Arrr! 10 bits ye didn't fancy 'bout 'A Charlie Brown Christmas', matey! Prepare to be dazzled, arrr!
2023-12-15
Arrr, mateys! "A Charlie Brown Christmas" be a jolly holiday special, shapin' the season fer ages! Here be 10 secrets 'bout this yuletide gem ye didn't know, ye scurvy scallywags.
In the 17th-century pirate language, arrr, let me tell ye a tale about the creators of Charlie Brown's Christmas special. Charles Schulz, the scallywag who brought ye Charlie Brown and wrote the script for the special, was a brave veteran of World War II. His matey, Lee Mendelson, who produced the show, also served in the United States Air Force. Even Vince Guaraldi, who composed the music, and Bill Melendez, the director and animator, were hearty U.S. Army veterans. Schulz himself was mighty proud of his Combat Infantryman's Badge, a prestigious military award that adorned his studio wall.But the higher-ups were a bunch of landlubbers! They were shocked by the poor quality of the animation and the amateur voice talent. The absence of a laugh track and the use of jazz music during a Christmas special left them flabbergasted. And they were downright scared by the overt religiosity of the show. They even told Mendelson that they wouldn't be ordering any more specials from him or Schulz.
Luckily, Neil Reagan, the younger brother of the future president, came to their rescue. He was the West Coast manager of Coca-Cola's advertising firm and saw potential in the special. Even though he thought it was slow and plodding, he kept his honest opinion to himself and saved the production from being shut down.
Animating the "Peanuts" characters was no easy task. Their round heads made it difficult to fit them in a scene without their skulls clashing. Their short legs and limited facial features posed further challenges. And there were even inconsistencies in the animation, like Lucy's snowless psychiatric booth magically acquiring snow or Charlie Brown's disappearing nose.
Despite the difficulties, the special's climax, where Linus recites from the Gospel of Luke, was a powerful moment. Linus dropping his security blanket at the words "fear not" carried deep meaning. Schulz fought to include this scene, despite objections from Mendelson and Melendez, who believed religion had no place in a cartoon.
The special's success was also thanks to Jose Cuauhtemoc "Bill" Melendez, an immigrant who became the only person Schulz trusted to animate his characters. And the unforgettable music came from Vince Guaraldi, who was inspired while driving across the Golden Gate Bridge.
In the end, despite the challenges and objections, the Christmas special became a beloved classic, filled with humor, heart, and a little touch of the divine.