Little Red-Haired Girl
Encyclopedia
Unseen character
In fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
in the 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...
comic strip by Charles M. Schulz
Charles M. Schulz
Charles Monroe "Sparky" Schulz was an American cartoonist, whose comic strip Peanuts proved one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium, and is still widely reprinted on a daily basis.-Early life and education:Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Schulz grew up in Saint Paul...
, and is a symbol of unrequited love
Unrequited love
Unrequited love is love that is not openly reciprocated or understood as such, even though reciprocation is usually deeply desired. The beloved may or may not be aware of the admirer's deep affections...
. 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 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...
's desire. He most often notices her while eating lunch outdoors, and often tries to get up the courage to speak to her, but always in vain. Anything touched by her or associated with her is precious to him. For example, in one strip he finds her pencil dropped in the hallway, notices that it has been chewed and declares, "She's human!" Presumably, this common habit makes her seem more approachable, but, typically, he is prevented from following through when 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,...
snatches the pencil and returns it to the Little Red-Haired Girl with a brisk, "Hey, kid! Here's your stupid pencil!"
She also figures prominently in Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
strips, several of which focus on Charlie Brown's hope of getting a valentine from her (or anyone for that matter; typically Charlie gets nothing and Snoopy gets tons of valentines). Charlie Brown typically attempts to give her a valentine but chickens out at the last minute.
Appearances
Charlie Brown first fell in love with her during a school lunch period on November 12, 1963 saying, "I'd sure like to eat lunch with that little red-haired girl..."Although he first catches sight of her during the November 19, 1961 strip, saying he would "give anything in the world if that little girl with the red hair would come over and sit with me."
In July 1969, a story arc ran depicting the Little Red-Haired Girl moving away. Charlie Brown despaired that he would never see her again. He saw her from a distance later that year while skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
. Peppermint Patty
Peppermint Patty
Patricia "Peppermint Patty" Reichardt is a fictional character featured in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. A freckle-faced auburn/brunette, she is one of a small group in the strip who lives across town from Charlie Brown and his school friends...
and Marcie
Marcie (Peanuts)
Marcie is a bespectacled fictional character featured in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. She serves as comedic foil and best friend to tomboy Peppermint Patty, plays a supporting role in some of Snoopy's heroic fantasies, and displays a romantic interest in Charlie Brown, who seems to love...
encountered her at summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
a few years later. Eventually, the Little Red-Haired Girl moved back to Charlie Brown's neighborhood, with no further mention of her ever having been away.
The fourth Peanuts animated
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
TV special, You're in Love, Charlie Brown
You're in Love, Charlie Brown
You're in Love, Charlie Brown is the fourth prime-time animated TV specials based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on CBS on June 12, 1967...
, revolved entirely around Charlie Brown's obsession with the Little Red-Haired Girl. After several failed attempts at making conversation with her on the last two days of school, she stuffs a note into Charlie Brown's hands as students rush past him to board the school bus. Thinking he has ruined his final chance at meeting her, he reads the letter, which states, affectionately enough, "I like you, Charlie Brown. Signed, the Little Red-Haired Girl." Ecstatic, Charlie Brown skips his way home, realizing he has triumphed against what he considers all odds. Throughout the entirety of You're in Love, Charlie Brown, the Little Red-Haired Girl is not seen once.
The 1977 animated TV special It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown
It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown
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...
brought the Little Red-Haired Girl back, making her first on-screen appearance. Linus states that her name is Heather, and that she is the Homecoming Queen. Once again, Charlie Brown becomes a wreck, trying desperately to impress her once he learns that he has been chosen to escort her to the dance after the football game. Heather appeared again on camera in the 1985 special Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! is the 30th prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on CBS on January 1, 1986...
. Schulz did not consider these animated appearances to be canonical (although he wrote the screenplay himself). Officially, she remains unseen and unnamed.
The Little Red-Haired Girl was seen in the comics in silhouette
Silhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
once on May 25, 1998, dancing with 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...
. When the storyline was adapted as part of the 2002 TV special A Charlie Brown Valentine
A Charlie Brown Valentine
A Charlie Brown Valentine is an animated television special, based on characters from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. It features the Peanuts characters during the week leading up to Valentine's Day...
, she was seen unshadowed (but oddly had a different design than suggested by the silhouette).
A third animated version of the Little Red-Haired Girl is briefly seen in the introduction sequence used in the second season of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show
The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show
The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show is an animated television series featuring characters and storylines from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. It aired Saturday mornings on the CBS network from 1983 to 1985. It re-aired on The Disney Channel and Nickelodeon in the 1990s...
. The shot used here was most likely to provide a visual for the line used at that particular point in the song's lyrics ("...maybe that Red-Haired Girl will come and dance with Charlie Brown").
Another appearance includes the 1988 special Snoopy!!! The Musical
Snoopy!!! The Musical
Snoopy: The Musical is a musical comedy by Larry Grossman and Hal Hackady, with a book by Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw, and Michael Grace. The characters are from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. This sequel to the musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown focuses more on the life of...
(albeit a brief cameo). Her final appearance to date was in the 2002 special A Charlie Brown Valentine
A Charlie Brown Valentine
A Charlie Brown Valentine is an animated television special, based on characters from the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. It features the Peanuts characters during the week leading up to Valentine's Day...
.
Inspiration
A former coworker, Donna Mae Johnson (born circa 1929 in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
), was Schulz's inspiration for the character. A 1947 high school graduate, Johnson was working in the accounting department of the Art Instruction, Inc., a correspondence school
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
where Schulz worked. Johnson and Schulz eventually became romantically involved and dated for three years, but in 1950 when Schulz proposed to her, she turned him down, saying she was already engaged to fireman Allan Wold and married Allan on October 21, 1950. Schulz was devastated, but he and Johnson-Wold remained friends for the rest of his life.
Said Schulz of the relationship, "I can think of no more emotionally damaging loss than to be turned down by someone whom you love very much. A person who not only turns you down, but almost immediately will marry the victor. What a bitter blow that is." This experience became arguably the most poignant of all story lines for the entire Peanuts strip.
Only one known Schulz drawing (aside from the aforementioned silhouette) of the little red-haired girl exists. It was drawn in 1950, long before the Little Red-Haired Girl was mentioned in "Peanuts". The girl in the drawing strongly resembles Patty
Patty (Peanuts)
Patty is a character in the comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz . Her closest friend is Violet...
, a character who was prominent in the early days of the strip. A book containing the sketch also has a photo of Johnson with Schulz.
"I'd like to see 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...
kick that football, and if he gets the little red-haired girl, that's fine with me", Donna said around the time Schulz announced his retirement in 1999.
On Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
2011, the Schulz Museum gave free admission to all redheaded girls (and boys) in honor of the Little Red Haired Girl.http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/02/14/valentines-day-freebie-for-redheads-at-santa-rosa-schulz-museum/