Play It Again, Charlie Brown

Play It Again, Charlie Brown
Title card from "Play It Again, Charlie Brown"
Genre	Animated TV Special
Created by	Charles M. Schulz
Directed by	Bill Meléndez
Voices of	Pamelyn Ferdin Stephen Shea Danny Hjelm Lynda Mendelson Chris Inglis Bill Meléndez
Theme music composer	Vince Guaraldi Ludwig van Beethoven
Production
Producer(s)	Lee Mendelson Bill Meléndez
Editor(s)	Bob Gillis Chuck McCann Rudy Zamora, Jr.
Broadcast
Original channel	CBS
First shown in	March 27, 1971
Chronology
Preceded by	It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown
Followed by	You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown

Play It Again, Charlie Brown is the seventh prime-time animated TV specials based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network on March 27, 1971. It was the first Peanuts TV special of the 1970s. It is also the first time someone other than Peter Robbins voiced the character of Charlie Brown.

This special was released on DVD for the first time, in remastered form as part of the DVD box set, "Peanuts 1970's Collection, Volume One."

Summary

This non-holiday Peanuts special centers on Lucy, her infatuation with Schroeder, and her willingness to do anything to win his affections. In the comic strip Lucy was often seen hanging around Schroeder, wanting him to pay more attention to her, but his unshakable devotion to classical music, Beethoven in particular, was seemingly impenetrable.

Frustrated in her repeated failures to get Schroeder's attention (by, among other things, demonstrating that Beethoven now comes in spray cans), she opens up to Sally and Peppermint Patty about her situation, and Peppermint Patty comes up with an idea to get Lucy in good with Schroeder: invite him to play his piano in concert at the upcoming PTA program. Lucy goes along with the idea and goes back to tell Schroeder, who warms up to the idea, and after thanking Lucy begins rehearsing right away.

The mere fact that Schroeder thanks her for the invite is enough to send Lucy skyrocketing into cloud nine, randomly hugging Snoopy and Charlie Brown in total euphoria. On her way back home, Lucy runs into Peppermint Patty again and thanks her for the idea, but Patty mentions something she forgot to tell Lucy before: That Schroeder can't play any Beethoven in the program; the PTA decided they want a rock concert instead.

Lucy anguishes over this revelation, knowing full well that Schroeder will never agree to it, so she asks Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Pig-Pen for help. Snoopy comes up with an idea: He brings out a set of drums (for Pig-Pen), an acoustic guitar (for Charlie Brown) and an upright bass, and the three start playing with Lucy dancing.

Moments later Schroeder walks by, and Lucy, in an attempt to save face, introduces the combo as his backup band for him for the PTA concert. But Schroeder, still thinking he'll be playing Beethoven, insists he can handle it alone, but when Lucy tells him that the PTA wants a rock concert instead of a classical recital, Schroeder backs out, just as expected. But after coercing from Charlie Brown, Schroeder reluctantly changes his mind. During their initial rehearsal, Schroeder just can't bring himself to stomach the fact that he has sold out his beloved Beethoven.

The night of the PTA meeting comes, and the combo is tuning up their instruments for the concert. Schroeder arrives close to show time, but despite Lucy and Peppermint Patty's pleading, he decides to stick to his guns and refuses to perform, reinforcing his belief that playing rock music would be compromising his classical roots. So now it's Patty who has the dilemma- a PTA meeting without a program. But Lucy has a "solution": Holding up a spray can, she says PTA meetings now come in spray cans, too.

On the final scene, Lucy visits Schroeder again and somehow offends him about Beethoven not making it in Nashville and that he did not have the Nashville sound. Schroeder leaves feeling insulted by this. Lucy then yells out to him, "He probably wouldn't have made it in New Orleans EITHER!!!" Lucy then takes out her radio and happily listens to rock and roll on Schroeder's piano as the credits roll.

Voice cast

• Pamelyn Ferdin as Lucy
• Danny Hjelm as Schroeder
• Stephen Shea as Linus
• Linda Mendelson as Frieda
• Chris Inglis as Charlie Brown
• Hilary Momberger as Sally
• Kip DeFaria as Peppermint Patty
• Bill Meléndez as Snoopy

Production credits

• 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

• Edited by

Bob Gillis

Chuck McCann

Rudy Zamora, Jr.

• Sound

• Radio Recorders

Sid Nicholas

• United Recorders

Artie Becker

• Producers' Sound Service

Don Minkler

• Camera

Dickson/Vasu

• in cooperation with

United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

• The End

"Play It Again, Charlie Brown"

©1971 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

External links

• • Play It Again, Charlie Brown at the Internet Movie Database