This was one of my favorites, despite being also the most controversial of all the Peanuts specials. It also aired the year I was born: 1977, so I was an infant when it aired. This was also the first post-Vince Guaraldi special that aired since he died (the last one Vince scored was "It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown" which aired a year earlier). Ed Bogas (who also scored the third Peanuts movie "Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown" which also came out in '77) and Judy Munsen took over for Vince, even including "Linus and Lucy", although it sounded real different. Bogas was also responsible for co-scoring the Ralph Bakshi films "Fritz The Cat" and "Heavy Traffic". The music was real funky and the groove was down-pact.
The special itself was a departure for Charles Schulz and company. For the first time ever, The Little Red-Haired Girl was seen, AND given a name: Heather. Plus, the Peanuts gang was on a Football team playing in a Homecoming game. Heather is the Homecoming Queen and Charlie Brown is her escort (how lucky is he!!!!!!!!!). He tries to impress her because he is the place kicker for the team (who was being coached by Peppermint Patty), but, alas, Lucy was holding the ball (CB even tried to use a kicking tee before being stopped by Ms. Van Pelt) and, in classic Peanuts form, pulls the ball away from Chuck, and you know the results. Because of Lucy (NOT CHARLIE BROWN, WHO GETS THE BRUNDT OF THE BLAME) they lose the game by one point. Then the Homecoming dance comes and CB must escort the Queen (Heather) and give her the traditional kiss (as pointed out by Linus throughout the program). Chuck is a barrel of nerves (mostly nervousness and anxiety-NO LIE! He as shaky as Linus without his blanket), but goes ahead with the procession. The kiss leads to Chuck in Dreamland.
I like this special for many reasons: 1. Some of the girls (Not the normal Peanuts girls) sported lashes (a Peanuts special first); 2. Snoopy is all over the place on this special (Woodstock's helicopter, referee, cheerleader's squad man, band member); 3. The Little Red-Haired Girl is finally seen (even though Schulz wasn't responsible for how she would look-Bill Melendez and co. have that distention-however she would finally appear in the strip in 1998 in a Spring Dance story as a silhouette dancing with Snoopy). This wouldn't be the last time we'd see her in animated form. She would appear in 1986's "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown", 1988's "Snoopy: The Musical", and most recently in 2002's post-Schulz special "A Charlie Brown Valentine".
The special itself was a departure for Charles Schulz and company. For the first time ever, The Little Red-Haired Girl was seen, AND given a name: Heather. Plus, the Peanuts gang was on a Football team playing in a Homecoming game. Heather is the Homecoming Queen and Charlie Brown is her escort (how lucky is he!!!!!!!!!). He tries to impress her because he is the place kicker for the team (who was being coached by Peppermint Patty), but, alas, Lucy was holding the ball (CB even tried to use a kicking tee before being stopped by Ms. Van Pelt) and, in classic Peanuts form, pulls the ball away from Chuck, and you know the results. Because of Lucy (NOT CHARLIE BROWN, WHO GETS THE BRUNDT OF THE BLAME) they lose the game by one point. Then the Homecoming dance comes and CB must escort the Queen (Heather) and give her the traditional kiss (as pointed out by Linus throughout the program). Chuck is a barrel of nerves (mostly nervousness and anxiety-NO LIE! He as shaky as Linus without his blanket), but goes ahead with the procession. The kiss leads to Chuck in Dreamland.
I like this special for many reasons: 1. Some of the girls (Not the normal Peanuts girls) sported lashes (a Peanuts special first); 2. Snoopy is all over the place on this special (Woodstock's helicopter, referee, cheerleader's squad man, band member); 3. The Little Red-Haired Girl is finally seen (even though Schulz wasn't responsible for how she would look-Bill Melendez and co. have that distention-however she would finally appear in the strip in 1998 in a Spring Dance story as a silhouette dancing with Snoopy). This wouldn't be the last time we'd see her in animated form. She would appear in 1986's "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown", 1988's "Snoopy: The Musical", and most recently in 2002's post-Schulz special "A Charlie Brown Valentine".