Schulz/Peanuts Thread

[Fozzie Bear]

Hiya,

Charles M. "Sparky" Schulz is my hero for cartooning, and I was introduced to Snoopy and the gang prior to the Muppets, really. Schulz is credited for my having created my character, Muley the Mule, and Henson is responsible (obviously) for all things I do with puppetry.

I figured this might be a good place to begin posting about Charles Schulz and/or the Peanuts characters.

The question I'm about to post came up recently in a different thread, but I forgot where it was. Tom (ChillyDown) and I were discussing it). It was regarding the new Christmas Special that was just shown on TV recently. The first is the email I sent Edna, the secretary of CMS, and her response.

Later,
FOZ
*******************
Subject: Schulz/Peanuts Toons
>
> Hi,
>
> Went to the Schulz exhibit on the 16th and was very excited to see my hero's
> original artwork. I think one of the most exciting moments was seeing the
> yellow legal pad paper that had Rerun drawn on it for a comic strip where he
> fills in for Lucy. That original sketch of Rerun was exciting to me, for
> some reason. If I remember my history correctly, you're the one who took
> all that out the trash, so "Thanks!" I enjoyed that.
>
> I'd like to ask a question that my friends are wondering about wherein that
> Sparky said the comic strips would end when he did, as they have. They're
> curious about the specific 'official word' regarding cartoons that go on
> after his passing: Will they be based solely on his comic strips now that
> he's gone and can't write them, or will there ever be original scripts made
> for animated films?
>
> Thanks,
> Kev
> VP, Mid-South Cartoonists Association
> "Muley the Mule Comix"
> MuleyTMule@aol.com


Hi,

Thanks for your e-mail -- glad you enjoyed the exhibit -- where was it?

In answer to your question re: future cartoons--The family has decided that
any future cartoons will be based solely on Mr. Schulz's comic strip.

Thanks for your interest and all best wishes,

Edna

--
Edna Poehner, Administrative Assistant
Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates
No. 1 Snoopy Place
Santa Rosa, CA 95403

 

[Phillip]

Hi Kevin,

Great questions and it should be a good discussion!

What did you think about the new 30 minute special that was on Sunday night? Especially in light of the new special that was produced for Valentines. Which did you prefer and why?

I only saw about half of it myself. I'll watch the tape again before I comment on it.

 

[Drtooth]

Well, I have seen this Sunday night, and wel.. too bad ABC doesn't come in so good on my TV, otherwise, I'dve taped it. Sincew it was based on strips, I actually read half of them before, and a good number of them were in the compilation book Halmark made (to sell cards) "The Joy of a Peanuts Christmas."

Now, my questio n is, did anyone see the obscure 1990's special, "It's Christmas time again Charlie Brown?" I have it on tape some where, and I saw it for sale at Best Buy not too long ago. It was based largely on Strips. Chuck tries to sell Christmas Wreaths door to door. Sally tries to remember her line in the school play (Hark!) and suddenly screws it up (Hockey Stick!) The same happens to Peppermint Patty, who plays a sheep and responds, "Meow! Woof! Bark... whatever..." Lord that was funny!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Hiya,

Well, being a big fan of the comic strips, it's cool to see them come to life in the animated specials. There's lots to be done after 50 years' worth of comic strips, but I sure am sad that nothing ORIGINAL will be produced ever again.

I've seen all the old Peanuts animation, not all of the "Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show" toons, except in comic strip form. All the original stuff, the first time seen, is wonderful. Even the new things, but (you all know me) I miss originality.

The valentine's special was okay to me with some funny parts, but I'm used to those stories having read the comic strips so many times already. That's the only bad thing about the way they're planning to do future cartoons.

I will be seeing the Christmas special in full tonight as I was just getting home when it was going off after my vacation. I've heard it was really good, tho, including the famous strip where Charlie Brown tells someone (Lucy I guess) "Thanks for the Christmas Card you sent me." "I didn't send you a christmas card, Charlie Brown." "Don't you know sarcasm when you hear it?!"

Geez...Sparky should have stayed alive. Didn't he ever listen to the Bee Gee's??

Good grief!

 

[Drtooth]

Originally posted by Fozzie Bear

I will be seeing the Christmas special in full tonight as I was just getting home when it was going off after my vacation. I've heard it was really good, tho, including the famous strip where Charlie Brown tells someone (Lucy I guess) "Thanks for the Christmas Card you sent me." "I didn't send you a christmas card, Charlie Brown." "Don't you know sarcasm when you hear it?!" !

Hmmm.. wasn't that already in the first one. He was talking to Violet.

I do not want to spoil it for you, but I was a little disappointed because they didn't use any thing with Peppermint Patty and Marcie in the new stories. They DID use Linus's little brother, Rerun, though. But it was still great! Good thing Simpsons was a rerun that night.

Oooooh, I just can't wait until next year to see it again!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

They'll never beat "A Charlie Brown Christmas" because it was THE Original. Just like they'll never beat The Muppet Movie. Still, I'll let ya'll know more about what I"m thinking tomorrow.

FOZ

 

[Drtooth]

Originally posted by Fozzie Bear
They'll never beat "A Charlie Brown Christmas" because it was THE Original. Just like they'll never beat The Muppet Movie. Still, I'll let ya'll know more about what I"m thinking tomorrow.

FOZ

Absoultely of course not! "A CHarlie Brown Christmas" is the best Christmas special in my opinion!

I just wish the new stories had Sally talking about, "Santa Claus and his rain gear!"

 

[Fozzie Bear]

HIYA,

I was okay with the special. It was enjoyable, clean, and fun. Reminded me of several comic strips that I had forgot about, and sort of forced me to go back and read more comic strip books about the Peanuts! Ultimately, I've had fun because of it!

FOZ

 

[Gonzo]

This doesn't have much to do with the current discussion, but does have very much to do with Peanuts...

I was reading a collection of strips from 1959-1960, when Sally was born and hanging around in Baby Form....and it really struck me (now, having a baby around the house and crawling around) how precisely he captured her movement, size, attitude, and interactions with other characters....even with his deceptively simple style of drawing.

I love the characters, and I was laughing out loud reading these strips. That may be my favorite era...pre-Peppermint Patty and Marcie, when they still used Violet, Frieda, Pig Pen, and Patty.

These strips were also the genesis of the Christmas, Valentines and Halloween specials...a lot of the lines you see in those were from these strips.

That's it.

Quinnnnnnnn

 

[Fozzie Bear]

It is also odd to look back and see 'baby Lucy' with big round eyes. Strange how she developed to be such a crabby person. Something else to notice is how (after she developed her crabbiness) her behavior towards Linus is different from her behavior toward Rerun, with whom she seems MUCH more patient, almost motherly.

I think if we consider who we all know from the Peanuts gang, Lucy and Sally were both babies, and it seems we saw Linus and Rerun grow up as well. Marcie was a lot younger when she first appeared than she ended up being.

I think the original strips pre '70's were a foundation for the humor remaining throughout the 50 year span as well.