A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1963 film)
A Boy Named Charlie Brown is an unreleased television documentary film about Charles M. Schulz and his creation Peanuts, produced by Lee Mendelson with some animated scenes by Bill Meléndez and music by Vince Guaraldi.[1]
| A Boy Named Charlie Brown | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Created by | Charles M. Schulz |
| Directed by | Lee Mendelson |
| Voices of | Peter Robbins Christopher Shea Karen Mendelson Sally Dryer Ann Altieri Tracy Stratford Chris Doran Geoffrey Ornstein Bill Melendez |
| Narrated by | Don Sherwood |
| Theme music composer | Vince Guaraldi |
| Opening theme | "Oh, Good Grief" |
| Ending theme | "Oh, Good Grief" |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Lee Mendelson |
| Cinematography | Sheldon Fay |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| First shown in | 1963 (Unaired) |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) |
Background
A Boy Named Charlie Brown was screened the Greater San Francisco Advertising Club, where it was received with considerable enthusiasm, but Mendelson was unsuccessful in securing sponsorship.[2]
Although never aired on television, the documentary was instrumental in garnering commercial support and the creative teamwork that resulted in A Charlie Brown Christmas in 1965 and the ensuing series of Peanuts television specials. Portions of the film were used in commercials for A Charlie Brown Christmas in 1965.
An album by the Vince Guaraldi Trio with music from the above documentary, originally titled Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown, was released by Fantasy Records in 1964.
Portions of the unaired A Boy Named Charlie Brown were updated and broadcast in 1969 as Charlie Brown and Charles Schulz.[2]
Voice cast
- Peter Robbins as Charlie Brown
- Christopher Shea as Linus van Pelt
- Karen Mendelson as Lucy van Pelt, Patty
- Sally Dryer as Violet Gray
- Ann Altieri as Frieda
- Tracy Stratford as Lucy van Pelt (singing voice)
- Chris Doran as Schroeder, Shermy
- Geoffrey Ornstein as Pig-Pen
- Bill Melendez as Snoopy
Home media
The documentary is available on DVD through the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center.
References
- Solomon, Charles (2012). The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation: Celebrating Fifty Years of Television Specials. Chronicle Books. pp. 54–55. ISBN 978-1452110912.
- Bang, Derrick. Liner notes for A Boy Named Charlie Brown: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2017); Kritzerland, Inc. Retrieved 7 May 2020