- The Peanuts FAQ (1/1) Peanuts FAQ File
Scott G. McGuire
I'm posting the FAQ for Derrick Bang this week. Please send any
replies to him at <ba...@wheel.dcn.davis.ca.us> .
BEGIN -- Cut Here -- cut here
Revised August 13, 1996
This article is intended to address some (most?) of the
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Charles Schulz and his
Peanuts cartoon strip.
Information new to this revision can be quickly located by
checking outline headings marked with an asterisk (*).
Aside from its presence here in the Peanuts newsgroup, this
document can also be retrieved via anonymous ftp
from this site:
This will get you to a root directory. Issue a dir or ls command,
and you'll see half a dozen or so directories. Change directory (cd)
to pub. Change directory (cd) again to wheel. Change one last
time to Peanuts. You should find only one file: peantfaq.txt.
That's all (!) there is to it.
Please do NOT capriciously amend or "correct" this FAQ. If you
have comments, revisions, or suggestions for additional topics,
e-mail them to me at ba...@wheel.dcn.davis.ca.us, and I'll happily
incorporate the pertinent changes myself (and provide credit
where appropriate).
Remember, this FAQ is not intended to answer every possible
question which might be asked about Charles Schulz and
Peanuts...merely the ones mostly likely to be posed by newcomers
to this newsgroup. Some questions are answered here in their
entirety; some provide a partial answer and information on how to
reach other Web-sites where more detailed information (such as
book lists) is meticulously maintained.
The following topics are addressed:
1) GENERAL QUESTIONS
1.1) Is there a club devoted to Peanuts fans?
1.1a) Are there regional meetings?
1.1b) When is the next Beaglefest?
1.2) Is there a World Wide Web (WWW) page devoted to
Peanuts?
1.3) Do FTP sites exist where I can download
Peanuts .GIF images?
1.4) Are there other relevant WWW sites?
1.5) Do banks have Peanuts checks available?
1.6) Is there any great Peanuts software "out there"?
1.7) Collecting
1.7a) Is there a standard Reference/Price Guide
for Peanuts collectibles?
1.7b) Are there definitive lists of ink stampers,
Christmas ornaments, plush toys, magnets, etc.?
1.8) Has anybody compiled a definitive list of
newspaper/magazine articles and interviews with
Schulz, and about his strip?
2) CHARLES M. SCHULZ
2.1) When (and where) was Charles Monroe Schulz born?
2.2) Where does Schulz live? Can I write him a letter?
2.3) When did Schulz begin Li'l Folks, the strip which
preceded Peanuts?
* 2.4) Can I get a copy of the BIOGRAPHY episode about
Schulz, which debuted 12/25/95?
2.5) Is Schulz still drawing and writing Peanuts? I heard
somebody else took his place years ago!
2.6) Just how wealthy is Schulz?
3) THE DAILY COMIC STRIP
3.1) When did Peanuts begin?
3.2) Have all the newspaper strips been reprinted in
books?
3.3) Can you help me find a strip I remember seeing
[some time ago], which concerned [fill in the
blank]?
* 3.4) Haven't I seen that punchline before?
3.5) Books about Peanuts
3.5a) The chronological reprint books
3.5b) Anthologies
3.5c) Special books
3.5d) Foreign titles
3.5e) Non-Peanuts books by Charles Schulz
4) THE CHARACTERS
* 4.1) When did [your favorite character] first appear?
4.2) Has anybody compiled a list of all the characters
ever to appear in the strip?
4.3) What is the origin of Charlie Brown's name?
4.4) What is the origin of the little red-haired girl? Has
she ever actually appeared in the strip?
4.5) When is Snoopy's birthday?
* 4.6) How many different roles has Snoopy played?
4.7) What are the names of Snoopy's siblings?
4.8) What are the titles of the "Bunny-Wunnies"
books which Snoopy loves so much?
4.9) What's the complete text of Snoopy's novel?
4.10) Do any other characters have "real" roots?
4.11) How old are Charlie Brown and his friends (as "real" characters)?
4.12) Have adults ever appeared in the strip?
4.13) Who plays which position on Charlie Brown's baseball team?
4.14) Sally's School Malapropisms
5) THE TV SPECIALS
5.1) What was the first special, and when did it debut?
5.2) Who voiced the characters in that first special?
5.3) Has anybody compiled a list of TV specials, and
commented on their availability on video?
5.4) Are any of the TV specials still airing?
5.5) Will there be more new specials? What are they,
and when will they air?
5.6) TV commercials -- general information
6) THE MOVIES
6.1) How many movies featured the Peanuts gang?
6.2) Are they available on video?
6.3) Were soundtracks released?
7) THE PLAYS
7.1) How many stage shows featured the Peanuts gang?
7.2) Are the soundtracks available?
8) THE MUSIC
8.1) What Vince Guaraldi CDs exist?
* 8.2) Have other artists recorded Guaraldi's Peanuts
music?
8.3) Does sheet music exist for any of these tunes?
8.4) What are the lyrics to "Joe Cool"?
8.5) Can any of these songs be downloaded in .WAV
or .AU format, so I can hear them on my computer?
8.6) Where can I find a copy of "Snoopy vs. The Red Baron"?
9) THEME PARKS/MERCHANTS
9.1) Are there any Peanuts theme parks?
9.2) Are there any stores devoted exclusively to
Peanuts merchandise?
9.3) What's this about a Snoopy ice show?
10) TRADING CARDS/POGS
10.1) How many sets of trading cards have been
released? Will there be more?
10.2) How many sets of POGs have been released? Will
there be more?
11) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND DISCLAIMER
*******************************************************
1) GENERAL QUESTIONS
1.1) Is there a club devoted to Peanuts fans?
Yes, the Peanuts Collectors Club is the officially-recognized (by
United Media, the distribution syndicate which handles the
Peanuts strip and all related merchandising) fraternity of
record. The Club was founded in 1983 by Andrea Podley, who still
manages the ever-increasing duties with the sole assistance of
her husband, Phil. She publishes quarterly newsletters, each of
which seems to be larger than its predecessor, every one filled
with articles about various aspects of Peanuts-dom, from bios of
individual members and descriptions of their collections to news
on just-released merchandise, from collectibles to definitive
lists of particular items (refrigerator magnets, for instance),
not to mention the all-important Buy/Sell/Swap pages in the back.
International membership now stands at over 1500 folks. Further
questions about the Club should be directed to:
The Peanuts Collectors Club, Inc.
539 Sudden Valley
Bellingham, WA 98226 USA
(A bit more information can be found at the Club World Wide Web
site; see answer to question 1.2 below.)
1.1a) Are there regional meetings?
Yes, and they're generally announced in the quarterly Club
newsletter...although smaller groups of collectors in a
particular geographic area often call each other and arrange more
intimate gatherings for, say, a Saturday afternoon.
The B*I*G O*N*E, however, is the (currently) bi-annual
Beaglefest. (See next answer.)
1.1b) When is the next Beaglefest?
Beaglefest III brought roughly 350 people to a Santa Rosa,
California lodge for a memorable three days in July 1993;
Beaglefest IV gathered upwards of 700 folks in the
Minneapolis/St. Paul Holiday Inn International, for four equally
fabulous days in July 1995.
Beaglefest V has been announced for July 10-13, 1997. The
convention will take place in Santa Rosa, California. It's
still too early for registration, but it is known that the
anticipated 700 Collectors Club members and guests will
be split between Santa Rosa's Red Lion Hotel and Los
Robles Lodge. YOU MUST BE A CLUB MEMBER (or
the guest of a club member) TO ATTEND.
1.2) Is there a World Wide Web (WWW) page devoted to
Peanuts?
Absolutely!
United Media has its own Peanuts web pages, filled with
all sorts of nifty illustrations and information. There's a
trivia contest which changes weekly, an archive of
character profiles, greetings to Charles Schulz from
various celebrities, photos of Peanuts-themed art,
and many, many other features to keep folks amused.
(You can also read each day's comic strip here!)
The page is beautifully maintained, and can be seen at:
http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/peanuts/
The Peanuts Collectors Club also has its own web page.
Dubbed the Peanuts Collectors Club WWW Server, it can
be reached at this Internet address:
http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~bang/peanuts
Aside from providing information about the Club, and a brief
history of its origins, it also includes links to other folks in
cyberspace who have assembled nifty Peanuts-themed Web
pages. One of the newest comes from MetLife, the insurance
firm long associated with Charlie Brown and the gang. It's
also a lot of fun, so be sure to check it out
1.3) Do FTP sites exist where I can download
Peanuts .GIF images?
Yes. The Collectors Club WWW page, cited above, includes links to
two FTP sites. Between them, you can download about 20 different
Peanuts .GIF images.
1.4) Are there other relevant WWW sites?
See the answer to 1.2 above.
1.5) Do banks have Peanuts checks available?
As of mid-September 1995, you can order Peanuts
checks from any banking institution which deals
with Deluxe Check Printers (which is pretty much
all of them, in the United States).
There are 10 check designs -- far more than usual,
with other styles -- all in subdued pastel tones. The
text on each check is in a font similar to Schulz's
lettering style, and you can select any one of 12
"woodcuts" to appear in the upper left corner of
each check.
Additionally, there are two checkbook covers:
a plastic one, with the entire gang in a happy
pose; and a fancier leather one, with Charlie Brown
stitched onto a cover which also has his
trademarked yellow stripe.
If your bank doesn't actually provide checks from
Deluxe, it's still possible to obtain the Peanuts checks
by working with a cooperative bank representative.
Deluxe sells a few check designs through a toll-free
service (Hummel, NASCAR, and Encore PBS), but the
Peanuts checks are not included in this program. But you
CAN have your local bank representative use that phone
number -- (800) 722-3771 -- to place a "special order" for
you, for the Peanuts checks. You'll need to supply a
voided check, a voided deposit slip, and perhaps a few
others items. This may take a little persistence, and the
willingness of a local bank employee, but you should
emerge victorious.
1.6) Is there any great Peanuts software "out there"?
But of course!
Individual Software, Inc. produces a marvelous product
called the Peanuts Family Organizer. It keeps track of
daily/weekly/monthly/yearly appointments, activities,
and so forth. Each person tracked is represented by a
different character icon, and every day the user is
greeted by a new Peanuts comic strip. Their address is:
Individual Software
5870 Stoneridge Drive #1
Pleasanton, California 94588-9900
(800) 331-3313
And, in Europe:
Individual Software Europe BVBA
Interleuvenlaan 21, Bus 2
3001 Leuven (Haasrode)
Belgium
32 (0) 16-400-444
Image Smith has quite a few different products,
including several clever childrens' educational
activities. They are:
The Snoopy Screen Saver (8 savers, plus sound)
Yearn to Learn Peanuts
Yearn to Learn Snoopy
Snoopy's Geography Games
Master Snoopy's Math
Master Snoopy's Spelling
Master Snoopy's Coloring Book
All these programs are available for Mac and PC- Windows.
Image Smith also has a cute Peanuts Mouse Pad and
Wrist Pad ("Please excuse my typping.")
It must be noted, however, that Image Smith has
been absorbed by Philips Media, which promises to
continue support for all the products above.
Their address is:
Philips Media
c/o Startek
111 Havana Street
Aurora, Colorado 80010
(303) 739-4131
(800) 876-6679
1.7) Collecting
1.7a) Is there a standard Reference/Price Guide
for Peanuts collectibles?
Yes...although it's out-of-print. (NOTHING stays in print long
enough these days!) It's THE OFFICIAL PRICE GUIDE TO PEANUTS
COLLECTIBLES, by Freddi Margolin and Andrea Podley, published by
the House of Collectibles Press, New York, in 1990. At that time,
it sold for $9.95. If you can find it at an out-of-print
bookstore at that price, you're doing well. The prices inside
really haven't changed that much yet, so it's still a pretty good
indication of what you can expect. Best of all, it's got LOTS of
pictures -- some in full color -- and makes a superb reference.
1.7b) Are there definitive lists of ink stampers,
Christmas ornaments, plush toys, magnets, etc.?
Yes, and they're most likely to appear in the Club newsletter.
Various members have devoted hours/days/weeks/months to
comprehensive lists of their favorite collectibles, so back
issues of the newsletter have become historical records in their
own right. The bittersweet truth, of course, is that such lists
go out of date almost the moment they're printed; the world of
Peanuts merchandising is still so active, that new stuff appears
all the time. (Not that we mind, right?)
1.8) Has anybody compiled a definitive list of
newspaper/magazine articles and interviews with
Schulz, and about his strip?
Not that I'm aware of, although several folks are working on such
a compilation. It's a massive task, because Charles Schulz has
been quite the popular interview subject during the past 45
years.
2) CHARLES M. SCHULZ
2.1) When (and where) was Charles Monroe Schulz born?
Schulz was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on November 26, 1922. Two
days later, an uncle gave him the nickname which has stuck to
this day: "Sparky," taken from Sparkplug, the name of Barney
Google's horse (a popular newspaper comic strip of the day).
2.2) Where does Schulz live? Can I write him a letter?
Like every other celebrity, Charles Schulz deserves his
privacy...God knows he doesn't get enough of it. I will reveal
that he lives in Santa Rosa, California...more than that, you
won't learn here!
On the subject of mail, however, it is possible to write to him
at this address:
Charles Schulz
Number One Snoopy Place
Santa Rosa
California 95403 USA
Don't expect a reply, quick or otherwise...he receives a lot
of fan mail!
2.3) When did Schulz begin Li'l Folks, the strip which
preceded Peanuts?
Like most so-called "overnight successes," Schulz had been
working hard for years, before he found fame and fortune
with Peanuts.
Although he experimented with a variety of concepts, the
strip "Li'l Folks" deserves special mention. Begun in 1947
as a Sunday feature in the women's section of the St. Paul
Pioneer Press (Schulz's home-town paper), Li'l Folks was
a collection of three to four single-panel cartoons, all
featuring children. The cast of characters included a girl
named Patty, a boy named Charlie Brown, a dog which
looked very much like Snoopy, and a young piano student
who adored Beethoven.
Li'l Folks ran in the St. Paul Pioneer Press for two years.
In 1949, wanting a raise and better exposure for his work,
Schulz approached his editor and requested daily status,
better placement in the paper, and a bit more money. In
true Charlie Brown fashion, the editor declined, and
Schulz felt obliged to resign.
During this time, Schulz also published a series of 17
one-panel cartoons in the Saturday Evening Post.
Although not named, most of these cartoons bore a
strong resemblance to Li'l Folks, and they appeared
in the following issues:
May 29, 1948 -- page 116
July 17, 1948 -- page 42
September 25, 1948 -- page 152
November 6, 1948 -- page 91
November 13, 1948 -- page 179
January 1, 1949 -- page 60
February 19, 1949 -- page 119
May 21, 1949 -- page 72
May 21, 1949 -- page 166
July 16, 1949 -- page 114
November 19, 1949 -- page 132
February 11, 1950 -- page 45
February 18, 1950 -- page 129
April 19, 1950 -- page 140
April 29, 1950 -- page 87
May 6, 1950 -- page 79
July 8, 1950 -- page 54
Although most libraries are unlikely to archive back
issues of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (unless you live
in St. Paul!), it shouldn't be hard to track down bound
volumes of the Saturday Evening Post. The research is
its own reward; these vintage strips give ample evidence
of the emerging genius just months from greater renown.
(The issues and page numbers shown above were
researched by Peanuts Collector's Club members
Caryl Hall and Norma Truax, for a feature which first
appeared in the Club's fourth-quarter 1993 newsletter.)
2.4) Can I get a copy of the BIOGRAPHY episode about
Schulz, which debuted 12/25/95?
Absolutely.
The 60-minute program (less commercials) debuted on
Christmas Day, 1995, on cable's Arts & Entertainment Network,
and was an instant hit with fans. Although A&E is certain to
repeat it, those not willing to wait can order their own copy on
videotape. Just call A&E at (800) 423-1212. Ask for the
Charles Schulz episode of BIOGRAPHY; the price is $19.95
for the tape, plus another $3.95 for shipping.
2.5) Is Schulz still drawing and writing Peanuts? I heard
somebody else took his place years ago!
Of all the thoughtless and silly questions that sometimes pop
up, this has to be the worst. How can you examine any single
Peanuts strip and not KNOW, without question, that they've
always been rendered by the same hand?
For the record, Charles Schulz is now -- and has always
been -- the only person to draw, write, and letter his beloved
comic strip. While it is true that other daily strips are drawn
and/or written by "consortiums" overseen by the strip's
creator, this has never been the case with Peanuts.
Schulz has also made it plain that the strip retires with him.
When he finally stops -- an eventuality we all hope is many,
many years away -- nobody else will take over.
That is absolutely as it should be.
2.6) Just how wealthy is Schulz?
As my grandmother would have said, upon hearing such an
impertinent question, that's nobody's business but his. Let's
just say he can probably afford to eat more than jelly-bread
sandwiches.
3) THE DAILY COMIC STRIP
3.1) When did Peanuts begin?
The first daily strip appeared on October 2, 1950, in seven
newspapers: The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune,
The Minneapolis Star/Tribune, The Allentown Call-Chronicle, The
Bethlehem Globe-Times, The Denver Post, and The Seattle Times.
No matter where you live (in the United States), your nearest
public or university library should have at least one of those
newspapers in its microfilm department. Zoom back to 1950, and
you'll be able to see that first strip in all its glory.
The Sunday strip did not begin until January 1952; until then,
Peanuts was a six-day effort. Some newspapers also treated it
rather cruelly during the first several years; the uniform, four-
panel format made it possible to run the strip horizontally or
vertically, or in a squarish box. Frequently, those papers
running the strip vertically would squash the panels on top of
each other, to cram the whole thing into a space much too small.
By the mid-50s, once the strip had really caught on, this
practice (thankfully) stopped.
3.2) Have all the newspaper strips been reprinted in
books?
No. In spite of all the books of reprinted strips which have been
published since 1952, there are still roughly 2,500 strips which
have never seen the light of day, since their original newspaper
appearance. And yes, that's quite a few! To get an idea of how
many that is, consider that -- as of July 1, 1995 -- Schulz had
published 16,296 strips. 2,500 is roughly 15% of that number!
3.3) Can you help me find a strip I remember seeing
[some time ago], which concerned [fill in the
[blank]?
Depending on how accurately you can describe the strip, and how
small a window of time you can present -- such as "sometime in
1964" -- you'll probably get an answer from somebody following
this newsgroup...perhaps even me. But PLEASE try to be as
specific as possible; don't just describe something as "the
1960s strip where Snoopy tried to get Linus' blanket"...there
must have been hundreds of those!
3.4) Haven't I seen that punchline before?
Charles Schulz has drawn well over 16,000 individual strips
since PEANUTS debuted in 1950, and that's a lot of gags and
storylines. It's therefore inevitable that individual ideas might
occur to him more than once over the years, and nobody's
memory is good enough to remember that much work with
perfect clarity. So yes, a few duplications have appeared
over the years, and they're cited below. (Thanks to Tim Chow
for some preliminary legwork.)
***) The "rather small congregation."
Back when Charlie Brown's younger sister Sally was still
pretty new to the world, she proved quite the impressionable
audience for odd facts and amusements. On February 8, 1963
(in a strip reprinted in You're Something Else, Charlie Brown)
she watches while her big brother uses his hands to illustrate
that old rhyme: "Here's the church...here's the steeple...open
the door...and see all the people!" After carefully examining
his closed fingers, she announces, "It looks like a rather
small congregation!"
Four years later, on April 8, 1967 (in a strip reprinted in
You Can Do It, Charlie Brown), Sally watches as Linus
delivers the same rhyme...and then she provides an almost
exact response: "Sort of a small congregation."
***) The pledge of allegiance.
After entering school, Sally finds herself obliged to begin
each day with a pledge to the American flag. On September
11, 1963 (in a strip reprinted in As You Like It, Charlie Brown),
she stands at her desk and recites the entire pledge. She then
sits down in the third panel, but rises again in the fourth to
conclude with a heartfelt "Amen!"
Almost a quarter-century later, on September 16, 1987 (in a
strip reprinted in If Beagles Could Fly), Peppermint Patty
stands behind her desk and recites the same pledge. She
then sits down in panel three, looking quite satisfied, but
bounces up again in panel four, for a hearty "Amen!"
***) Ground crew.
Nobody needs to be reminded of the suffering Charlie
Brown has endured while playing baseball, but it seemed
needlessly cruel to subject him to this particular torment
more than once. In the April 8, 1981 daily strip (reprinted
in You're Weird, Sir), ol' Chuck notices that it has started
to rain. He hollers for the unseen ground crew, and orders
them to "get out the tarp, and cover the infield." In the
final panel, speaking from beneath a tarp which has turned
him into a bump on the landscape, he comments,
"They did that pretty fast."
This gag resurfaced in a Sunday strip published September
20, 1987 (and reprinted in If Beagles Could Fly). Charlie
Brown calls for two volunteers -- Lucy and Sally -- and
shows them a tarp, explaining that if it starts to rain,
they're to rush out and cover the infield and pitcher's
mound with it. "Remember," he concludes, "you have
to be quick." Raindrops start falling on his head, so he
calls for the tarp. In the final panel, once again hidden
from sight, he laments, "That was a little too quick."
3.5) Books about Peanuts
3.5a) The chronological reprint books
Although the books have gone through several publishers, the
"series of record" begins with 1952's PEANUTS and (currently)
concludes with 1995's MAKE WAY FOR THE KING OF THE JUNGLE.
There have been many different versions of some titles, and those
desiring a complete roster are strongly encouraged to check out the lists
compiled by Scott McGuire, Jym Dyer and Dom Grillo, which can be
accessed through the Peanuts Collectors Club WWW page (see answer
to question 1.2)
3.5b) Anthologies
Aside from the "series of record," we've also seen many other
books with strips grouped by theme: PEANUTS CLASSICS, CLASSROOM
PEANUTS, SANDLOT PEANUTS, THE SNOOPY FESTIVAL, and so forth. Most
people assume that these books merely re-collect strips already
reprinted elsewhere, but that's not entirely true. THE SNOOPY
FESTIVAL, for example, has roughly 200 strips not collected
elsewhere. There are also several hardcover "Sparkler"
collections, with strips assembled by character: Charlie Brown,
Snoopy, Schroeder, etc. As above, you can get pretty
comprehensive lists of these titles from Jim Dyer and Dom Grillo.
If you're a completest, it's best to follow the general rule: if
ya ain't got it yet, buy it!
3.5c) Special books
The list is endless, although a lot of folks have fond memories
of the little hardbacks published in the 60s and 70s by
Determined and Hallmark. The former included titles such as
HAPPINESS IS A WARM PUPPY and SECURITY IS A THUMB AND A BLANKET,
and the latter has titles such as LINUS ON LIFE and THE WIT AND
WISDOM OF SNOOPY. There are numerous SNOOPY FUN AND FACT books,
adaptations of the movies and television specials, and even an
eight-volume dictionary. Once again, check Jim Dyer and Dom
Grillo's lists.
3.5d) Foreign titles
Out of my field, except to mention that Peanuts books are
published all over the world, and it's fun to round out a library
with one or two German, Spanish, or French titles. English-
speaking readers should look for England's Ravette paperbacks;
the presentation is excellent, and the books of Sunday strips are
in full color.
Tom Barrett initiated, and I've supplemented, a list of French titles
published by Dargaud, although Tom notes that the colors are
not necessarily "true" (for example, Linus' shirt being an
unexpected red and yellow). Tom has found the books can be
obtained from La Librairie Champlain, in Toronto, as well
as other French bookstores in Montreal, Canada.
16/22 Softcover black-and-white collections:
(The series reprints numerous cartoons other than
Peanuts, hence the odd numbering)
#60 SNOOPY SUPER CHAMPION
#69 BONNE ANNEE SNOOPY
#76 SNOOPY, TOUJOURS PRET!
#81 SNOOPY ET LE BARON ROUGE
#96 SNOOPY ET LES FEMMES
#115 SNOOPY ECRIVAIN
#122 LA MAISON DE SNOOPY
#129 SNOOPY ET LES CHATS
#136 SNOOPY, LA VIE EST BELLE!
#143 SNOOPY ET LE SPORT
#152 SNOOPY ET LE GRAND BRAQUE
#159 SNOOPY ET SES AMIS
Hardcover color albums:
REVIENS SNOOPY
INCROYABLE SNOOPY
INTREPIDE SNOOPY
IMBATTABLE SNOOPY
INEGALABLE SNOOPY
L'INFAILLIBLE SNOOPY
IRRESISTIBLE SNOOPY
INEFFABLE SNOOPY
INVINCIBLE SNOOPY
INATTAQUABLE SNOOPY
INEPUISABLE SNOOPY
INENARRABLE SNOOPY
ELEMENTAIRE MON CHER SNOOPY
FANTASTIQUE SNOOPY
SNOOPY, VIVE LES VACANCES
SNOOPY, FEU D'ARTIFICE!
SNOOPY, NOEL BLANC
SNOOPY, POISSON D'AVRIL
SNOOPY, CHIENNE DE VIE
SNOOPY, CHAUD DEVANT
BONS BAISERS DE SNOOPY
SNOOPY GARDE LE CAP
SNOOPY RESTE DANS LA NOTE
SNOOPY EST UN DROLE D'OISEAU
3.5e) Non-Peanuts books by Charles Schulz
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PEANUTS and THE PARABLES OF PEANUTS, both
by Robert Short (with Peanuts cartoons reprinted), are delightful
little titles which ponder the greater philosophical and
theological implications of the strip.
Earlier in his career, Schulz published several books of kid-
themed cartoons not involving the Peanuts gang: YOUNG PILLARS,
TEENAGERS UNITE, "TEENAGER" IS NOT A DISEASE, and TWO-BY-FOURS.
Schulz also illustrated both of Art Linkletter's KIDS SAY THE
DARNEDEST THINGS books, Bill Adler's DEAR PRESIDENT JOHNSON,
Billie Jean King's TENNIS LOVE -- A PARENT'S GUIDE TO THE SPORT,
and a few others.
(All of these, needless to say, are out of print...)
4) THE CHARACTERS
4.1) When did [your favorite character] first appear?
Charlie Brown, Shermy, and Patty debuted in the very first strip,
on October 2, 1950. Snoopy followed two days later, on October 4.
From there, it gets a little tough. Because the strips are not
dated in the reprint books, it's not at all easy to determine the
exact date of, say, Lucy's first appearance. And since not all
strips have been reprinted, the important ones in question may
not even be in any books thus far released. By way of example,
Linus, Lucy, and Pig-Pen all debuted in strips which haven't been
seen since their first newspaper appearance.
A daunting challenge, to be sure...but not impossible.
What follows is a list of every major and minor named
character, along with the date s/he first appeared. It's
important to distinguish between named and anonymous
kids, because quite a few of the latter have appeared
during summer camp sequences, school sequences,
and assorted baseball or football games...not to mention
the many poor souls who've answered their front door
and found Linus bringing word of the Great Pumpkin.
A few of these anonymous folks deserve mention,
though, so here are some individuals of interest:
Miscellaneous kids in a sandbox -- 7/5/53
(The first time unnamed kids appear in the strip)
An unknown girl -- 11/12/70
(She tries to dog-nap Snoopy)
An oddball kid from summer camp -- 7/21/71
(We never see his face, and he always tells
Charlie Brown to "Shut up and leave me alone!")
A bully -- 7/10/75
(He tries to take Charlie Brown's autographed
Joe Shlabotnik baseball)
A golf caddymaster -- 6/17/77
(Peppermint Patty and Marcie work for him...once)
A neighborhood boy -- 12/19/86
(A tree in his front yard falls down, and Sally takes
it home to become her Christmas tree)
A neighborhood girl -- 7/28/89
(She thinks Snoopy is Charlie Brown)
One final point, before moving to the named characters:
It's occasionally necessary to distinguish when a
character is first mentioned, as opposed to actually
appearing. (Sally is a good example of this.)
So...onward!
Charlie Brown -- 10/2/50
Patty -- 10/2/50
Shermy -- 10/2/50
Snoopy -- 10/4/50
Violet -- 2/7/51
Schroeder -- 5/30/51
Lucy -- 3/3/52
Linus -- 9/19/52 (but not named until 9/22/52)
Pig-Pen -- 7/13/54
Charlotte Braun -- 11/30/54
(The great "lost" character, whose booming
voice quickly became Lucy's primary characteristic)
Sally -- 8/23/59 (but first mentioned 5/25/59,
and named 6/2/59)
Frieda -- 3/6/61
Faron -- 5/23/61
(Frieda's cat)
"5" -- 9/30/63
"3" and "4" -- 10/17/63
(5's younger twin sisters)
Roy -- 6/11/65
Peppermint Patty -- 8/22/66
Jose Peterson -- 3/20/67
(Star player on Peppermint Patty's baseball team)
Woodstock -- 4/4/67
(Birds had been appearing in the strip for years,
but that date marks the first bird with a strong
resemblance to Woodstock. He was not
named until 6/22/70)
Marcie -- 6/18/68
(Initially named Clara; renamed Marcie 10/11/71)
Sophie and Shirley -- 6/18/68
(Clara/Marcie's camp friends)
Franklin -- 7/31/68
Lila -- 8/24/68 (but she's mentioned by name much earlier)
(Snoopy's original owner)
Thibault -- 6/5/70
(Bully on Peppermint Patty's baseball team)
Poochie -- 1/7/73
(A girl who played with Snoopy as a pup, and
was the first to call Charlie Brown by his full name)
Rerun -- 3/26/73 (but first mentioned 5/23/72,
and named 5/31/72)
Loretta -- 5/22/74
(Seller of Girl Scout cookies)
The Beagle Scouts -- 6/9/74
(They remained anonymous until 3/27/78, at
which point they were named Conrad, Olivier,
Bill, and -- of course -- Woodstock. Harriet
joined 5/12/80. The group became racially
diverse with the arrival of Raymond on 10/13/88,
and Fred was introduced 4/2/90.)
The School Building -- 8/31/74
(The date it first manifested thought-balloons)
Truffles -- 3/31/75
(One of Linus' quasi-sweethearts)
Spike -- 8/13/75 (but first mentioned 8/4/75)
Belle -- 6/28/76 (but first mentioned 6/22/76)
Belle's unnamed teenaged son -- 6/29/76
Floyd -- 7/26/76
(Camp kid with a crush on Marcie)
Ruby, Austin, Leland, and Milo -- 3/11/77
(A very diminutive baseball team)
Molly Volley -- 5/6/77
Eudora -- 6/13/78
Crybaby Boobie -- 7/5/78
(One of Snoopy's tennis opponents)
Joe Richkid (and his caddy) -- 6/22/81
(Plays a golf tourny against Peppermint Patty)
"Bad Call" Benny -- 4/16/82
(Another of Snoopy's tennis opponents)
Marbles -- 9/28/82 (but first mentioned 9/24/82)
Harold Angel -- 12/24/83
(One appearance, as a punchline for one of
Sally's malapropisms)
Lydia -- 6/9/86
(Linus has a serious crush on this girl...who
has also called herself many other names:
Rachel, Rebecca, Jezebel, Susan, Sarah,
Samantha, Anna, Ophelia, Polly, and Snowflake)
Maynard -- 7/21/86
(Peppermint Patty's school tutor)
Tapioca Pudding -- 9/4/86
(Her father is determined to license everything
about her, on lunch boxes, etc.)
Olaf -- 1/24/89 (but first mentioned 1/16/89)
Snoopy's Father -- 6/18/89
(He mentions eight offspring, so who knows
what the future has in store???)
Peggy Jean -- 7/23/90
(Charlie Brown's summer camp sweetheart, who calls him "Brownie
Charles")
Larry -- 5/28/91
(The minister's son, who Sally kicked out of her Bible class)
Cormac -- 7/17/92
(Charlie Brown's short and rather klutzy camp friend)
Royanne -- 4/1/93
(Roy Hobbs' great-granddaughter)
Ethan -- 7/14/93
(Summer camp kid)
Andy -- 2/14/94 (and named 2/19/94)
Emily -- 2/11/95
(Charlie Brown's occasional dance partner)
Joe Agate -- 4/7/95
(Game hustler who took all Rerun's
marbles, until Charlie Brown won them back)
Snoopy's mother (!) -- 7/26/96
4.2) Has anybody compiled a list of all the characters
ever to appear in the strip?
See above.
Because the world of Peanuts remains quite dynamic,
new characters pop up all the time...and lists go
out of date just as rapidly. But it's a start...
4.3) What is the origin of Charlie Brown's name?
Charles Schulz met the original Charlie Brown at an art class at
the Bureau of Engraving in Minneapolis. They remained friends
over the years, and it was only natural that Schulz would tell
Brown of his fledgling plan to market a comic strip with a
central character who struggled with life, and tried to do well.
Schulz named the central character after the round-faced Brown,
who had a remarkable resemblance to his namesake.
Brown eventually served as program director at the Hennepin
County Juvenile Detention Center, where he was credited with
helping troubled young people, and going out of his way to show
he cared about them.
Brown died of cancer on December 5, 1983. He had never married,
and lived alone in the Minneapolis suburb of Minnetonka.
4.4) What is the origin of the little red-haired girl? Has
she ever actually appeared in the strip?
Donna Wold, who still lives in Minneapolis, is one of Charles
Schulz' former loves. To quote Rheta Grimsley Johnson's biography
of Schulz, GOOD GRIEF, he (Schulz) was working as an art
instructor at the correspondence art school where Wold began
working in the accounting department, after her 1947 high school
graduation. Things didn't work out, but Schulz obviously thought
quite highly of her, and immortalized her with particular style.
The complete story is rather charming, and occupies an entire
chapter of Johnson's book.
As for whether Charlie Brown's love-from-afar has ever
actually appeared in the Peanuts comic strip, the answer is -- in
a word -- no.
This response must, however, be accompanied by an explanation.
It is important to recognize the distinction between what occurs
in the "real" world of Peanuts (in other words, the newspaper
strip written and drawn by Charles Schulz), and what occurs
elsewhere (specifically, television).
Schulz does not have full control over what happens in the TV
specials, and he has made it very clear that events therein should
not be regarded as "gospel" for his newspaper strip. Thus, while
it's true the little red-haired girl popped up in the TV special "It's
Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown" (and therefore in the picture-book
adapted from that show), Schulz does not regard her as
the actual little red-haired girl...just as Charlie Brown's having
successfully place-kicked a football in another TV special
should not be regarded as a comparative truth in the strip.
No, the "actual" little red-haired girl, like the Head Beagle, or
Linus' Miss Othmar, is a character who never will be drawn.
This way, we can all imagine her to be whatever we'd like...safe
in the knowledge that there is no visualization of the character
which is better, or different, than any other.
4.5) When is Snoopy's birthday?
There are two answers to this question: the official, and the
unofficial.
Officially, Snoopy's birthday is one of those never-revealed
mysteries, like the cat next door or the little red-haired girl
(television, Schulz always reminds us, doesn't count). That way,
these characters can look like whatever we imagine them to be,
and Snoopy's birthday can be whenever we desire.
Unofficially, the matter has been dealt with twice in the comic
strip. The first time was in the strip dated August 28, 1951,
which can be seen in the first reprint collection, PEANUTS.
Charlie Brown has just given Snoopy a birthday cake, with a
wiener sticking up in the middle, rather than a candle.
Now, since the world of Peanuts takes place in "real time" --
which is to say, the gang celebrates Halloween on Halloween,
Christmas on Christmas, and so forth -- it could be argued, with
a certain degree of conviction, that August 28 must be Snoopy's
birthday.
Unfortunately, contradictory evidence arrived in 1968, in a strip
which has NOT been reprinted in one of the "official"
chronological titles (although it does turn up in a Sparkler
book). After a multi-strip sequence involving Snoopy and
a "secret mission," he's eventually ambushed by a surprise
birthday party...which takes place in the strip printed on
August 10, 1968. (This strip also reveals the color of his eyes,
for his final thought balloon finds him smiling in delight
and thinking, "Well, I'll be a brown-eyed beagle...")
So...August 10, or August 28? It's probably better to treat both
these strips as lapses, and leave the matter of Snoopy's birthday
as a mystery for the ages.
After all, he can't really be having any birthdays, because he's
clearly not getting any older...right?
4.6) How many different roles has Snoopy played?
Dozens. Scores. More than one hundred.
Snoopy became a "Walter Mitty beagle" very early
in the strip's lengthy run, and he's adopted various
guises, and pretended to be all sorts of
different animals...and occasionally people.
Some of these changes of identity occured only once,
while others -- such as the WWI Flying Ace, Joe Cool,
and the Beagle Scout -- became established personas.
For the most part, Snoopy began by imitating other
animals. Perhaps not content with the emotional
range found within such portrayals, he eventually
switched to imitations of people involved in
different occupations...and his true talent emerged.
The following list identifies the first time Snoopy
took each of these many roles.
A shark (in a wading pool) -- 7/21/54
A wolf -- 1/26/55
A rhinoceros -- 2/22/55
A snake -- 8/29/55
A pelican -- 11/21/55
Lucy -- 11/22/55
Violet -- 11/23/55
A moose -- 11/24/55
Beethoven -- 11/25/55
Mickey Mouse -- 11/26/55
A giraffe -- 2/7/56
A kangaroo -- 2/8/56
An alligator -- 2/28/56
A lion -- 5/3/56
An elephant -- 9/17/56
A polar bear -- 2/7/57
A bird -- 4/14/57
A mule -- 7/14/57
A circus dog -- 7/24/57
A sea-monster -- 8/23/57
A penguin -- 12/31/57
An anteater -- 3/1/58
A bald eagle -- 5/12/58
A vulture -- 5/13/58
A tiger -- 6/15/58
Big Man on Campus (an early Joe Cool) -- 1/29/59
A cow -- 6/14/59 (and again on 4/18/63)
A (human) baby -- 6/23/59
A cricket -- 9/12/59
A mountain lion -- 11/29/59
A TV antenna -- 1/7/60
A "whirlydog" (early form of his helicopter) -- 3/14/60
A dinosaur -- 7/7/60
The "Mad Punter" -- 12/12/60
A ship's captain -- 1/29/61
A rabbit -- 3/16/61
A gorilla -- 3/21/61
A lost calf -- 3/26/61
A jungle ape -- 5/3/62
A shepherd -- 7/1/62
A gargoyle -- 9/27/62
A teddy bear -- 12/28/62
An ice-skating champion -- 2/23/64
A sheep -- 12/24/64
A partridge in a pear tree -- 12/25/64
A trapeze artist -- 3/2/65
A skateboard champion -- 3/29/65
A bowling ace -- 4/14/65
An author -- 7/12/65
An assistant psychiatrist (for Lucy) -- 6/25/65
A surfer -- 8/5/65
The WWI Flying Ace -- 10/10/65
A soldier of the French Foreign Legion -- 3/21/66
The WWI Army Surgeon -- 11/24/66
The "Masked Marvel" -- 2/9/67
A piranha -- 3/25/67
A "cheshire beagle" -- 4/18/67
A secret agent -- 9/7/67
The World-Famous Hockey Player -- 10/8/67
A school principal -- 1/30/68
A baseball manager -- 3/13/68
The World-Famous Golf Pro -- 4/8/68
The Easter Beagle -- 4/14/68
The World-Famous Wrist Wrestler -- 4/22/68
Captain of the Rescue Squad -- 1/27/69
A prairie dog -- 2/12/69
The World-Famous Astronaut -- 3/8/69
The tether-ball champion -- 5/28/69
The World-Famous Roller Derby Star -- 7/4/69
The World-Famous Baseball Superstar -- 7/31/69
The World-Famous Football Star -- 9/16/69
The WWII Veteran -- 11/11/69
The "Head Beagle" -- 2/16/70
The World-Famous Grocery Clerk -- 8/25/70
Joe Cool -- 5/27/71
The World-Famous Football Coach -- 9/2/71
The World-Famous Swimmer -- 10/2/71
The World-Famous Attorney -- 1/12/72
Captain of the Starship Enterprise -- 2/7/72
A fierce pirate -- 8/14/72
The World-Famous Tennis Star -- 5/30/73
The Pawpet Theater Host -- 3/17/74
A streaker -- 5/6/74
The Beagle Scout (initially a "tenderpaw") -- 5/13/74
The World-Famous Crabby Skating Pro -- 11/7/74
Joe Motocross -- 5/10/75
The World-Famous Jogger -- 5/17/76
A helicopter -- 2/1/77
An owl -- 10/27/77
Peppermint Patty (a disguise) -- 12/5/77
The World-Famous Disco Dancer -- 10/16/78
The April Fool -- 4/1/79
Blackjack Snoopy, World-Famous Riverboat Gambler -- 5/30/79
The World-Famous County Surveyor -- 6/18/79
A scarecrow -- 6/22/79
A fierce python -- 10/9/79
A bow & arrow hunter -- 1/15/80
Dr. Beagle and Mr. Hyde -- 3/19/80
A fierce rattlesnake -- 3/28/80
The World-Famous Census Taker -- 3/31/80
John McEnroe -- 5/6/80
Tracy Austin -- 5/7/80
John Newcombe -- 5/8/80
A Zamboni driver -- 12/5/80
A portrait painter -- 6/12/81
Joe Preppy -- 7/30/81
The World-Famous Hired Hand -- 2/27/82
The World-Famous Surgeon -- 7/12/82
Joe Sandbagger (while bowling) -- 10/21/82
An Olympic chariot racer -- 11/27/83
Flashbeagle -- 11/29/83
The Little Red-Haired Girl -- 2/10/85
"Punk" Beagle -- 8/7/85
The World-Famous Agent -- 9/15/86
Joe Aerobics -- 7/11/87
"Shoeless" Joe Beagle -- 8/27/89
Santa Claus -- 12/18/89
Joe Bungie -- 8/5/90
A tennis ball-beagle -- 8/12/90
A fierce "October beast" -- 10/2/90
The World-Famous Highway Flagman -- 1/9/91
A beaver -- 6/17/91
A school honor student -- 9/19/91
A trained service technician -- 10/10/91
A wounded soldier -- 2/23/92
A ventriloquist -- 4/13/92
A still-life painter -- 4/21/92
The pilot for Ace Airlines -- 6/8/92
Joe Grunge -- 4/26/93
4.7) What are the names of Snoopy's siblings?
In the order that they were introduced in the strip,
they are: Spike, Belle, Marbles, "Ugly" Olaf, and Andy.
While the 1991 TV special "Snoopy's Reunion"
mentions Molly and Rover, they are not to be confused
with those found in the "real world" of the newspaper
strip. It is significant, though, that Charles Schulz once
drew a Sunday strip with Snoopy's father receiving a
card signed by "all eight" of his offspring...so perhaps
we'll one day meet a few more.
4.8) What are the titles of the "Bunny-Wunnies"
books which Snoopy loves so much?
Scott McGuire deserves the primary credit for this one,
having conducted the essential research. In the order
they were introduced, the "sensitive" tomes credited to
Miss Helen Sweetstory are:
The Six Bunny-Wunnies and Their Pony Cart
(first mentioned April 26, 1970)
The Six Bunny-Wunnies Go to Long Beach
The Six Bunny-Wunnies Make Cookies
The Six Bunny-Wunnies Join an Encounter Group
(all mentioned on April 8, 1971)
The Six Bunny-Wunnies and Their XK-E
(April 10, 1971)
The Six Bunny-Wunnies and Their Water Bed
(April 12, 1971)
The Six Bunny-Wunnies and Their Layover in
Anderson, Indiana (April 13, 1971)
The Six Bunny-Wunnies and the Female Veterinarian
(February 10, 1972)
The Six Bunny-Wunnies Freak Out
(October 23, 1972)
The Six Bunny-Wunnies Visit Plains, Georgia
(September 26, 1977)
The penultimate one is somewhat notorious because it
was banned from the local library, which prompted
Charlie Brown to investigate the situation.
Snoopy is known to have a complete set -- which
undoubtedly includes far more titles than shown
here -- assembled through the always reliable Beagle
Book Club. And although Snoopy's devotion to
Miss Sweetstory wavered a bit after learning she
lived with 24 cats, he has remained a faithful reader.
Scott further suggests -- rather perceptively -- that
Schulz may have intended these titles as a parody
of the juvenile series "The Happy Hollisters," based
on two coincidences: 1) there were six Hollister
children, just as there are six Bunny-Wunnies; and
2) one of the characters in each series is named Pam.
Hey, it sounds good...until we hear otherwise!
4.9) What's the complete text of Snoopy's novel?
As firmly established in the Holt, Rinehart & Winston
book, "Snoopy and It Was A Dark And Stormy Night"
(published in 1971), this is Snoopy's novel...in all its glory:
It Was A Dark And Stormy Night
by Snoopy
Part I
It was a dark and stormy night. Suddenly, a shot rang out!
A door slammed. The maid screamed.
Suddenly, a pirate ship appeared on the horizon!
While millions of people were starving, the king lived in
luxury. Meanwhile, on a small farm in Kansas, a boy was
growing up.
Part II
A light snow was falling, and the little girl with the
tattered shawl had not sold a violet all day.
At that very moment, a young intern at City Hospital
was making an important discovery. The mysterious patient
in Room 213 had finally awakened. She moaned softly.
Could it be that she was the sister of the boy in Kansas
who loved the girl with the tattered shawl who was the
daughter of the maid who had escaped from the pirates?
The intern frowned.
"Stampede!" the foreman shouted, and forty thousand
head of cattle thundered down on the tiny camp. The two
men rolled on the ground grappling beneath the murderous
hooves. A left and a right. A left. Another left and right.
An uppercut to the jaw. The fight was over. And so the
ranch was saved.
The young intern sat by himself in one corner of the
coffee shop. he had learned about medicine, but more
importantly, he had learned something about life.
THE END
(At which point, Linus asked, "But what about the
king?" He got clonked on the head for his impertinence.)
4.10) Do any other characters have "real" roots?
Frieda Rich, another long-time friend of Charles Schulz, was the
inspiration for the character of the same name. (One wonders if
the actual Frieda had the same motor-mouth as her inked
counterpart!) She died in 1994, and, to quote Andrea Podley's
brief eulogy in the Peanuts Collector newsletter: "She was a
wonderful artist with a loving personality, and we, along with
Sparky, will miss her."
4.11) How old are Charlie Brown and his friends (as "real" characters)?
This is a fascinating question, mostly because Charles Schulz has
wisely resisted the urge to time-stamp his characters...although he
has made a few slips over the years.
First of all, it should be pointed out that some characters have
been "rapidly aged" far faster than others. When first introduced,
Charlie Brown was definitely younger than Shermy and Patty,
although this didn't last much more than a few months. Similarly,
Schroeder was introduced as an infant, although he's now quite
clearly the same age as Charlie Brown. Linus, too, was once much
older than Sally, but once he became her "sweet babboo" that gap
narrowed. More recently, Rerun seems to have gotten older without
any of the other kids growing similarly older.
On to specifics:
The November 17, 1957 Sunday strip concluded with Charlie
Brown saying, "A person shouldn't have to lose all his pride
when he's only six years old!" At that point, therefore, we can
assume he and his contemporaries -- all the other kids except
for Linus -- were the same age. But in the August 29, 1960
daily strip, we heard Linus claim that he was "almost five years
older" than Sally. Since she was then walking, she'd be at least
one, which would make Linus at least six, which would now
make Charlie Brown at least seven. (See how hard this is?)
As for Rerun, he was definitely one year old on March 28, 1973,
when a strip concluded with this thought: "Only a year old, and
already I'm living in the past!" Yet, more recently, he would
appear to be about four...not yet old enough for school, but
apparently very close.
As of the October 15, 1995 Sunday strip, however, we now
know Rerun is 5 years old...because he says so! How long
he will remain this age, and what this does to everybody
else's age, is anybody's guess.
So, it's probably better to talk about age as relative, rather
than specific. Using that guideline, we can group the major
characters into three sets (from oldest to youngest), and
assume that the members of each set are roughly the same age:
Charlie Brown, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, Marcie,
Schroeder, Franklin, Shermy, Patty, Violet, Pig-Pen
Linus and Sally
Rerun
As you can see, providing an absolute answer to this
question is about as hard as nailing jello to a wall. Charles
Schulz has kept his universe a fluid organism, one with
occasional changes. (Remember, Snoopy once identified
himself as "an only dog"!) That means gradual shifts
over time, not necessarily consistent with each other.
4.12) Have adults ever appeared in the strip?
In a word, no...with one striking exception.
Four consecutive Sunday strips involved Lucy's
participation in a golf tournament, with Charlie
Brown at her side as sort of a one-man cheering
squad. Numerous adults appeared, from the
waist down, in a few panels. This bit of oddness
never happened again, and it's also hard to find,
since the strips in question have never been
reprinted in a book. But the proof is waiting to be
found, and requires only a trip to the library, a
microfilm reader, and editions of either the
Washington Post or the Chicago Tribune dating
back to May 1954.
But that's not the whole answer. Although never again seen,
adults have certainly been referenced in the strip, and
made frequent "off-camera" appearances, to borrow a
cinematic phrase. Most are "fictitious" characters within
the Peanuts universe, but occasional appearances are
made by actual celebrities. In rare cases, some adults have
even been given a sentence or two in a word balloon.
In order to better define the question, we will restrict
the subsequent list to adults with whom the kids have
actually interacted...as opposed to those merely
mentioned by name (Rachel Carlson, for example).
The following list, while not intended to be definitive,
gives ample evidence that adults are very much involved
with Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang...even if we
don't actually see them.
***) Various parents -- most kids have both a mother and
father, some of whom are mentioned quite frequently
(Charlie Brown's father, for example). Peppermint Patty
is the only character who seems to be growing up in a
single-parent household; although she often speaks
fondly of her father -- who calls her his "rare gem" --
she has only mentioned her mother in terms of "not
having one" (during a conversation with Marcie).
***) Various school officials -- Peppermint Patty, Roy,
and Franklin attend one school; Charlie Brown and his
friends are at another. We've spent time with both
school principals (and their secretaries), a school nurse
and unspecified teachers. Some of these teachers have
also been named:
***) Miss Othmar, later Mrs. Hagemeyer -- Linus'
favorite teacher.
***) Miss Halverson -- Linus' new teacher, after
Miss Othmar is fired during a strike. (She later
reappears, sending poor Miss Halverson into
comic-strip limbo.)
***) Mrs. Donovan -- mentioned as Charlie Brown's
teacher, on 2/17/66.
***) Miss Swanson -- mentioned as Peppermint
Patty's teacher, on 12/8/69.
***) Linus' blanket-hating grandmother -- star of
many sequences, during which she alternately tries
to trick or bargain Linus into abandoning his
blanket (and always fails, of course!) This could
be the same grandmother who has some dialog
in a Sunday strip, when she "chooses" between
pictures drawn by Linus and Lucy, by saying that
both are equally good. On the other hand, since
this grandmother seems so benign, she could be
their other grandmother.
***) The little red-haired girl's grandmother, who
also has red hair.
***) Various doctors, their nurses and receptionists.
***) Charlie Brown's pediatrician -- also head of the
School Board, and the man who tries to get the
Bunny-Wunny books banned from the school library.
***) Snoopy's vet and receptionist.
***) A call-in radio talk-show host, once subject to
a verbal duel with Linus.
***) Several movie-theater ticket-sellers, one of
whom had dialog, on 11/19/67.
***) Newspaper classified ad reps, who've spoken
to the kids over the telephone.
***) Three airline stewardesses, who met Snoopy
for lunch.
***) The people next door, owner of the cat next door.
***) The Little League president.
***) Miss Helen Sweetstory -- author of the
Bunny-Wunny books.
***) Joe Shlabotnik -- Charlie Brown's favorite
baseball player.
***) Peggy Fleming -- who once spoke to Snoopy
during a Sports Hero banquet.
***) Bill Mauldin -- an actual cartoonist, famous for
his WWII-era panels, with whom Snoopy quaffs a
few root-beers every Veterans Day.
And many others...but you get the idea.
4.13) Who plays which position on Charlie Brown's baseball team?
This is a fascinating question, if only because the
information has changed over the years.
Back in the strip's early days, the characters didn't
really have "set" positions; it was not at all unusual
to find Charlie Brown in the outfield, or acting as
catcher (with Shermy as pitcher). During that point
in time, we never saw the kids playing other teams;
they just split up and played a game among themselves.
This changed in the late 1950s and early 60s, once a
more-or-less-official roster was established. Certain
characters became pretty firmly established in
specific positions, such as Charlie Brown's ongoing
duties on the pitcher's mound. But occasional
changes still crept in; Linus has pitched a few
times (generally winning the game in the process),
and even Lucy tried her hand at it...once. And when
Peppermint Patty first visited the neighborhood and
tried to "help" Chuck's team, she pitched and bumped
him into left field. Other infrequent changes have
found Linus in the outfield (prior to his established
position at second base), and Lucy at shortstop (but,
again, only once!)
Occasional Sunday strips were good for "establishing
shots" of the entire team, albeit usually crowded
around the pitcher's mound. This seems to be
the team in most cases:
Charlie Brown
Linus
Schroeder
Lucy
Shermy
Snoopy
Violet
Patty
Frieda
Pig-Pen has stepped in for Frieda on occasion,
and "5" has replaced either Frieda or Linus (!).
With the more-or-less disappearance of Shermy,
Violet, Patty, and Frieda, it would seem difficult
for Charlie Brown to field an entire team...which
may explain why we currently tend to see only
Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, and Schroeder.
(It has been established, by the way, that Peppermint
Patty and Franklin have their own teams.)
But I digress. Allowing for occasional changes,
the "official" roster of the team is as follows:
Pitcher (and Manager): Charlie Brown
Catcher: Schroeder
1st Base: Shermy
2nd Base: Linus (and Pig-Pen, at least once)
3rd Base: Pig-Pen
Shortstop: Snoopy
Left Field: Patty (and Rerun, during his one attempt)
Center Field: Frieda
Right Field: Lucy
Actually, the fielders change constantly. Lucy can
be found at either Right or Center, with the other
positions made up by Frieda, Patty, and Violet.
After Eudora's debut in 1978, she occasionally turned
up in Center Field, next to Lucy (in Right Field).
4.14) Sally's School Malapropisms
Of the many running gags Schulz has employed over the
years, Sally's fractured use of English remains one of the
funniest.
It's possible, having raised five children, that Schulz was
able to draw some or all of this material from personal
observation...or, perhaps, he's just quick with a verbal quip.
Whatever the source, many of these strips have found their
way onto bulletin boards, where they have remained for
years...or even decades.
Although Lucy actually delivered one of the first of these
gags -- "Did you know there are sixteen ozzes in a lib?"
(3/10/66) -- the concept really caught fire when Sally
entered school (probably first grade, as her kindergarten
year apparently passed without incident).
The subsequent list is as definitive as I've been able
to make it (let me know if I've missed any!):
"Abraham Lincoln was our sixteenth king, and the
father of Lot's wife." (2/12/70)
"What made you decide to buy an aquarium?" (asked
by Charlie Brown)
"It's timely...haven't you heard? This is the age of
Aquariums." (5/11/70)
[For a report on Columbus Day]
"Columbus Day was a very brave man. He wanted
to said around the world. `I can give you three ships,
Mr. Day,' said the Queen." (10/12/70)
"Two times two is tooty-two; three times three is
threety-three; four times four is four-forty-four." (11/2/70)
"I have to do a paper on Ken and Abel. I've been looking
all through the Old Testament, and I've found Abel, but I
can't find Ken. Do you think maybe I'm using the wrong
translation?" (4/24/71)
[While on a school field trip at an art museum]
"Maybe we'll get to see Ramona Lisa" (5/7/71)
"I'm writing a story about some cave men. They're sitting
around a campfire, see, when all of a sudden they're
attacked by a huge thesaurus!" (6/22/71)
[For a history report on the Egyptians]
"Family life among the Egyptians was easier than it is
today...they were all facing the same way." (1/3/72)
"The Incas were people who lived a long time ago in
Incaland. They had a highly developed civilization. They
would still be here today, but they lacked motel
facilities." (3/12/72)
"Sheepherders raise lambs, from which we get lambchops.
They also raise sheep, from which we get sheepchops." (4/19/72)
"This report is on melons. Melons have to be planted
between May 15th and June 5th. I don't know what you
do if you happen to be out of town." (5/3/72)
"Our wild life and our trees are protected by brave and
dedicated men. These men live by themselves in towers,
and are called Forest Strangers." (9/29/72)
"The largest dinosaur that ever lived was the Bronchitis.
It soon became extinct...it coughed a lot." (12/11/72)
"Ten milligrams equals one centigram...ten decigrams equals
one gram...ten grams equals one grampa." (12/13/72)
"He was a very rich cowboy. He had a car and a horse. He
kept his car in the carport, and he kept his horse in the
horseport." (3/21/73)
"Butterflies are free. What does this mean? It means you
can have all of them you want." (5/4/73)
"English theme: Vandalism as a Problem Today.
Who is the leader of these vandals?
I will tell you: they are encouraged by Evandalists." (5/7/73)
"This is my report on rain. Rain is water which does not
come out of faucets...after a storm, the rain goes down the
drain, which is where I sometimes feel my education is
also going." (11/7/73)
[A history report on Ancient Greece]
"Ancient Greece was ahead of its time, and before our
time. They had no TV, but they had lots of philosophers.
I, personally, would not want to sit all evening watching
a philosopher." (5/1/74)
"History of France: A Report on Cardinal Rishhalleouoooo."
(2/6/75)
"Today is the observance of Washington's birthday.
Actually, his real birthday is not until this Saturday.
There is a reason for this. He could not wait to open
his presents." (2/17/75)
"When writing about church history, we have to go back
to the very beginning. Our pastor was born in 1930."
(9/4/75)
"I'm going to try to sign up for a course in theology...I
want to learn all about religion. I want to learn about Moses,
and St. Paul, and Minneapolis." (9/3/75)
"I don't care anything about past participles; they don't
interest me. How about present-day participles?" (2/17/76)
"Light travels at a speed of 186,000 miles per second...so
why are afternoons so long?" (6/1/76)
"Literature quiz: When did Mark Twain write `Tom
Sawyer'? If I know him, probably in the evenings."
(4/6/78)
"This is my report on Halley's Comma. It's a very famous
comma -- he probably wrote home a lot." (3/6/81)
"There are seven continents: Africa, Asia, Australia,
Europe, North America, South America, and
Aunt Arctica." (5/25/81)
"Britain was invaded in the year 43 by Roman Numerals."
(10/6/84)
"He was a very arrogant cowboy -- he would only ride
on pompous grass." (7/12/85)
5) THE TV SPECIALS
5.1) What was the first special, and when did it debut?
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS first aired on December 9, 1965. It won
the hearts and minds of everybody who watched it -- not to
mention several awards -- and has remained an annual staple ever
since.
5.2) Who voiced the characters in that first special?
Although the cast has -- out of necessity -- changed over
the years, as various children become too old for the
roles, many of us still have a soft spot for those first
pioneers. They are:
Peter Robbins (Charlie Brown)
Sally Dryer (Lucy)
Chris Shea (Linus)
Bill Melendez (Snoopy)
Yes, it's the same Bill Melendez who supervises the
actual animation...and he STILL voices Snoopy!
5.3) Has anybody compiled a list of TV specials, and
commented on their availability on video?
Scott McGuire maintains an outstanding list of animated specials,
their original air-dates, and their availability on video. His
list can be reached through links obtained from the Peanuts
Collectors Club WWW page (see answer to 1.2 above).
5.4) Are any of the TV specials still airing?
Cable's Disney Channel has the sole rights to most of the
animated specials, including the 1980s Saturday morning series,
and lesser-known efforts such as THE BIG STUFFED DOG and THE GIRL
IN THE RED TRUCK. Timeslots vary, but seem to hover around the
Monday through Wednesday dinner hour, and Saturday and Sunday
mornings.
Disney does NOT, however, own broadcast rights to what might be
considered the "classic" holiday episodes, such as A CHARLIE
BROWN CHRISTMAS, A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING, and IT'S THE GREAT
PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN. These are still controlled by CBS-TV,
which trots them out at the appropriate time of year.
5.5) Will there be more new specials? What are they,
and when will they air?
Actually, it has been a little while since the last new special,
possibly because the eight-part animated miniseries, THIS IS
AMERICA, CHARLIE BROWN, was so poorly received. (And, in my
humble opinion, it was only "poorly received" because local CBS
affiliates were so capricious about scheduling each episode!)
Perhaps in an effort to underwrite expenses, the two most recent
specials -- IT'S CHRISTMASTIME AGAIN CHARLIE BROWN and YOU'RE IN
THE SUPERBOWL CHARLIE BROWN -- were co-sponsored by Shell, and
could be purchased in videotape at Shell gas stations, in
addition to their (so far) one-time television airing.
New ones? No word yet, but you'll find the announcement here, as
soon as we get any details.
5.6) TV commercials -- general information
Animator Bill Melendez, after working with Walt Disney, Leon
Schlesinger Cartoons (eventually Warner Brothers), and UPA (where
Mr. Magoo stumbled into things), joined Playhouse Pictures in
1955. This studio made mostly commercials, including the still
fondly remembered "It's a F-o-o-o-o-o-o-rd" dog.
When the granddaughter of a Ford advertising executive suggested
that the Peanuts characters promote Ford's new Falcon, Melendez
found himself introduced to Charles Schulz. An animated Charlie
Brown became an official Ford spokesman in 1959 (in black-and-
white), and the rest of the gang followed almost immediately.
The kids continued to pitch Ford ads through the early 60s, when
they also "starred" in animated introductions to the Tennessee
Ernie Ford television variety hour (sponsored, of course, by
Ford).
Meanwhile...
San Francisco producer Lee Mendelson was putting together a
documentary titled A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CHARLES SCHULZ, and
decided he wanted an animated sequence. Naturally, Melendez got
involved; naturally, the two men became partners when the chance
came to make A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS.
Since those early Ford spots, the Peanuts gang have lent their
services (and reputations) to Dolly Madison, Weber's Bread,
Knott's Berry Farm, Friendly's Family Restaurants (for their
25th anniversary), and -- more recently and most successfully --
MET-Life Insurance. MET-Life, in particular, has done quite well
by the relationship, with literally dozens of different
commercials (and newspaper and magazine ads) produced. Nor
should we overlook Pig-Pen's stylish campaign for Regina
Vacuum Cleaners...definitely a case of getting the right man
for the job!
6) THE MOVIES
6.1) How many movies featured the Peanuts gang?
Four.
The first, A BOY NAMED CHARLIE BROWN, was released in 1969. Its
central story concerned Charlie Brown's initial success in a
local spelling bee, and his attempt to parlay that into national
fame. Although it has the benefit of being the only film to use
Vince Guaraldi's jazz themes, it also has the (questionable)
benefit of Rod McKuen's lyrics to the title song.
The second, 1972's SNOOPY COME HOME, featured Woodstock's big-
screen debut. The story is a lengthier take on the HE'S YOUR DOG,
CHARLIE BROWN television special: Snoopy decides life at home
could do with some improvements, so he and Woodstock take off to
find America.
The third, 1977's RACE FOR YOUR LIFE, CHARLIE BROWN, is the
weakest of the quartet. The story, involving a river-rafting race
between rival camp factions, would have been better served by a
(shorter) television special.
Happily, 1980's BON VOYAGE, CHARLIE BROWN concluded the series on
a happier note. Charlie Brown and some friends -- with Lucy
blissfully absent -- fly to France and make some new
acquaintances, and have an adventure in a spooky old manor. (It's
interesting to note that the TV special WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED,
CHARLIE BROWN is an unofficial epilogue to this film; both should
be viewed together.)
6.2) Are they available on video?
Absolutely, and you shouldn't have any trouble finding them. All
four films also turn up quite frequently on various pay-cable
channels.
6.3) Were soundtracks released?
Two of them, not that you're ever going to see one. Soundtrack
LPs were pressed for both A BOY NAMED CHARLIE BROWN and SNOOPY
COME HOME, but neither has (yet) been re-issued on CD. The albums
are both quite scarce, command high secondary-market prices, and
are rarely in very good condition.
7) THE PLAYS
7.1) How many stage shows featured the Peanuts gang?
Well...two-and-a-half.
Singer/comedienne Kaye Ballard (perhaps best known, these days,
for starring in television's "The Mothers-in-Law" for two years
in the late 1960s) included some Peanuts-themed humor in her
nightclub acts of the early 60s, but even though Columbia issued
an LP with this material, it never really caught on.
YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN began what was to be a truly
phenomenal run on March 7, 1967, at New York City's Theater 80,
St. Marks. Gary Burghoff -- later to achieve fame as Radar
O'Reilly in both the film and TV versions of M.A.S.H. -- starred
as Charlie Brown. It ran four years in New York, fielded nine
touring companies, and has become the most performed musical in
the history of American theater. (Not bad for a blockhead, hmm?)
SNOOPY!, the follow-up, debuted at San Francisco's Little Fox
Theater in December 1975. It followed the same song-and-sketch
format of its predecessor, with punchlines derived directly from
the comic strip. There was one change: Woodstock appeared in this
production, played in mime by elfin Cathy Cahn.
7.2) Are the soundtracks available?
Yes and no. Both YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN and SNOOPY!
appeared on LP. (The latter also had a London cast recording.)
They're not impossible to find in used record stores, although
getting one in mint condition is unlikely. Alas, only SNOOPY was
re-issued on CD (DRG 6103); the good news is that it's easy to
find. If you can get them, both are absolutely, utterly adorable.
8) THE MUSIC
8.1) What Vince Guaraldi CDs exist?
The late Vince Guaraldi, who scored the first 15 TV specials and
co-scored the first film, released three albums of his Peanuts
themes. Happily, all have remained quite popular, and were
quickly re-released as CDs.
The most popular is A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS, on the Fantasy
label (#8431). It includes all eleven songs from the album, plus
a previously unissued "bonus track" of "Greensleaves" (actually a
longer version of cut #2, "What Child is This"). This is what my
father always called "tasty jazz": a trio, with Guaraldi on
piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Colin Bailey on drums.
Next up is A BOY NAMED CHARLIE BROWN (not to be confused with the
soundtrack to the film of the same title), also on the Fantasy
label (#8430). This is Guaraldi's soundtrack to a television
"documentary" (sadly not yet available on video) which profiled
Charlie Brown and Charles Schulz. The CD includes all nine songs
from the album, plus a previously unissued "bonus track" of "Fly
Me to the Moon" (which has nothing to do with Peanuts, but is
certainly performed in the same style). This is once again
Guaraldi's trio, with Budwig and Bailey.
Guaraldi switched labels and styles for his third and final
Peanuts recording. OH GOOD GRIEF! is on the Warner Brothers
label, and is not the most economical CD in the world...it
exactly duplicates the eight songs from the album, with no bonus
tracks, and totals out at only 28 minutes. It is, however, a much
richer sound, and more a product of the late "swinging 60s":
Guaraldi on piano/electric harpsichord, Carl Burnett on drums,
Stanley Gilbert on bass, and Eddie Duran on electric guitar.
8.2) Have other artists recorded Guaraldi's Peanuts
music?
Oh, yes. The most popular is the soundtrack from the television
special HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CHARLIE BROWN, released on the GRP
label (GRD-9596) to coincide with the strip's 40th birthday. It's
a grand mix of classic Guaraldi tunes and a few new instrumentals
from Dave Grusin and Dave Brubeck, interpreted by jazz talents
such as B.B. King, Chick Corea, Joe Williams, Gerry Mulligan, Lee
Ritenour, Kenny G.
David Benoit has his rendition of "Linus and Lucy" on his THIS
SIDE UP CD (En Pointe, ENP 0001), but the same version can be
found on the HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CD mentioned above.
Additional, three jazz greats have released unofficial
soundtracks of their compositions for specific episodes of the
THIS IS AMERICA, CHARLIE BROWN television miniseries. The first
is Dave Brubeck's QUIET AS THE MOON (on the Musicmasters label),
which has the themes employed in the "NASA/Space Station"
episode. Aside from his interpretations of Guaraldi's "Linus and
Lucy" and "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" (the tune which, while not
exactly a Peanuts theme, was the mega-hit which launched
Guaraldi's fame), Brubeck has eight original compositions, plus
new covers of the standards "Bicycle Built for Two" and "When You
Wish Upon a Star." Aside from the entertaining music, the 13-page
CD booklet also has numerous animated cel sketches from the TV
episode, and boasts a delightful color cover with the entire gang.
JOE COOL'S BLUES (on the Columbia label) is the newest CD of
Peanuts music, and it's actually two CDs in one. Eight cuts, all
played by the Wynton Marsalis Septet, are drawn from the "Wright
Brothers" miniseries episode: seven original compositions, plus
Marsalis' take on Guaraldi's ubiquitous "Linus and Lucy." The
other five cuts -- all new renditions of other Guaraldi themes --
are performed by Wynton's father, Ellis, and his trio; Germaine
Bazzle contributes a spirited vocal on the last one, "Little
Birdie." These are particularly nice, since they reflect
Guaraldi's original trio sound, while bearing completely
different interpretations.
Although Windham Hill pianist George Winston has frequently
performed "Linus and Lucy" in live concerts, and has occasionally
promised to record it (and other) Guaraldi compositions on CD,
this has -- alas -- not yet come to pass. We can hope.
While Peanuts fans might argue in favor of "Linus and Lucy,"
it would appear that "Christmas Time Is Here" will likely
become the Peanuts standard for which Guaraldi will be
remembered best. It is covered by new artists every year,
and has become a very popular holiday jazz standard.
Patti Austin's vocal appears both on the aforementioned
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CHARLIE BROWN and GRP
CHRISTMAS 2, while Rosemary Clooney has a lovely
vocal on the CONCORD JAZZ CHRISTMAS. Instrumental
versions have been recorded by David Benoit (on his
CHRISTMASTIME release), Ron Eschete (CHRISTMAS
IMPRESSIONS), Terence Blanchard (SWING INTO
CHRISTMAS), and Jon Ballantyne (JUSTIN TIME FOR
CHRISTMAS). All these CDs are in print, although they
tend to appear only during November and December.
Ellis Marsalis played a lovely instrumental rendition on
National Public Radio's annual "Christmas Piano Jazz"
special awhile back, but it has not yet been released on CD.
There's a nice little trio jazz version of "Linus and
Lucy" on the primarily classical RCA CD SCHROEDER'S GREATEST
HITS. Mixed in with the likes of Beethoven and Mozart are Ken
Bichel on piano, John Miller on bass, and Ronnie Zito on drums.
Finally, Ken Lieck brought my attention to an intriguing
oddity: an LP-sized (12") dance single from Pow Wow Records
(1619 Broadway, New York, NY 10019...if they still exist).
The sleeve is plain cardboard, with no artwork on either side.
The disk, item #pw429 and released in 1988, contains three
different mixes of "Linus and Lucy," all credited to a performer
going by the name of "Schroeder" (probably an alias...wouldn't
you think?). Side 1 contains one version of the song, while
Side 2 has the other two mixes. Each features the central
"Linus and Lucy" piano riff, augmented with differing levels
of a generic dance beat. Ken compares the "sound" to that
employed by the "Hooked on Classics" recordings.
8.3) Does sheet music exist for any of these tunes?
Yes, but it's hard to find.
Because of its popularity, "Linus and Lucy" is fairly common as a
sheet music single. It can be found in the current Warners
catalog, from which any good-sized music store should be able to
order. By the same token, "Christmas Time is Here" is not hard to
find, particularly around the holidays.
From there, the quest becomes difficult. In the late 1960s,
Pointer Publications, a division of Hal Leonard/Pointer
Publications, put out a series of easy piano books adapted from
the early TV specials. The contents tended to cross over from
book to book; in other words, if you had two books, they'd have
some of the same songs, and some unique to each book. These are
all long out of print and absolutely impossible to find (although
if anybody reading these words owns one or more, I'd sure like to
hear about it!).
In 1984, the Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation, now freed of
Pointer Publications, brought out CHARLIE BROWN'S GREATEST HITS
(#HL00240155). This 56-page volume has reasonably complete
transcriptions of 18 different songs. Once again, however, this
book has gone out of print, although it's not unknown for
established music stores to have one or two dusty copies in a
back bin. (Sheet music is one aspect of the Peanuts merchandising
phenomenon which hasn't yet been seized upon by maniacal fans.)
CPP/Belwin Inc.'s HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CHARLIE BROWN (#P0868SMX) is
much easier to find...but don't wait too long. Although released
in 1991, these books don't seem to linger in print. It has the
music for all eleven of the songs found on the CD of the same
name, and eight are Guaraldi compositions (including, of course,
"Linus and Lucy"). The level of difficulty is higher; these are
rich piano transcriptions which sound fabulous when played by
somebody who takes the time to learn them well.
Another book, definitely still available, is the songbook to
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS. It contains all the music
from the same-titled CD, and -- better yet -- arranged in
Guaraldi's unique style. So, you not only get Guaraldi
originals such as "Linus and Lucy" and "Christmas is
Coming," you get jazzy interpretations of "What Child
Is This" and "O, Christmas Tree." The book exists in both
easy piano and "regular" versions, and can be ordered from
CPP Belwin Inc.
15800 NW 48th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33014
(305) 620-1500
If you have a credit card, they'll take an order over the phone.
8.4) What are the lyrics to "Joe Cool"?
One of Snoopy's favorite alter-egos gained his own theme
song, thanks to the animated TV specials. The published
lyrics, copyright 1971 and credited to Desiree Goyette, are:
Joe Cool...startin' today.
Hey, it looks a little cloudy,
But that's okay...'cause he's Joe Cool
Joe Cool...dressin' up right,
Going out to catch a lady to take out tonight.
Put the shades on...precious pearly white;
Lookin' casual, feelin' dynomite.
Joe Cool...struttin' the streets,
Trying to impress each little darling he meets.
He says, "Hey baby...how 'bout a midnight snack?"
She says, "Got a date already; I'll catch you later, Jack."
He says, "Take it easy baby.
Don't come on too strong.
What's your hurry? You got all day long."
Joe Cool...he heads home.
But he's not sure.
Yeah, he's thumbing his finger
Through his little black book.
Now here's one you ain't seen for a while.
You know, the little French cutie
With the little pretty smile.
Dial that number; flash all of your charms
If you want that babe, that baby in your arms.
I said, Joe Cool, well, he got that date.
He showed up not a minute early, not a minute too late.
He sais, "Hey baby...here's a flower for you."
She said, "Come a little closer.
I've got something for you, too."
Keep it light now...playin' by the rules.
Then she slaps him; he feels like a fool.
he says "Hey baby...what did you do that for?"
She says, "You ain't called me
In at least a year or more."
He heads home...but he's no fool.
He may not have a girlfriend but,
At least he's cool...Joe Cool.
Joe Cool...he'll be okay.
Just remember tomorrow is another day.
Oh yes...Joe Cool.
The following year, in the TV special "You're Not
Elected, Charlie Brown," these verses appeared:
Joe Cool...back in school.
Hangin' round the water fountain,
Playin' the fool.
Joe Cool...take it light.
If the principal catches you,
You're out of sight.
(Take those shades off...walkin' round the halls.)
Joe Cool...makin' the rounds.
Checkin' all the kiddies,
Up and down.
Joe Cool...play it straight.
If the principal catches you,
It's gon-na...be...too late.
(Yeaaaahhh...better learn to add now.)
A few years later, in the TV special "There's No Time for
Love, Charlie Brown," the song collected even more verses.
To reflect Snoopy's temporary responsibilities as a
supermarket check-out clerk, these lines were added:
Joe Cool...after school.
Workin' in the supermarket,
Just like a mule.
Joe Cool...do it right.
And be careful of the manager,
He's dy-na-mite.
(Check each item...get those prices right!)
Joe Cool...straighten things out.
Take it easy, buddy...
You don't have to shout.
Joe Cool...just relax.
If you bug the poor ol' manager,
You get the ax.
(Pay attention...don't you mess things up!)
Joe Cool...after school.
Working in the supermarket,
Breaking the rules.
Joe Cool...playin' the clown.
Just be careful of the shopping carts,
They're goin'...to bring...you down.
(Yeah...goin' for a ride now...)
8.5) Can any of these songs be downloaded in .WAV
or .AU format, so I can hear them on my computer?
Dr. David Egger's Web site, which can be reached via the Peanuts
Collectors Club Web page (see the answer to question 1.2 above),
has two versions of "Linus and Lucy" .au files which can be
downloaded and (re)played to your heart's content. The first,
LINUS_AN.AU, is David Benoit's rendition of the song, as heard on
the GRP CD HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CHARLIE BROWN. The second,
PEANUTS.AU, is a nice little trio jazz rendition by unknown
artists. (It's not Guaraldi.) As Dr. Egger advises, though, the
files are fairly large, and will take some time to reach your
computer. PLAN ON AN HOUR FOR EACH.
Just in passing, your WINDOWS software should have a .WAV player,
and the latest version of NETSCAPE includes an .AU player.
If anybody reading knows of other locations for this theme,
where other themes can be found, please let me know and I'll
acknowledge those sites.
8.6) Where can I find a copy of "Snoopy vs. The Red Baron"?
A darn good question!
A minor rock group calling itself The Royal Guardsmen had
a breakout hit in the mid-60s, with the aforementioned song:
"Snoopy vs. The Red Baron." Considering how ubiquitous it
was for quite a few years, its scarcity now is a mystery.
The song, which ran 2 minutes and 43 seconds, was released
on a 45 RPM single from Laurie Records Inc. in New York.
The item number was 3366, and the "B"-side single was
"I Needed You," clocking in at 2:07.
Not long after, that hit was followed by two more songs by
the same group, and on the same label:
"The Return of The Red Baron," running 2:10, appeared on a
45 RPM single numbered 3379. Its "B"-side companion was
"Sweetmeats Slide," also running 2:10.
Finally, "Snoopy's Christmas," running 3:10, completed the
trilogy. It was released on a 45 RPM numbered 3416, with
"It Kinda Looks Like Christmas" (running 2:12) on side B.
All three were later gathered together onto an LP titled
MERRY SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS, item # HDY-1913
from Holiday Records, a division of Phoenix Entertainment
and Talent, located at 200 W. 57th Street, New York NY 10019.
Needless to say, this LP -- and the 8-track cartridge and
audiocassette onto which it also was released -- are
out of print.
Both front and back covers have illustrations by Charles
Schulz. The front cover is a lovely shot of Snoopy, wearing
red pajamas and a nightcap, and carrying a candle,
surrounded by a Christmas wreath. The back cover is
dominated by a shot of the WWI Flying Ace leaning
against his Sopwith Camel (doghouse). On the far side,
the Royal Guardsmen -- Bill, John, Chris, Barry, Tom, and
Billy -- are pictured in similar, comic-art style.
Side 1 has all three of the aforementioned musical bouts
between Snoopy and the Red Baron, strung together by
a sort of newscast-style "storyline." Side 2 contains the
following cuts:
I Say Love
Down behind the Lines
It's Sopwith Camel Time
It's So Right to Be in Love
Airplane Song
It Kinda Looks Like Christmas
While cute as novelty tunes, the obscurity of these
B-side songs is probably well-deserved...
More importantly, however, most (all?) of these
cuts are available on a CD titled THE ROYAL
GUARDSMEN ANTHOLOGY. If you have trouble
ordering this CD at your local music store, try calling
The Collector's Choice Music Catalog, at (800) 923-1122.
Laura's Warm Puppy Page -- a web site which can be
accessed from The Peanuts Collector's Club web pages
(see above) -- reprints the lyrics to "Snoopy vs. The Red
Baron." Go wild!
9) THEME PARKS/MERCHANTS
9.1) Are there any Peanuts theme parks?
Certainly! The United States has two locations for Knott's Camp
Snoopy. The first is located within Knott's Berry Farm, in the
greater Los Angeles area of Southern California. (Their address is
8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, CA 90620.) It's a self-
contained, child-oriented theme park -- e.g. gentler rides --
hidden within the larger Knott's park. (As I recall, it's not
possible to just gain access to Camp Snoopy and bypass the
Knott's admission fees...although it IS possible to get what's
known as a "shopper's pass," which will get you into the
Peanuts gift shops for as long as you wish.)
The second location is right in the heart of the enclosed
Mall of America, in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. Their
actual address is 5000 Center Court, Bloomington, MN 55425.
Overseas travelers should take note of the new (opened March 16,
1995) Snoopy Town in Osaka, Japan. Since funds do not permit such
extravagances, I cannot speak for the experience...but I'm told
the place is pretty overwhelming. Their address is 2-7-70 Matta
Omiya, Tsurumi-ku, Osaka City 538, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
Their phone number is 81-6-913-8800. Their stores include the
Gallery House, the Theme House, the Garden House,
the Woodstock Shop, the Lucy Shop, the Peppermint Patty Shop,
Restaurant Snoopy, and Olaf's Snacks.
9.2) Are there any stores devoted exclusively to
Peanuts merchandise?
You bet! The most important, in terms of its popularity as a fan
pilgrimage site, is The Snoopy Gallery and Gift Shop at 1665 W.
Steele Lane, in Santa Rosa, California 95401 (about an hour north
of San Francisco). Their phone number is (707) 546-3385, and they
have a website at http://www.harborside.com/wcountry/snoopy.htm
Located next to the Redwood Empire Ice Arena -- where the annual
Snoopy ice show is a must-see event -- this two-story complex is
both store and museum rolled into one. The first floor is devoted
entirely to Peanuts merchandise, except for a small corner filled
with skating and hockey supplies. You name it, and you'll find
it: books, clothes, jigsaw puzzles, posters, stickers, Christmas
ornaments, greeting cards, computer software, a very nice
selection of infant clothes and toys, and anything else
the friendly manager can dig up. The second floor is filled with
Charles Schulz's many awards and magazine covers, along with
several displays of original sketches and newspaper strips, all
displayed attractively in glass showcases. The building is
surrounded on two sides by a huge wrap-around carpet (on the walls!),
and two large moving displays of the characters keep patrons amused.
Snoopy (a large, human-sized version) has even been known to make
the occasional appearance.
The Mall of America, in Minnesota, has three different stores
in and around Camp Snoopy. Joe Cool's Hot Shop can be
reached at (612) 883-8789; The Peanuts Shop is at
(612) 883-8663; and Snoopy's Boutique is at (612) 883-8630.
See above for full address.
Knott's Berry Farm in Southern California sells Peanuts
merchandise at two shops: the Snoopy Boutique and the
Rocking Horse. Although the shops don't have their own
telephone listings, the park's general access number is
(714) 827-2776. Snoopy's Boutique can be reached at
extension 4131 or 4132, while the Rocking Horse is
extension 4613 or 5302. See above for full address.
Finally, I should mention some superb mail-order outfits devoted
exclusively (or at least extensively) to Peanuts merchandise:
The Crazy Collector (Leslie Kaelin)
5703 Spring Bluff Dr.
Crestwood, Kentucky 40014
(502) 241-2035 FAX: (502) 241-2396
Beagle & Co. (Chuck E. Macy)
333 Main Street
Swoyersville, Pennsylvania 18704
(717) 288-7084
Beaglemania (Brenda Bates)
146 Glenwood Avenue
Port Colborne, Ontario
L3K 5N1 Canada
(905) 835-1566 FAX: (905) 835-6929
Snodgrass Sales, Inc. (Marsha Snodgrass)
1222 Lafayette Ave.
Terre Haute, Indiana 47804 (send $2 for their catalog)
(812) 234-2033
http://www.a1.com/snodgrass/ (website)
Cartoon Collections (Robert Casterline)
37 Public Square
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18701
(717) 821-2291
or
Fun Art Galleries (Robert Casterline)
1307 Celebrity Circle, B-115
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577
(803) 444-3233 (these folks have an
impressive supply of signed lithographs,
hand-painted cels, and original strips)
Nuts Design (Hedwig Keek)
Etalage vertoging, Aslsmeerweg 27
1059 AB Amsterdam, Holland
(020) 669-82-20
9.3) What's this about a Snoopy ice show?
Information on each year's Christmas ice show at the
Redwood Empire Ice Arena, in Santa Rosa, California, is
usually released in October.
Bleachers tickets have ranged from $10 to $15, while table seating
ranged from $24 to $32. All sales are final, so be absolutely
sure of your plans. Showdates run from early December
through the end of the month. Redwood Empire assigns tickets
on the basis of first come, first served; when you send your money,
you are asked for first, second, and third choices with respect to
seating and/or day of performance. THEY DO NOT TAKE
PHONE OR FAX ORDERS; you must order by mail.
Write for further details to:
Ticket Sales
Redwood Empire Ice Operations
1667 W. Steele Lane
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Ohhhhh...what a grand tradition this is. Every year, Santa Rosa,
California's Redwood Empire Ice Arena transforms into a different
Christmas ice fantasyland. Seating is half the fun: the rink has
bleachers on only one side; the other two sides have small tables
and chairs, and patrons purchasing those tickets receive
complimentary cakes and cookies, and all the coffee/hot apple
cider/hot chocolate they can consume. (Be advised: restroom space
is not ample, so don't drink too much!) The shows, which easily
last more than two hours, feature Olympic skating champions in
solo performances, alternating with opulent production numbers
starring the Peanuts characters. (Snoopy on skates is quite the
sight.) Charles Schulz has been known to quietly peek at a show
now and then, just to check on how things are going. (He owns the
Redwood Empire Ice Arena.)
10) TRADING CARDS/POGS
10.1) How many sets of trading cards have been
released? Will there be more?
Three sets of trading cards have thus far been released.
The first was a small, 33-card "demo set." The cards are full
color, most devoted to one character with "stats" (facts) about
that character on the back. There are a few special cards, with
reproductions of play or film posters, and stills from some of
the television specials. And, of course, one has a nice shot of
Charles Schulz.
The first full-sized set of cards is the Peanuts Classics Series
I. The set contains 200 cards, numbered 1-200, plus two special
hologram cards. Each card reproduces a full daily or Sunday comic
strip (on the back, identified by date), with one panel blown up
for the card's front. Rather oddly, the strips are only from
1959, 1969, 1979, and 1989!
The second full-sized set is known as the Gold & Silver Baseball
Edition. It also has 200 cards, numbered 201-400. As the title
suggests, these are all baseball-themed comic strips. Aside from
the gold and silver borders, the presentation is the
same...although the date of each strip is absent. These strips
are uniformly drawn from 1969-1990.
10.2) How many sets of POGs have been released? Will
there be more?
It's a bit tough to distinguish between all the POGs, but I'll
give it a whack.
Knotts Berry Farm first released a card with five punch-out POGs,
for visitors to their Camp Snoopy. 1993 saw a similar approach
taken for the six-POG "Series 1" card. Since then, I've seen at
least half a dozen more Knotts POG sets, although each has
been fairly small.
Other POGs currently available form a larger set, numbered 1-60.
This series has 12 different slammers, and two more hologram
slammers. The same company has also issued two heavy bronze
slammers, and I've more recently seen at least 10 more POGs (with
slightly metallic colors), although these don't seem to be
numbered.
No doubt there are more.
11) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank the following individuals, who have helped
and contributed to this document:
Charles Schulz, for The Word...for starting everything in
the first place, and keeping us all laughing and crying for so
many wonderful years.
Andrea Podley, founder and ongoing "Head Beagle" of the
Peanuts Collectors Club, whose patience with -- and affection for
-- all Peanuts fans is a gift beyond value.
Gayna, whose shared devotion for this most wonderful hobby
persuaded me that it was, indeed, "cool" for a guy to admit his
fondness for a round-headed kid and his smart-alecky beagle.
___________________________________________
Please do NOT capriciously amend or "correct" this FAQ. If you
have comments, revisions, or suggestions for additional topics,
e-mail them to me at ba...@wheel.dcn.davis.ca.us, and I'll happily
incorporate the pertinent changes myself (and provide credit
where appropriate).
___________________________________________
This article is provided AS IS without any express or implied
warranties. While every effort has been taken to ensure the
accuracy of the information contained herein, the author assumes
no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages
resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
Copyright (c) 1996 by Derrick Bang, all rights reserved.
This FAQ may be posted to any USENET group, on-line service, or
BBS as long as it is posted in its entirety and includes this
copyright statement.
This FAQ may NOT be distributed for financial gain.
This FAQ may NOT be included in commercial collections or
compilations without express permission from the author
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