of calling the family's new addition "Rerun". "Rerun van Pelt! Good Grief!" mutters Lucy with a less-than-thrilled look on her face.
Rerun's first appearance was on March 26, 1973, depicted as a smaller version of Linus. Over time, Lucy warmed up to Rerun and became something of a mentor to him, more kind with Rerun than she had ever been with Linus. Linus also took Rerun under his wing in later years, attempting to "convert" Rerun to his belief in "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 taking his little brother along on door-to-door "missions" to spread the word of the Great Pumpkin.
Story arcs
The first storyline in which Rerun is featured involves a still pre-verbal Rerun becoming a player on Charlie BrownCharlie 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 baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team and being involved in a gambling scandal (he bet a nickel with 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...
that Charlie Brown's team would win) that ends in the team having to forfeit one of their rare victories. Later strips have him verbalizing in thought balloons and feature him as a nervous passenger on the back of his mother's bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
.
Rerun was rarely used in the 1980s; by that time, Schulz had run out of ideas about how to use him. However, in the 1990s, he resurfaces, having grown to where he is almost equal in height to his siblings and the other kids. To distinguish him, Schulz added overall
Overall
An overall, coverall, over all, or dungarees, is a type of garment which is usually used as protective clothing when working...
s and a flattened hair style.
Schulz made Rerun into a main character in the strip's final years, and much of the focus during this time is from Rerun's perspective; Schulz admitted in a 1997 interview with Gary Groth
Gary Groth
Gary Groth is an American comic book editor, publisher and critic. He is editor-in-chief of The Comics Journal and a co-founder of Fantagraphics Books.-Early life:...
that the character virtually "took over" the comic. In the 2009 documentary, "Sibling Rivalry: Growing Up Van Pelt," included on the "I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown" DVD, Schulz's widow, Jean Schulz, speculated that Rerun's expanded presence in the comic strip may have resulted from the presence of grandchildren in Schulz's life. Most of his story lines involve his anxieties and struggles with being a "little kid" among big kids, and his desire to play with 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...
and have a dog of his own.
As the other Peanuts kids were older than Rerun, he was usually excluded from their squabbles and rivalries, and several of them were shown as protective or mentoring towards him. On different occasions, Charlie Brown was shown teaching Rerun how to deliver newspapers, and winning back Rerun's marbles from the bully, Joe Agate. Even Sally Brown, herself younger than the other children, was shown giving Rerun a tour of the bus stop and school just weeks before he started kindergarten.
A running gag
Running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
in the strip has Rerun hiding under his bed in an attempt to get out of going to school, a ploy that usually does not work. Though intelligent, Rerun displays a rebellious streak in school, always drawing "underground comics
Underground comix
Underground comix are small press or self-published comic books which are often socially relevant or satirical in nature. They differ from mainstream comics in depicting content forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority, including explicit drug use, sexuality and violence...
" (usually referring to them as "basement comics") instead of painting flowers, as his teacher instructs. Rerun is also often shown flirting with an unnamed pigtailed girl in his kindergarten class. On one occasion he jokes about taking her away to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and is suspended from school for harassment
Harassment
Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
.
Appearances
TelevisionRerun's animated debut is in the 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...
It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown
It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown
It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown is the 15th prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network on March 16, 1976. It was released as a bonus feature with DVD release of It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown on...
, and his first major appearance in the strip was adapted in the first produced episode of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show
The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show
The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show is an animated television series featuring characters and storylines from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. It aired Saturday mornings on the CBS network from 1983 to 1985. It re-aired on The Disney Channel and Nickelodeon in the 1990s...
. Rerun only made one other appearance in a 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...
before 2000, Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! is the 30th prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on CBS on January 1, 1986...
. Rerun breifly appeared in Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales
Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales
Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales is one of many prime-time animated TV specials based on characters from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. It originally aired on the ABC network in 2002.-Synopsis:...
, and the 2003 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...
I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown
I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown
I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown is one of the Peanuts made-for-television specials. The hour-long special first aired on ABC on December 9, 2003...
. This episode uses Rerun as its primary character. Rerun's most recent television appearance is in the 2006 television special He's a Bully, Charlie Brown
He's a Bully, Charlie Brown
He's a Bully, Charlie Brown is the 44th prime-time animated TV special based on the popular comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the ABC network on November 20, 2006. It is the second most recent Peanuts television special and is primarily based on a story from the...
.
Various actors have voiced the animated Rerun since 1976, including Vinny Dow, Jason Mendelson, Timmy Deters, and Jimmy Bennett
Jimmy Bennett
James Michael "Jimmy" Bennett is an American actor and musician. He is known for his roles as a child actor in Daddy Day Care, Hostage, Poseidon, and more recently in Orphan and as young James T. Kirk in Star Trek...
.
Stage
Neither of the Broadway productions of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a 1967 musical comedy with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts...
and Snoopy! The Musical featured Rerun, but various local and regional productions have included Rerun as a character.