Happy Birthday, Charlie Brown Explained

Genre:	Documentary
Creator:	Charles M. Schulz
Director:	Lee Mendelson
Presenter:	Phyllis George
Voices:	Arrin Skelley Daniel Anderson Annalisa Bartolin Bill Melendez Michelle Muller Ronald Hendrix Laura Planting Casey Carlson Don Potter
Location:	Coast Recorders, San Francisco, California
Theme Music Composer:	Vince Guaraldi
Company:	Lee Mendelson Film Productions Bill Melendez Productions
Composer:	Ed Bogas Judy Munsen
Country:	United States
Language:	English
Executive Producer:	Lee Mendelson
Producer:	Bill Melendez
Editor:	Paul Preuss Chuck McCann
Runtime:	60 min.
Network:	CBS

Happy Birthday, Charlie Brown is a prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network on January 5, 1979.^[1]

This episode celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Peanuts comic strip and the 15th anniversary of animated Peanuts specials on CBS, which both took place the following year, in 1980.^[2] It included an interview with Charles M. Schulz. Phyllis George hosted.^[3]

This special followed a 25th anniversary special, Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown, which aired in 1976.

Voice actors

• Arrin Skelley: Charlie Brown
• Daniel Anderson: Linus Van Pelt
• Annalisa Bartolin: Sally Brown
• Bill Melendez

Snoopy & Woodstock

• Michelle Muller: Lucy Van Pelt
• Ronald Hendrix: Franklin
• Laura Planting: Peppermint Patty
• Casey Carlson: Marcie
• Don Potter: Snoopy (singing voice)

Credits

• Written, Produced and Directed by: Lee Mendelson
• Animation by: Bill Melendez Productions
• Animation Directors: Bill Melendez, Phil Roman
• Cinematographers: David Crommie, Chuck Barbee, Stewart Barbee
• Associate Producers: Martha Grace, Paul Preuss, Ron Nelson
• Unit Production Manager/1st Assistant Director: Larry Sturhahn
• Production Staff: Pat LaFortune, Margaret Howard
• Editors: Paul Preuss, Chuck McCann
• Sound Recordists: John Barbee, Nelson Stoll
• Sound Recording/Mix: Producers' Sound Service - Hollywood
• Camera Assistants: Elizabeth Barbee, Randall Love, George Stephenson, Joseph Ward
• Production Coordinator: Glenn Mendelson
• Assistant Editor: Michael Rosenthal
• Voice Recording: Coast Recorders - San Francisco, California
  • "The Big Bow Wow" and "Suppertime" Sung by: Don Potter
  • "Happiness Is..." Sung by: Becky Reardon, Larry Finlayson
• Hair Stylist: Barbara Lorenz
• Makeup: Lona Mardock
• Gaffer: Jeffrey Gilliam
• Electrician: Leo Loverro
• Props: John Durr
• A Lee Mendelson Production
• in association with Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates and Bill Melendez Productions
  • © Copyright 1978 by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

Notes and References

1. Book: Solomon . Charles . The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation: Celebrating Fifty Years of Television Specials . 2012 . Chronicle Books . 978-1452110912 . 53.
2. Book: Woolery . George W. . Animated TV Specials: The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987 . 1989 . Scarecrow Press . 0-8108-2198-2 . 27 March 2020 . 186–187.
3. Book: Lenburg . Jeff . The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons . 1999 . Checkmark Books . 0-8160-3831-7 . 6 June 2020 . 271.