You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown

"You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown" is an Emmy-award winning prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip "Peanuts," by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network in 1979.

ynopsis

Charlie Brown decides to enter the Junior Olympics at his school after it is revealed he is not going on vacation like he thought he would. The decathlon is the only thing left open, and Charlie Brown accepts the challenge (of course after everyone else there dissed it before Charlie Brown showed up).

Peppermint Patty, who is in charge of virtually everything associated with the Junior Olympics, oversees Charlie's rigorous training for the event. Marcie also watches (and gives encouragement) and Snoopy works out with him (showing how in-shape he is and how out of shape Charlie is in the process). During a review of the ten events, Patty worries of whether or not he could win, and decides to enter Marcie to back him up.

On day one, Charlie is introduced to his competitors; Marcie, Freddie Fabulous from Fremont (defending Decathlon champ and smug egotist who calls Charlie Brown "Pumpkinhead"), and The Masked Marvel (who is Snoopy from Ace Obedience School). He also places well in the first five events, enough to place him in third after the day is over.

Day two starts off bad for Charlie. First he feels sick due to the increased pressure, then he performs badly in the 110m high hurdles (knocking down all but one hurdle and finishing last by a mile). However, after a tough talk from Peppermint Patty, a great showing in the pole vault and first-place finishes in the discus and javelin throw catapults him into first place. Now it's all on the 1500m run to finish it all off and be the school's hero. Unfortunately after taking the lead, Charlie Brown closes his eyes and dreams of his victory, and winds up running off the track, off the school grounds...and out of contention.

It is learned afterwards that their school still wins (due to Marcie winning the 1500m run and, subsequently, the decathlon, and that Freddie Fabulous and the Masked Marvel got into a fight on the track, resulting in both their disqualifications), and that everybody knows he did his best.

Trivia

* This is the first and only Peanuts special where Marcie shows her eyes. (She lifts her glasses to wink at Charlie Brown.)
* Charlie Brown's grunting as he tries to lift the barbell is the same grunting Daffy Duck made in the 1965 Warner Bros. cartoon "Tease for Two" when Daffy tries lifting a rock. This grunting was supplied by Mel Blanc.

Cast

* Arrin Skelley: Charlie Brown
* Michelle Muller: Lucy van Pelt
* Mel Blanc/Bill Melendez: Snoopy
* Patricia Patts: Peppermint Patty
* Casey Carlson: Marcie
* Daniel Anderson: Linus van Pelt
* Scott Beach: Announcer
* Tim Hall: Freddy Fabulous from Fremont

External links

** imdb title|id=0080161|title=You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown