Play It Again, Charlie Brown Explained
Play It Again, Charlie Brown is the seventh prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on CBS on March 28, 1971.[1]
This was the first Peanuts TV special of the 1970s, airing nearly a year and a half after It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown. (The feature film A Boy Named Charlie Brown had been released in between the two specials.) It was also the first special to focus on a character other than Charlie Brown or Snoopy.
It also marked the first time someone other than Peter Robbins voiced Charlie Brown, which in this case was Chris Inglis as the character, since Robbins' voice deepened after the previous special. Also, all the other remaining original actors from the first special, except for Bill Melendez, were replaced by someone else. This left Bill Melendez as the only original actor remaining, until his death on September 2, 2008. However, recordings of his voice were used in later Peanuts animated media.
In the special, Lucy talks Schroeder into playing his piano for a PTA meeting, but there are unforeseen details that he will not tolerate.
Voice cast
- Danny Hjelm as Schroeder. This is Hjelm’s first and only performance as Schroeder.
- Pamelyn Ferdin as Lucy van Pelt. This is Ferdin’s last performance as Lucy.
- Stephen Shea as Linus van Pelt. This is Shea’s first performance as Linus.He’s replacing his older brother Christopher Shea as Linus who voiced him from 1965 to 1968.
- Lynda Mendelson as Frieda.
- Hilary Momberger as Sally Brown.
- Chris Inglis as Charlie Brown and Pig-Pen. This is Inglis’s first and only performance as Charlie Brown.
- Christopher DeFaria as Peppermint Patty (credited as Kip DeFaria)
Music score
The majority of music cues for Play It Again, Charlie Brown consist of works composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. Eight different piano sonatas and one symphony appear in the television special. Remaining cues were divided between Vince Guaraldi, John Scott Trotter and Harry Bluestone and are noted as such.[2] Trotter also conducted and arranged the score, and received an Emmy nomination for his work on the special.[3]
- Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Opus 2: I. Allegro Con Brio (three separate cues)
- "Stupid Beagle" (John Scott Trotter)
- Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Opus 2: I. Allegro Con Brio (three separate cues)
- Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Opus 67: I. Allegro Con Brio
- Piano Sonata No. 4 in E Major, Opus 7: III. Allegro, ; "Trio" in E minor
- "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (aka "Charlie's Blues" and "Charlie Brown Blues") (electric version) (Vince Guaraldi)
- Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Opus 14, No. 2: I. Allegro in G major (two separate cues)
- "Oh, Good Grief" (Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson)
- Piano Sonata No, 14 in C minor ("Moonlight Sonata"), Opus 27, No. 2: II. Allegretto
- Piano Sonata No, 14 in C minor ("Moonlight Sonata"), Opus 27, No. 2: III. Presto agitato
- "Lucifer's Lady" (Vince Guaraldi)
- Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major ("Waldstein"), Opus 53: III. Rondo. Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo
- "Peppermint Patty" (electric band version) (Vince Guaraldi)
- Piano Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Opus 49, No. 2: I. Allegro ma non troppo,
- Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Opus 79: I. Presto alla tedesca
- "Happy, Happy" (acid rock-style jam) (Vince Guaraldi)
- "Charlie's Rock" (John Scott Trotter)
- "Tune Up No. 1"
- "Charlie's Rock" (John Scott Trotter)
- "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (slow version sans percussion) (Vince Guaraldi)
- Tune Up No. 2: "My Dog Has Fleas"
- "Happy" (Harry Bluestone)
- Piano Sonata No. 29 in B Major ("Hammerklavier"), Opus 106: I. Allegro
- "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (acid rock version) (Vince Guaraldi)
No official soundtrack for Play It Again, Charlie Brown has been released. However, recording session master tapes for seven 1970s-era Peanuts television specials scored by Vince Guaraldi were discovered by his son, David Guaraldi, in the mid-2000s. A version of the program's eponymous song featured in There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown (1973) was released in 2007 on the compilation album, Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials.[4]
Harpsichordist Lillian Steuber performed all Beethoven piano sonatas.[5]
Credits
- Created and Written by: Charles M. Schulz
- Directed by: Bill Melendez
- Produced by: Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez
- Musical Score Composed by: Ludwig van Beethoven, Vince Guaraldi
- Conducted by: John Scott Trotter
- Beethoven Sonatas Played by: Lillian Steuber
- Graphic Blandishment: Ed Levitt, Bernard Gruver, Evert Brown, Dean Spille, Frank Smith, Rudy Zamora, Don Lusk, Bill Littlejohn, Emery Hawkins, Al Pabian, Sam Jaimes, Beverly Robbins, Eleanor Warren, Carole Barnes, Faith Kovaleski, Manon Washburn
- Editing: Bob Gillis, Chuck McCann, Rudy Zamora, Jr.
- Sound:
- Radio Recorders, Sid Nicholas
- United Recorders, Arte Becker
- Producers' Sound Service, Don Minkler
- Camera: Dickson/Vasu
- In Cooperation with United Feature Syndicate
Notes and References
- Book: Terrace . Vincent . Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012 . 2013 . McFarland & Co . 9780786474448 . 91 . 2nd.
- Web site: Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts Song Library: Play It Again, Charlie Brown . Bang . Derrick . fivecentsplease.org . Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire . 31 May 2020 .
- Web site: Outstanding Individual Achievement Children%27s Program Nominees / Winners 1972 .
- Web site: Vince Guaraldi on LP and CD: Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials . Bang . Derrick . fivecentsplease.org . Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire . February 25, 2020 .
- 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 . registration . 305–306.
