Play It Again, Charlie Brown

Play It Again, Charlie Brown is the seventh prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on CBS on March 28, 1971.[1]

Play It Again, Charlie Brown
GenreAnimated television special
Created byCharles M. Schulz
Directed byBill Melendez
Voices ofPamelyn Ferdin
Stephen Shea
Lynda Mendelson
Hilary Momberger
Christopher DeFaria
Chris Inglis
Bill Melendez
Theme music composerVince Guaraldi
Ludwig van Beethoven
Opening theme"Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Opus 2, No. 3; I: Allegro Con Brio"
Ending theme"Play It Again, Charlie Brown"
ComposersVince Guaraldi
Ludwig van Beethoven
John Scott Trotter
Harry Bluestone
Country of originU.S.
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducersLee Mendelson
Bill Melendez
EditorsBob Gillis
Chuck McCann
Rudy Zamora, Jr.
Running time24:08
Release
Original networkCBS
Picture format4:3
Audio formatMonaural
First shown inMarch 28, 1971
Chronology
Preceded byIt Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown (1969)
Followed byYou're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (1972)

This was the first Peanuts TV special of the 1970s, and the first special to focus on a character other than Charlie Brown or Snoopy. It also marked the first time someone other than Peter Robbins voiced Charlie Brown, which in this case was Chris Inglis as the character, since Robbins' voice changed after the previous special. Also, all the other remaining original actors from the first special, except for Bill Melendez, were replaced by someone else. This left Bill Melendez as the only original actor remaining, until his death on September 2, 2008. However, recordings of his voice were used in later Peanuts animated media.

Plot

This special centers on Lucy's infatuation with Schroeder and her willingness to do anything to win his affections. Frustrated in her perpetual failures, she opens up to Sally and Peppermint Patty about her situation, and Peppermint Patty comes up with an idea: invite him to play his piano at an upcoming PTA concert. Lucy goes along with the idea and goes back to tell Schroeder, who warms up to the idea, and after thanking Lucy begins rehearsing right away.

Schroeder's thanking her for the invitation is enough to send Lucy skyrocketing onto cloud nine; she again runs into Peppermint Patty and thanks her for the idea, but then Peppermint Patty adds something she forgot to mention before: the PTA wants a rock concert, not a classical recital. Lucy anguishes over this revelation, knowing that Schroeder will never agree to it, so she asks Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Pig-Pen for help. Snoopy brings out a set of drums, an acoustic guitar and an upright bass, and as the three start playing with Lucy dancing, Schroeder walks by. Lucy introduces the combo as his backup band for the PTA concert. Schroeder, still thinking he will be doing a recital, insists he can handle it alone, but when Lucy tells him that the PTA wants a rock concert instead, Schroeder backs out. After coercing from Charlie Brown, Schroeder reluctantly changes his mind, but soon regrets selling out his beloved Beethoven.

The combo is tuning up their instruments in preparation for the PTA concert. Schroeder arrives close to show time, but despite Lucy and Peppermint Patty's pleading, he decides to stick to his guns and refuses to play rock music. Later, Lucy visits Schroeder again and somehow offends him when she comments about Beethoven not making it in Nashville. Schroeder is insulted and leaves, and Lucy, after quipping that Beethoven "probably wouldn't have made it in New Orleans either", then takes out her transistor radio and happily listens to rock and roll on Schroeder's piano during the closing credits.

Voice cast

Music score

The majority of music cues for Play It Again, Charlie Brown consist of works composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. Eight different piano sonatas and one symphony appear in the television special. Remaining cues were divided between Vince Guaraldi, John Scott Trotter and Harry Bluestone and are noted as such.[2] Trotter also conducted and arranged the score.

  1. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Opus 2: I. Allegro Con Brio (three separate cues)
  2. "Stupid Beagle" (John Scott Trotter)
  3. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Opus 2: I. Allegro Con Brio (three separate cues)
  4. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Opus 67: I. Allegro Con Brio
  5. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E♭ Major, Opus 7: III. Allegro, 3
    4    ; "Trio" in E♭ minor
  6. "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (aka "Charlie's Blues" and "Charlie Brown Blues") (electric version) (Vince Guaraldi)
  7. Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Opus 14, No. 2: I. Allegro in G major (two separate cues)
  8. "Oh, Good Grief" (Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson)
  9. Piano Sonata No, 14 in C♯ minor ("Moonlight Sonata"), Opus 27, No. 2: II. Allegretto
  10. Piano Sonata No, 14 in C♯ minor ("Moonlight Sonata"), Opus 27, No. 2: III. Presto agitato
  11. "Lucifer's Lady" (Vince Guaraldi)
  12. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major ("Waldstein"), Opus 53: III. Rondo. Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo
  13. "Peppermint Patty" (electric band version) (Vince Guaraldi)
  14. Piano Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Opus 49, No. 2: I. Allegro ma non troppo, 2
    4
  15. Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Opus 79: I. Presto alla tedesca
  16. "Happy, Happy" (acid rock-style jam) (Vince Guaraldi)
  17. "Charlie's Rock" (John Scott Trotter)
  18. "Tune Up No. 1"
  19. "Charlie's Rock" (John Scott Trotter)
  20. "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (slow version sans percussion) (Vince Guaraldi)
  21. Tune Up No. 2: "My Dog Has Fleas"
  22. "Happy" (Harry Bluestone)
  23. Piano Sonata No. 29 in B♭ Major ("Hammerklavier"), Opus 106: I. Allegro
  24. "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (acid rock version) (Vince Guaraldi)

No official soundtrack for Play It Again, Charlie Brown has been released. However, recording session master tapes for seven 1970s-era Peanuts television specials scored by Vince Guaraldi were discovered by his son, David Guaraldi, in the mid-2000s. A version of the program's eponymous song not featured in the soundtrack was released in 2007 on the compilation album, Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials.[3][4]

Harpsichordist Lillian Steuber performed all Beethoven piano sonatas.[5]

Credits
  • Created and Written by: Charles M. Schulz
  • Directed by: Bill Melendez
  • Produced by: Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez
  • Musical Score Composed by: Ludwig van Beethoven, Vince Guaraldi
  • Conducted by: John Scott Trotter
  • Beethoven Sonatas Played by: Lillian Steuber
  • Graphic Blandishment: Ed Levitt, Bernard Gruver, Evert Brown, Dean Spille, Frank Smith, Rudy Zamora, Don Lusk, Bill Littlejohn, Emery Hawkins, Al Pabian, Sam Jaimes, Beverly Robbins, Eleanor Warren, Carole Barnes, Faith Kovaleski, Manon Washburn
  • Editing: Bob Gillis, Chuck McCann, Rudy Zamora, Jr.
  • Sound:
    • Radio Recorders, Sid Nicholas
    • United Recorders, Arte Becker
    • Producers' Sound Service, Don Minkler
  • Camera: Dickson/Vasu
  • In Cooperation with United Feature Syndicate
  • THE END "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" © 1971 United Feature Syndicate

Home media

The special was first released on home media on RCA's SelectaVision CED format in 1983, along with Charlie Brown's All Stars!, It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown, and What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown. The special was released on VHS by Media Home Entertainment in 1986, and again under its kids subdivision Hi-Tops Video in 1989. Paramount Home Media Distribution released the special on September 6, 1995. Warner Home Video released it as part of the Peanuts: 1970's Collection: Volume 1 DVD on October 6, 2009.

References
  1. Terrace, Vincent (2013). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 91. ISBN 9780786474448.
  2. Bang, Derrick. "Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts Song Library: Play It Again, Charlie Brown". fivecentsplease.org. Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  3. Bang, Derrick. "Vince Guaraldi on LP and CD: Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials". fivecentsplease.org. Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  4. Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown TV Specials at AllMusic. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  5. Woolery, George W. (1989). Animated TV Specials: The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987. Scarecrow Press. pp. 305–306. ISBN 0-8108-2198-2. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
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