Play It Again, Charlie Brown (styled as play it again, Charlie Brown in the title card) 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 28, 1971. It was the first Peanuts TV special of the 1970s. Unlike most Peanuts specials, this special focuses mostly on Lucy and Schroeder.
Plot[]
This special begins with Schroeder playing his piano with the musical staff above him, and Lucy's head appears between the treble and bass staff. When he notices, he stops playing and says to the camera: "Don't tell me I've grown accustomed to that face." Later, Lucy walks in, leans on Schroeder's piano, and starts trying to get his attention by complimenting him, showing him that Beethoven now comes in spray cans, trying to convince him she also likes Beethoven, dusting his piano, and even walking up and kissing him. But with everything Lucy tries, Schroeder either ignores her, throws her off his piano, or just walks away.
Lucy becomes frustrated by Schroeder not paying any attention to her. She tells her problem to Sally and Peppermint Patty. Peppermint Patty comes up with an idea to get Schroeder to notice Lucy : there is an upcoming PTA program, and they need entertainment for it, so Peppermint Patty suggests that Lucy invite him to play his piano at the program. Lucy likes this and goes to tell Schroeder.
Lucy arrives at Schroeder's house and tells him about the PTA program. Schroeder thanks Lucy for the invite, and says he will practice for it right away. This gets Lucy so excited that she starts skipping into the street singing, "He thanked me!" and randomly hugging Snoopy and Charlie Brown.
On her way back, Lucy runs into Peppermint Patty, and thanks her for the idea. Patty then mentions that she forgot to say earlier that the PTA would like a rock concert, so Schroeder cannot play Beethoven for the PTA program. Lucy, shocked, remarks that Schroeder would never agree to this, but Patty replies that they have no choice.
An upset Lucy goes to tell her problem to Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and "Pig-Pen". Charlie Brown has an idea: Snoopy brings out a set of drums, a guitar, an upright bass, and the three start playing, while Lucy dances. they think Schroeder might agree to join their combo, and Lucy agrees.
Schroeder walks by, and Lucy, in an attempt to save face, introduces the combo as his backup band for him for the PTA concert. Schroeder, still thinking he will be playing Beethoven, insists he can handle it alone, but Lucy tells him that the PTA wants a rock concert instead of a classical recital. He refuses, just as expected. But after coercing from Charlie Brown, Schroeder reluctantly changes his mind.
During their initial rehearsal, Schroeder cannot bring himself to stomach the fact that he has sold out his beloved Beethoven. Since he has no experience with rock music, he keeps messing up. After practicing, he decides that there is no way he can bring himself to play rock music, stating that he would never forgive himself if he were to do so.
The night of the PTA meeting comes, and Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Pig-Pen are tuning up their instruments for the concert. Peppermint Patty wonders where Schroeder is; Schroeder arrives close to show time and announces that he has decided that he will not play for the concert. This upsets everyone, because now there is no act. Then Lucy remembers that PTA entertainments also come in a spray can, and they use that as the entertainment.
In the final scene, Lucy tells Schroeder that Beethoven never would have made it into Nashville and that he did not have the Nashville sound. Schroeder leaves, feeling insulted by this. Lucy then yells out to him, "He probably would not have made it in New Orleans, either!" Afterwards, she takes out her radio and happily listens to rock and roll on Schroeder's piano as the credits roll.
Voice cast[]
- Pamelyn Ferdin – Lucy
- Stephen Shea – Linus
- Lynda Mendelson – Frieda
- Chris Inglis – Charlie Brown/"Pig-Pen"
- Danny Hjeim – Schroeder
- Hilary Momberger – Sally
- Christopher DeFaria – Peppermint Patty
- Bill Melendez – Snoopy
Notes[]
- This is the first special that does not center around Charlie Brown.
- This is the first special in which the character of Charlie Brown is voiced by Chris Inglis rather than Peter Robbins.
- This is the first special where the adult voices speak in words, as heard when PTA programs come in spray cans, rather than being represented with the plunger-muted trombone sounds.
- This is the first special where Violet and Patty do not make an appearance.
- This special is the first one in which Schroeder sees Lucy's face appear in the notes while he plays the piano. The same gag is also seen in Is This Goodbye, Charlie Brown?
- Schroeder's comment "Don't tell me I've grown accustomed to THAT face..." is a reference to the song "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" from the stage musical and film My Fair Lady.
- The guitar that Charlie Brown plays is a bit of an oddity. It is shaped like an electric guitar, and has control knobs (and sounds like an electric guitar), but it is apparently not connected to an amplifier and it has a hole in the body like an acoustic guitar.
- This is the first special to use the Fender Rhodes Stage-73 to create the music.
- Music conductor John Scott Trotter received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming for his work on this special, though the special itself did not receive a nomination.
- This special aired 5 days early in Canada on March 23, 1971, on CBC.
- This special aired 18 months after the previous TV special It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown, meaning that there was no new Peanuts special broadcast in 1970. This may be explained by the feature film A Boy Named Charlie Brown having been released in December of 1969, with the producers not wanting a new TV special to divert attention from the film.
- This is the first special in which Linus van Pelt was voiced by Stephen Shea.
- This is the last special in which Lucy van Pelt was voiced by Pamelyn Ferdin.
- This is Peppermint Patty's fourth appearance in a 'Peanuts TV special; following "You're in Love, Charlie Brown", "He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown", and "It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown".
Goofs[]
- Whenever Sally leans diagonally on Linus and he runs off, she stays in that pose and does not fall.
- Throughout the special, Schroeder's toy piano changes color numerous times.
- When Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and "Pig-Pen" yell, "Forget it! Aaugh!," they are accidentally voiced by Pamelyn Ferdin.
- While Charlie Brown, "Pig-Pen", and Snoopy sound perfectly fine without Schroeder when demonstrating their rock band to Lucy, they are not able to go on without him at the PTA meeting.
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Gallery[]
.jpg "Peanuts - Lucy Van Pelt Guchi (1971).jpg (23 KB)")
.JPG "Schroeder screams (5).JPG (393 KB)")
.JPG "Schroeder screams (4).JPG (378 KB)")
.JPG "Schroeder screams (3).JPG (385 KB)")
.JPG "Schroeder screams (2).JPG (382 KB)")
.JPG "Schroeder screams (1).JPG (376 KB)")
Soundtrack[]
- Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Opus 2, Allegro Con Brio, first movement (Beethoven, three separate cues)
- "Stupid Beagle" (composed by John Scott Trotter)*
- Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Opus 2; Allegro Con Brio, first movement (Beethoven, two separate cues)
- Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Opus 67, first movement (Beethoven ... "in a spray can")
- Piano Sonata No. 4 in E-flat Major, Opus 7, third movement (Beethoven)
- "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (also known as "Charlie's Blues" and "Charlie Brown Blues")*
- Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Opus 14, No. 2, first movement (Beethoven, two separate cues)
- "Oh, Good Grief"*
- Piano Sonata No, 14 in C-sharp Minor ("Moonlight Sonata"), Opus 27, No. 2, second movement (Beethoven)
- Piano Sonata No, 14 in C-sharp Minor ("Moonlight Sonata"), Opus 27, No. 2, third movement (Beethoven)
- "Lucifer's Lady"*
- Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major ("Waldstein"), Opus 53, third movement (Beethoven)
- "Peppermint Patty" (electric band version)*
- Piano Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Opus 49, No. 2, first movement (Beethoven)
- Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Opus 79, first movement (Beethoven)
- "Happy, Happy" (acid rock-style jam)*
- "Charlie's Rock" (composed by John Scott Trotter)*
- Tune Up
- "Charlie's Rock" (composed by John Scott Trotter)*
- "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (ultra-slow version with no percussion) (aka "Charlie's Blues" and "Charlie Brown Blues")
- Tune Up: "My Dog Has Fleas"
- "Happy" (composed by Harry Bluestone)
- Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major ("Hammerklavier"), Opus 106, first movement (Beethoven)
- "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (acid rock version) (aka "Charlie's Blues" and "Charlie Brown Blues")*
(*) - Unreleased
External links[]
- Play It Again, Charlie Brown on the Internet Movie Database.
- Play it Again, Charlie Brown on AllMovie.