It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown

It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown is the 39th and last animated special produced under the supervision of Charles M. Schulz. Based on characters from the comic strip Peanuts, it was released on September 12, 2000, seven months after the death of Charles Schulz.[1]

It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown
GenreAnimated television special
Created byCharles M. Schulz
Based onPied Piper of Hamelin
Written byCharles M. Schulz
Directed byBill Melendez
Starring
  • Quinn Beswick
  • Ashley Edner
  • Corey Padnos
  • Rachel Davey
  • Frank Welker
  • Randy Crenshaw
  • Neil Ross
  • Michael Mishaw
  • Gene Morford
  • Don Shelton

Pat Musick

Theme music composerDavid Benoit
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
Production
Producer(s)Lee Mendelson
Bill Melendez
Mike Wallis
Running time24:55
Production company(s)United Feature Syndicate
DistributorWarner Home Video
Release
Original releaseSeptember 12, 2000
Chronology
Preceded byIt Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown (1997)
Followed byA Charlie Brown Valentine (2002)

Plot

It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown is a retelling to Sally by Charlie Brown of the story how the Pied Piper of Hamelin (portrayed by Snoopy as the Pied Piper Beagle) chased away all the mice (changed by Charlie Brown from rats because, upon the story saying that the rats fought the dogs and killed the cats, Sally is terrified of rats) from the city of Hamelin, The mice play sports, and dance and play Schroeder's piano. The Peanuts gang substitute some characters, Snoopy being the Pied Piper Beagle with his contract being for a year's supply of dog food. Snoopy plays a concertina, and he does it to lure the mice away from the city hall and the mice follow him out of town, and the sun is about to set. Instead of bringing the kids out of town with his music, Snoopy does it to lure the mayor and his assistants away from the city hall and they then sing the song "Down By The Old Millstream" and the mayor and his assistants follow him out of town, never to return again, and day turns into night as the mayor and his assistants sing the song "Goodnight Sweetheart" and they then go to sleep. When Charlie Brown finishes his story, Sally does not think it would happen in real life. When they hear music and look out the window to see what it is, they see Snoopy on his doghouse using music to make Linus, Lucy, Franklin and Peppermint Patty dance around his doghouse, Lucy tells Charlie Brown to make his dog stop playing this music and the special ends as the closing credits roll.

Cast

Violet, Peppermint Patty, Schroeder, Pig-Pen, Marcie, and Franklin also appear but have no lines.

Production notes

It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown breaks Peanuts tradition in that it shows adults, who speak audible language. Other notable examples are the This is America, Charlie Brown miniseries, which portrayed adult historical figures alongside the kids, as well as Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown (1980), which featured a talking circus announcer.

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References
  1. Solomon, Charles (2012). The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation: Celebrating Fifty Years of Television Specials. Chronicle Books. pp. 41, 175. ISBN 978-1452110912.


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