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A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is an Emmy award-winning animated television special based on the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, directed by Phil Roman and Bill Melendez. It originally aired on CBS on November 20, 1973. It continued to air annually in the United States on a date near the Thanksgiving holiday for over four decades until 2000. It aired on ABC from 2001 to 2019. The broadcast rights to it were obtained by Apple TV+ in 2020. A deal with PBS also allowed that company to air the special in 2020.

Plot[]

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving storyboard

A promotional image inspired by the special.

Lucy invites Charlie Brown to kick a football once again. Charlie Brown knows she will pull it away when he tries to kick it, but she promises that she will not as the kicking of the football is an important tradition of fall. Charlie Brown decides he should not break with tradition, only to go flying when she pulls it away as usual. Lucy remarks how peculiar it is that some traditions fade away.

Charlie and Sally Brown are planning to go to their grandmother's for Thanksgiving dinner when Peppermint Patty calls Charlie Brown, inviting herself to have Thanksgiving dinner at his house. Shortly thereafter, she calls two more times, saying that Marcie and Franklin will also be attending. Charlie Brown, due to what Sally calls his usual "wishy-washy"ness, is unable to speak up that this is not possible. When Linus comes over, Charlie Brown explains his predicament. Linus then proposes a solution: have two dinners. One can be in the afternoon with the other kids, and then Charlie Brown can still go to his grandmother's as planned. Charlie Brown is not convinced of this idea, as his culinary expertise is limited to preparing cold cereal and maybe toast (which Linus admits Charlie Brown cannot even butter). Linus, Snoopy, and Woodstock offer to help Charlie Brown prepare for the dinner.

Sometime later, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Franklin arrive. After everyone has a seat, Linus says grace and gives a speech regarding what Thanksgiving is about. Once grace is finished, Snoopy serves the food that has been prepared: buttered toast, jellybeans, pretzel sticks, and popcorn. Upon seeing the unconventional meal, Peppermint Patty angrily complains about not being served traditional Thanksgiving food for Thanksgiving dinner. Embarrassed at the situation, Charlie Brown leaves the table in despair. Once he has gone, Marcie asks her friend if she was being too rough on Charlie Brown. Peppermint Patty vehemently says that they should have been served traditional food for Thanksgiving dinner. Knowing her friend's personality well, Marcie asks if Charlie Brown actually invited them over, or if Peppermint Patty invited herself along with Franklin and Marcie. Having a moment of clarity, Peppermint Patty asks Marcie to talk to Charlie Brown and apologize for her, too ashamed of herself to face him. While Marcie goes to talk with Charlie Brown, Linus remarks that the whole situation resembles The Courtship of Miles Standish, which an annoyed Peppermint Patty denies.

Marcie discusses things with Charlie Brown, who still feels that he has ruined the day for everyone. However, Marcie explains that Thanksgiving is about what Linus said in his speech: it is about being together and being thankful like the Pilgrims were. As they finish talking, Peppermint Patty appears and apologizes in person for her attitude. As he looks at the clock, Charlie Brown realizes that because of all the commotion his family will now be late for Thanksgiving dinner at his grandmother's house, so he calls her to explain everything. When his grandmother finds out that his friends have not eaten dinner yet, she suggests they all come to her house for Thanksgiving dinner.

Shortly thereafter, the children start on their trip to Charlie Brown's grandmother's condominium, leaving Snoopy and Woodstock alone at home. As soon as they leave, the two friends set up a table outside the doghouse, where Snoopy serves up a traditional Thanksgiving dinner just for the two of them. During the end credits, Snoopy and Woodstock devour pumpkin pie for dessert.

Notes[]

  • The special was initially sponsored by Dolly Madison Cakes and Coca-Cola.
  • Many viewers sent complaints to CBS about Woodstock eating a turkey with Snoopy, seeing it as an act of "bird cannibalism". Charles Schulz insisted that Woodstock join Snoopy in carving and eating a turkey, despite Lee Mendelson's protests.
  • This marks Peppermint Patty's sixth appearance in a Peanuts TV special; following You're in Love, Charlie Brown, He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown, It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown, Play It Again, Charlie Brown, and "There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown".
    • This also marks Marcie's second appearance in a Peanuts TV special; following her debut in There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown.
  • Marcie calls Peppermint Patty "Priscilla" because Linus referred to Myles Standish. Priscilla Mullen and Myles Standish are characters in The Courtship of Miles Standish.
  • This special received that year's Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming (which went to Charles M. Schulz). It was also nominated for Outstanding Children's Special, but did not win. There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown, which was broadcast in the same year, did not receive any nominations.
  • On VHS releases of this special, the clock chime is louder.
  • This is the first special where Charlie Brown is voiced by Todd Barbee, who had previously voiced Linus's opponent Russell Anderson in You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown.
  • This is the last special where Sally Brown is voiced by Hilary Momberger, Peppermint Patty is voiced by Christopher DeFaria, and Lucy van Pelt is voiced by Robin Kohn.
  • Oddly enough, despite the background music sounding very Beethoven-themed, Schroeder is not seen, heard, or mentioned in this special.
  • Lucy van Pelt only appears in the special's teaser, in which she, once again, suckers Charlie Brown into the old "I'll-hold-the-ball-and-you-come-running-up-and-kick-it" gag.
  • This special's airings in 2006 and 2007 were paired with He's a Bully, Charlie Brown.
  • Linus breaks the fourth wall by stating that the episode is unlikely.
  • Peppermint Patty and Marcie are voiced by male actors.
  • When Peppermint Patty informs the gang that they're invited to Charlie Brown's grandmother's house, this is a rare instance in which she calls him "Charlie Brown" instead of "Chuck".
  • This marks the first time in an animated special that Marcie called Charlie Brown "Charles", having only referred to him as "Chuck" like Peppermint Patty in There's No Time for Love...
  • Snoopy's fight with the folding lounge chair appears to have been inspired by W. C. Fields' similar struggle with a chair in 1934's It's a Gift.
  • Charlie Brown is referred to as "Chuck" twenty-six times throughout the special.
  • In later years (2000s-plus) this special came under criticism over the fact that Franklin, the only Black character, is depicted as sitting alone on the long side of the dinner table. This has been explained by Jean Schulz and Franklin's voice actor Robin Reed as an oversight on the part of the animators rather than malicious intent. Nonetheless, the scene is visually referenced in the 2024 special Welcome Home, Franklin, which includes a moment where Franklin is specifically invited to join his friends on the other side of the table.
  • The version of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving that aired on CBS in the mid-1980s trimmed the segment with Snoopy and Woodstock getting dressed for dinner after setting up the table. It cuts from the scene after Snoopy pulls out his costume and a small hat for Woodstock to the scene where they walk up to the house. ABC broadcasts during the 2000s remove the entire scene where they are getting dressed, transitioning from when Snoopy goes into his doghouse to the scene where Charlie Brown greets him and Woodstock at the door. However, it was reinstated in later ABC broadcasts.
  • The animation of the football gag has been reused several times throughout the 1970s such as You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown and It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown. It also has been reused in the 1983 season of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show.

Soundtrack[]

  1. "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" (aka "Charlie Brown Blues" and "Charlie's Blues")
  2. "Thanksgiving Theme" (slow version)
  3. "Thanksgiving Theme"
  4. "Peppermint Patty" (slow flute version)
  5. "Little Birdie" (Guaraldi vocal)
  6. "Thanksgiving Interlude"
  7. "Is It James or Charlie?"
  8. "Linus and Lucy" (full brass section version)
  9. "Fife & Drums Theme"
  10. "Is It James or Charlie?" (two separate cues)
  11. "Charlie Brown Blues" (slow variation) (aka "Play It Again, Charlie Brown" and "Charlie's Blues")
  12. "Thanksgiving Interlude"
  13. "Over the River and Through the Woods" (a cappella, vocal by Charlie Brown, Sally Brown, Linus van Pelt, Marcie, Peppermint Patty, and Franklin)
  14. "Thanksgiving Theme"
  15. "Thanksgiving Theme"

Goofs[]

  • At the table, the chairs keep moving in different shots. Franklin is shown sitting with other chairs and without.
  • When Snoopy tosses the plates, he only throws seven, but the next shot shows every spot with a plate. On a side note, when Woodstock hides under a napkin and Snoopy picks it up, it disappears in the next shot with Linus.
  • When Snoopy plays ping-pong on the table, the back of the paddle is not a different color like normal ping-pong paddles are. The front of the paddle is red, while the back does not have any color.
  • During the scene in Charlie Brown's living room, the phone from which Charlie Brown calls his grandmother does not appear until he starts dialing.
  • While Snoopy, Linus, and Charlie Brown are cooking the fake Thanksgiving meal, two bowls of pretzels are shown. They're the folded type. Later during the meal, they change to pretzel sticks. Also, we see a skillet on the back right burner as Snoopy spreads the butter on the toast constantly as it piles. In the next shot, the skillet has jumped to the front right burner.
  • The plates Snoopy set out when he initially set up the ping-pong table disappear in front of all guests except the first person, he tosses a plate to when serving everyone.
  • Near the end, the grandfather clock is shown by the front door. Its pendulum appears stuck to the right in one shot, but in the very next shot, after the clock strikes four, it has jumped to the left.
  • Soon after setting the table for the fake Thanksgiving dinner, Snoopy takes off his chef's hat and puts it back in his trunk. When he and Woodstock return to Charlie Brown's house, they are led back to the kitchen, and we see another chef's hat that Charlie Brown suggests that Snoopy would serve dinner with.
  • When Charlie Brown calls his grandmother, he says that he and his friends have not eaten yet. However, we see Charlie Brown eating some popcorn and other characters eating as well. He also tells her that he invited a few friends over, but Peppermint Patty invited herself over and Marcie and Franklin came alongside her.
  • Despite the folding lawn chair being shown as shredded and broken after Snoopy's fight with it, it is the chair Franklin sits in at the table.
  • There are several goofs during the fake dinner scene:
    • Peppermint Patty's plate of food disappears and reappears after Snoopy serves her.
    • The sundaes on the table disappear and reappear between scenes.
    • Snoopy puts two slices of toast on everybody's plate (including Franklin's). When Snoopy tosses Franklin his plate, there's only one slice of toast on it.

Voice cast[]

Thankspeanuts

The logo used by Google during Thanksgiving 2009/Charles Schulz' 87th birthday was inspired by the television special, along with the Doodle's dozens of prototypes.

Uncredited[]

Gallery[]

External links[]


Peanuts Animated Features
TV Specials Released 1960s A Charlie Brown ChristmasCharlie Brown's All-StarsIt's the Great Pumpkin...You're in Love...He's Your Dog...It Was a Short Summer...
1970s Play It Again...You're Not Elected...There's No Time for Love...A Charlie Brown ThanksgivingIt's a Mystery...It's the Easter Beagle...Be My Valentine...You're a Good Sport...It's Arbor Day...It's Your First Kiss...What a Nightmare...You're the Greatest...
1980s She's a Good Skate...Life Is a Circus...It's Magic...Someday You'll Find Her...A Charlie Brown CelebrationIs This Goodbye...?It's an Adventure...What Have We Learned...?It's Flashbeagle...Snoopy's Getting Married...You're a Good Man...Happy New Year...!Snoopy!!! The MusicalIt's the Girl in the Red Truck...
1990s Why, Charlie Brown, Why?Snoopy's ReunionIt's Spring Training...It's Christmastime Again...You're in the Super Bowl...It Was My Best Birthday Ever...
2000s It's the Pied Piper...A Charlie Brown ValentineCharlie Brown's Christmas TalesLucy Must Be Traded...I Want a Dog for Christmas...He's a Bully...
2010s Happiness Is a Warm Blanket...
2020s For Auld Lang SyneIt's The Small Things...To Mom (and Dad), With LoveLucy's SchoolOne-of-a-Kind MarcieWelcome Home, Franklin
Movies A Boy Named Charlie BrownSnoopy, Come HomeRace for Your Life, Charlie BrownBon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don't Come Back!!)The Peanuts Movie
The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show Season 1 "Snoopy's Cat Fight" • "Snoopy: Team Manager" • "Linus and Lucy" • "Lucy vs. the World" • "Linus' Security Blanket" • "Snoopy: Man's Best Friend" • "Snoopy the Psychiatrist" • "You Can't Win, Charlie Brown" • "The Lost Ballpark" • "Snoopy's Football Career" • "Chaos in the Classroom" • "It's That Team Spirit, Charlie Brown" • "Lucy Loves Schroeder"
Season 2 "Snoopy and the Giant" • "Snoopy's Brother Spike" • "Snoopy's Robot" • "Peppermint Patty's School Days" • "Sally's Sweet Babboo"
This Is America, Charlie Brown "The Mayflower Voyagers" • "The Birth of the Constitution" • "The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk" • "The NASA Space Station" • "The Building of the Transcontinental Railroad" • "The Great Inventors" • "The Smithsonian and the Presidency" • "The Music and Heroes of America"
Snoopy in Space "The Application" • "Training" • "The Graduation" • "Welcome to the ISS" • "I Never Promised You a Space Garden" • "Space Sleepwalking" • "The Journey on Orion" • "Crater Crash" • "Searching for Moon Rocks" • "You're a Good Moon, Charlie Brown" • "The Next Mission" • "Mars or Bust"
Others Peanuts (2014 TV series) • Peanuts Motion ComicsThe Snoopy Show
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