It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown
Encyclopedia
It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown is the 16th prime-time animated
TV specials based upon the popular comic strip
Peanuts
, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired 8:00 PM, Monday evening, October 24, 1977 on the CBS-TV network.
The special was directed by Phil Roman
and produced by Bill Melendez
.
at Charlie Brown's school, and Charlie Brown and Linus
are among the escorts for the Homecoming Queen and her court. During the Homecoming Parade, Linus tells Charlie Brown that he will be the escort for the Queen, but Charlie Brown is shocked when he sees the Queen is none other than the Little Red-Haired Girl
herself (whose name is revealed to be Heather). He is even more shocked when Linus tells him about the Homecoming tradition—that he has to escort Heather and give her a kiss on the cheek
before the first dance. Hearing this, Charlie Brown hyperventilates and falls off the float.
The Homecoming Game begins with Snoopy as the referee and Charlie Brown on the team as kicker
. But unfortunately, even in a real football game with many spectators (and Woodstock
as a TV cameraman), Lucy
, also on the team as the placekick setter, can't resist humiliating Charlie Brown, again pulling the ball away just as he tries to kick it. To make matters worse, even though Lucy is clearly the one at fault, the team (particularly Peppermint Patty) blames Charlie Brown for the failed kicks. With just thirty seconds left in the fourth quarter, Charlie Brown has a chance to become a hero and kick a field goal
for the win, but Lucy again pulls the ball away, and the team loses by only one point.
Despite the humiliation, Charlie Brown still arrives at the dance to the surprise of his teammates (including, oddly enough, Lucy, the real culprit behind the team's loss) who think it would have been better if he didn't show up at all. But remaining faithful to his duty, Charlie Brown escorts Heather to the middle of the dance floor and somehow summons the courage to kiss her on the cheek. From that moment forward everything is a composite blur, with Charlie Brown having euphoric visions now that he has kissed the Little Red-Haired Girl—an accomplishment previously thought to be unattainable.
Charlie Brown wakes up the next morning, having no memory of anything that happened after the kiss. He walks to the wall, his usual hangout, and meets up with Linus, who proceeds to tell Charlie Brown that though he might have lost the game, he definitely took the honors at the dance. According to Linus, Charlie Brown surprised everyone when he kissed Heather, but even more so when he took to the dance floor with her—and even the other girls in the court—doing all of the latest dances. In essence, Charlie Brown was the life of the party
according to Linus.
In disbelief, Charlie Brown replied saying "What good is it to do anything, Linus, if you can't remember what you did?" Regardless, Linus reminds him that at least it was his first kiss and the story ends with Charlie Brown smiling with quiet satisfaction.
. Music scores were now co-written by Ed Bogas
and Judy Munsen. Bogas had just scored the movie Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown
for Schulz prior to this special. He also shares a bond with his predecessor in two ways: Both Guaraldi and Bogas were signed with Fantasy Records
(albeit Bogas as an in-staff producer, musician, songwriter) both musicians had also played with Cal Tjader
during their careers and they are both San Francisco natives.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
TV specials based upon the popular comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired 8:00 PM, Monday evening, October 24, 1977 on the CBS-TV network.
The special was directed by Phil Roman
Phil Roman
Philip Roman , is an animator. He is the founder of animation studios Film Roman and Phil Roman Entertainment. Roman is of Mexican American descent....
and produced by 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...
.
Summary
It's homecomingHomecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
at Charlie Brown's school, and Charlie Brown and Linus
Linus 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....
are among the escorts for the Homecoming Queen and her court. During the Homecoming Parade, Linus tells Charlie Brown that he will be the escort for the Queen, but Charlie Brown is shocked when he sees the Queen is none other than the Little Red-Haired Girl
Little Red-Haired Girl
The Little Red-Haired Girl is an unseen character in the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, and is a symbol of unrequited love. While never seen in the strip, she appears onscreen in several television specials. Her name is sometimes cited in these as Heather. She serves as the object of...
herself (whose name is revealed to be Heather). He is even more shocked when Linus tells him about the Homecoming tradition—that he has to escort Heather and give her a kiss on the cheek
Cheek kissing
Cheek kissing is a ritual or social gesture to indicate friendship, perform a greeting, to confer congratulations, to comfort someone, to show respect, or to indicate sexual or romantic interest....
before the first dance. Hearing this, Charlie Brown hyperventilates and falls off the float.
The Homecoming Game begins with Snoopy as the referee and Charlie Brown on the team as kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
. But unfortunately, even in a real football game with many spectators (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:...
as a TV cameraman), 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,...
, also on the team as the placekick setter, can't resist humiliating Charlie Brown, again pulling the ball away just as he tries to kick it. To make matters worse, even though Lucy is clearly the one at fault, the team (particularly Peppermint Patty) blames Charlie Brown for the failed kicks. With just thirty seconds left in the fourth quarter, Charlie Brown has a chance to become a hero and kick a field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
for the win, but Lucy again pulls the ball away, and the team loses by only one point.
Charlie Brown wakes up the next morning, having no memory of anything that happened after the kiss. He walks to the wall, his usual hangout, and meets up with Linus, who proceeds to tell Charlie Brown that though he might have lost the game, he definitely took the honors at the dance. According to Linus, Charlie Brown surprised everyone when he kissed Heather, but even more so when he took to the dance floor with her—and even the other girls in the court—doing all of the latest dances. In essence, Charlie Brown was the life of the party
Life of the Party
Life of the Party is the third full-length release from The Planet Smashers. Many of its tracks remain staples in the Smashers' live set of today, including "Surfin' in Torfino" and "Super Orgy Porno Party".-Track listing:#"Life of the Party" – 2:24...
according to Linus.
In disbelief, Charlie Brown replied saying "What good is it to do anything, Linus, if you can't remember what you did?" Regardless, Linus reminds him that at least it was his first kiss and the story ends with Charlie Brown smiling with quiet satisfaction.
Voices
- Charlie Brown: Arrin Skelley
- Linus van Pelt: Daniel AndersonDaniel AndersonDaniel Anderson may refer to:* Daniel Anderson , American basketball player* Daniel Anderson , member of the band Idiot Pilot* Daniel Anderson , Australian rugby league coach...
- Lucy van Pelt: Michelle Muller
- Peppermint Patty: Laura Planting
- Franklin: Ronald Hendrix
- 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...
Reaction
Audience reaction was primarily positive, but there were two elements about this special that initially caused negative reaction from viewers:- The Little Red-Haired Girl was never seen in the daily comics (except in silhouette in a May 1998 strip), nor was she ever referred to by her real name. Schulz himself admitted that he could not draw the Little Red-Haired Girl to readers' satisfaction, much less his own, but the storyline of the TV special forced the issue.
- In the special's initial broadcast Charlie Brown was blamed (especially by Peppermint Patty) for bungling key plays and losing the game, though it was plain that Lucy was responsible for the loss; to wit, her omnipresent need to humiliate Charlie Brown, hence pulling the ball away four times during the game, which prevented him from converting any extra points or field goals, including a crucial attempt at the end. Many viewers protested; while they could accept Lucy pulling the ball away, they could not accept Charlie Brown's being framed for losing the game. Schulz and the producers agreed, and some of the lines where Charlie Brown's teammates berate him have since been re-dubbed into what resembles backwards talk (at about 7½ minutes in, "Chuck, you really goofed up on that play!"; and at around 15½ minutes in, "Chuck, you can't do anything right!!").
Musical score
It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown was the first Peanuts television special produced after the death of longtime Peanuts composer Vince GuaraldiVince Guaraldi
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Guaraldi was an Italian American jazz musician and pianist noted for his innovative compositions and arrangements and for composing music for animated adaptations of the Peanuts comic strip...
. Music scores were now co-written by Ed Bogas
Ed Bogas
Ed Bogas, born Edgar Noel Bogas, and sometimes credited as Edward Bogas, is an American rock musician and composer and whose work has been featured in films, animations, and video games.-Career:...
and Judy Munsen. Bogas had just scored the movie Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown
Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown
Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown is a 1977 animated film produced by United Feature Syndicate for Paramount Pictures, directed by Bill Meléndez, and the third in a series of movies based on the Peanuts comic strip...
for Schulz prior to this special. He also shares a bond with his predecessor in two ways: Both Guaraldi and Bogas were signed with Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
(albeit Bogas as an in-staff producer, musician, songwriter) both musicians had also played with Cal Tjader
Cal Tjader
Callen Radcliffe Tjader, Jr. a.k.a. Cal Tjader was a Latin jazz musician, though he also explored various other jazz idioms. Unlike other American jazz musicians who experimented with the music from Cuba, the Caribbean, and Latin America, he never abandoned it, performing it until his...
during their careers and they are both San Francisco natives.