Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown
Encyclopedia
Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown is a Peanuts television special animated by Wild Brain
that was released in 2011. The special is the 45th in the series and the first without the late Bill Melendez
on the production team. It is also the first special without the direct involvement of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, Lee Mendelson Productions or Bill Melendez Productions (it is unknown, though, if Lee Mendelson
also worked on this special). The special was released on DVD
on March 29, 2011, and first aired on television on October 1, 2011, on Teletoon
in Canada. The special premiered in the United States on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2011 at 8:30PM ET/PT on Fox
, the first Peanuts special to air on the network; with this airing, Peanuts specials have aired on all four major networks, including ABC
, CBS
and NBC
. Coincidentally, the first half of the special on Fox competed directly with a Peanuts special that aired at the same time on ABC ("The Mayflower Voyagers" from This Is America, Charlie Brown
).
when a Snoopy
balloon (in his flying ace outfit) passed by. As quoted: "Snoopy fans will be happy to know that next year, a new Peanuts animation will be flying your way."
The teleplay for the Peanuts special was written by Pearls Before Swine
creator Stephan Pastis
. After the death of Bill Melendez, the voices of Snoopy and Woodstock
were provided by director Andrew Beall.
This special is particularly notable in that the characters/animation are done in an early-1960s style, and uses only characters from that time period (including the original Patty
and Shermy) and even pays homage to the very first Peanuts strip from October 2, 1950 (when Charlie Brown
has a flashback sequence).
The movie was scored by Devo
frontman Mark Mothersbaugh
.
is pushed to his limits when he learns his grandma is coming to visit and plans on ridding him of his childish security blanket. As Grandma’s arrival looms closer the Peanuts gang tries to help Linus learn to cope without his fuzzy crutch. Lucy
is particularly eager to cure Linus' dependency using her own psychiatric techniques, and while Charlie Brown
tries to help; he just doesn't have the heart to see Linus suffer. All the while Snoopy is constantly agitating matters because he wants the blanket for himself. In the end, insightful Linus points out that everyone has their own type of “security blanket” and in life a little security is a valuable thing.
and includes the following:
Wild Brain
Wild Brain is an award-winning entertainment company that develops and produces television programming, motion pictures, commercial content and licensed merchandise...
that was released in 2011. The special is the 45th in the series and the first without the late Bill Melendez
Bill Melendez
José Cuauhtémoc "Bill" Meléndez was a Mexican-American character animator, film director, voice artist and producer, known for his cartoons for Warner Brothers, UPA and the Peanuts series...
on the production team. It is also the first special without the direct involvement of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, Lee Mendelson Productions or Bill Melendez Productions (it is unknown, though, if Lee Mendelson
Lee Mendelson
Lee Mendelson is an American television producer. He is best known as the executive producer of the many Peanuts animated specials....
also worked on this special). The special was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on March 29, 2011, and first aired on television on October 1, 2011, on Teletoon
Teletoon
Teletoon is a Canadian Category A specialty channel that broadcasts animation programming. Teletoon is owned by Teletoon Canada Inc., a joint venture between Astral Media and Corus Entertainment. Its name is a portmanteau of television and cartoon and has no connection with the television channel...
in Canada. The special premiered in the United States on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2011 at 8:30PM ET/PT on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, the first Peanuts special to air on the network; with this airing, Peanuts specials have aired on all four major networks, including ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. Coincidentally, the first half of the special on Fox competed directly with a Peanuts special that aired at the same time on ABC ("The Mayflower Voyagers" from This Is America, Charlie Brown
This Is America, Charlie Brown
This is America, Charlie Brown was an eight-part animated TV mini-series, depicting events in American history with characters from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. It aired from 1988 to 1989 on CBS. These eight episodes, originally released singly on videocassette, were released in a...
).
Production
It was announced by one of the hosts at the 2010, 84th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day ParadeMacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
when a 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...
balloon (in his flying ace outfit) passed by. As quoted: "Snoopy fans will be happy to know that next year, a new Peanuts animation will be flying your way."
The teleplay for the Peanuts special was written by Pearls Before Swine
Pearls Before Swine (comic strip)
Pearls Before Swine is an American comic strip written and illustrated by Stephan Pastis, who was formerly a lawyer in San Francisco, California. It chronicles the daily lives of four anthropomorphic animals, Pig, Rat, Zebra, and Goat, as well as a number of supporting characters...
creator Stephan Pastis
Stephan Pastis
Stephan Thomas Pastis is an American cartoonist and the creator of the comic strip Pearls Before Swine.-Background:...
. After the death of Bill Melendez, the voices of Snoopy and Woodstock
Woodstock (Peanuts)
Woodstock is a fictional character in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. He is Snoopy's closest friend and, after Snoopy, the most recognized non-human in the strip.-History:...
were provided by director Andrew Beall.
This special is particularly notable in that the characters/animation are done in an early-1960s style, and uses only characters from that time period (including the original Patty
Patty (Peanuts)
Patty is a character in the comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz . Her closest friend is Violet...
and Shermy) and even pays homage to the very first Peanuts strip from October 2, 1950 (when Charlie Brown
Charlie 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...
has a flashback sequence).
The movie was scored by Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
frontman Mark Mothersbaugh
Mark Mothersbaugh
Mark Allen Mothersbaugh is an American musician, composer, singer and painter. He is the co-founder of the new wave band Devo and has been its lead singer since 1972. His other musical projects include work for television series, films, and video games....
.
Plot
LinusLinus 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....
is pushed to his limits when he learns his grandma is coming to visit and plans on ridding him of his childish security blanket. As Grandma’s arrival looms closer the Peanuts gang tries to help Linus learn to cope without his fuzzy crutch. 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,...
is particularly eager to cure Linus' dependency using her own psychiatric techniques, and while Charlie Brown
Charlie 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...
tries to help; he just doesn't have the heart to see Linus suffer. All the while Snoopy is constantly agitating matters because he wants the blanket for himself. In the end, insightful Linus points out that everyone has their own type of “security blanket” and in life a little security is a valuable thing.
Voices
- Austin Lux - Linus Van Pelt
- Amanda Pace - SallySally BrownSally Brown is the younger sister of Charlie Brown in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles Schulz. She was first mentioned in early 1959 and throughout a long series of strips before her first appearance in August 1959.-Appearance:...
- Trenton Rogers - Charlie Brown, SchroederSchroeder (Peanuts)Schroeder is a fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz. He is distinguished by his precocious skill at playing the toy piano, as well as by his love of classical music and the composer Ludwig van Beethoven in particular...
- Grace Rolek - Lucy Van Pelt
- Shane BaumelShane BaumelShane Baumel is an American teen actor. The first movie he appeared in was Daddy Day Care, with the role of Crispin. His latest appearance was in Wild Hogs, starring Tim Allen. He has also appeared on TV a few times, in shows such as Andy Barker, PI and the Emperor's New School, as the voice of...
- Pig-PenPig-Pen"Pig-Pen" is a character in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. He is a young boy who is, except on very rare occasions, very dirty.-History:"Pig-Pen" is a nickname, invariably written in quotation marks in the strip... - Blesst Bowden - Violet
- Ciara BravoCiara BravoCiara Quinn Bravo is an American actress, voice artist, singer, and comedienne. She is best known for her role as Katie Knight on Big Time Rush....
- Patty - Andy PessoaAndy PessoaAndrew Stephan Pessoa is an American teen actor. His first leading role was in the 2006 independent short film Fishy, which was directed by Laurie Epstein...
- Shermy - Andy Beall - Snoopy, Woodstock
- Bill MelendezBill MelendezJosé Cuauhtémoc "Bill" Meléndez was a Mexican-American character animator, film director, voice artist and producer, known for his cartoons for Warner Brothers, UPA and the Peanuts series...
- Snoopy, Woodstock (archival audio)
Blu-ray and DVD release
Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown was released on Blu-ray and DVD March 29, 2011 by Warner Home VideoWarner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
and includes the following:
- Deconstructing Schulz: From Comic Strip to Screenplay
- Happiness Is...Finding the Right Voice
- 24 Frames a Second: Drawing and Animating a Peanuts Movie
- Deleted Scene featuring an introduction by Director Andy Beall
- Jerk Chicken Short: "Cop-A-Doodle Doo"
- THXTHXTHX is a trade name of a high-fidelity audio/visual reproduction standard for movie theaters, screening rooms, home theaters, computer speakers, gaming consoles, and car audio systems. The current THX was created in 2001 when it spun off from Lucasfilm Ltd...
Optimizer
External links
- http://www.fivecentsplease.org/tv/peanuts-tv.html
- http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Charlie-Brown-Peanuts-Specials-Happiness-is-a-Warm-Blanket/14837#ixzz19BYqkHgu