He's a Bully, Charlie Brown

"He's A Bully, Charlie Brown" is a 2006 television special created by Lee Mendelson and Bill Meléndez. It is primarily based on a story from the "Peanuts" comic strips originally appearing in April 1995. "He's a Bully" was an idea Charles Schulz had pitched, and worked on before he died in February 2000. Schulz' working title for the special was "It's Only Marbles, Charlie Brown".

To date, it is the last Peanuts television special. It is the last special produced with Schulz's involvement and also the last to feature Bill Melendez as the voice of Snoopy (Melendez died in 2008). [cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,85036,00.html|title=One Bad Apple|publisher=EW.com|author=Wolk, Josh|date=2000-03-02|accessdate=2008-05-08]

Plot

At home, Rerun van Pelt finds some old marbles his grandfather Felix - a marble master in his day - kept in the attic. He then decides at summer camp that he wants to be a marbles champ. Joe Agate (played by Taylor Lautner), the bully, decides to play against Rerun on the false pretense of teaching him the game - and quickly cheats him out of his marbles. A devastated Rerun complains to Charlie Brown. Disgusted, Charlie Brown takes responsibility and isolates himself in his cabin, where Snoopy instructs him on the game until he becomes skilled enough to win back the marbles from Joe.

Meanwhile, back home, Peppermint Patty suspects that Charlie Brown is Marcie's love interest. Her temper flares when Marcie and Charlie Brown go off to camp together while she is stuck in town attending summer school as a result of her poor grades. Marcie's teasing Patty over the telephone about it makes Patty even more jealous. Patty, overcome with envy, hatches a plan to leave town and interrupt Marcie's supposed romance.

On the last day of camp, everyone tensely watches as Joe and Charlie Brown compete. Initially Joe wins and takes all of Charlie's marbles, but fortunately, Snoopy has two spares. Charlie Brown beats Joe and wins back the marbles for Rerun. Triumphant, Charlie Brown returns home and enjoys seeing Lucy's irritation and astonishment learning that he had been a hero.

The storyline was an amalgamation of several different series of "Peanuts" strips; the "Joe Agate" storyline originally appeared in the strip in 1995, and the story involving Peppermint Patty sneaking away from summer school to see Charlie Brown at camp was an adaptation of a series of strips from 1989.

Reaction

This special aired on ABC on 20 November 2006, following a repeat broadcast of 1973's "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving." The late November airing of "Bully" seemed a little out of place, considering its summertime setting, but ABC felt the new special would do better in the ratings if it aired right after "Thanksgiving". The decision paid off, as the two shows won their time slot with 9.4 million viewers, beating out, among other things, a Madonna special on NBC [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/28/AR2006112801854_pf.html] . The special aired again on November 20 2007, again following "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving".

"He's A Bully, Charlie Brown" was also the first "Peanuts" special to utilize touches of 21st Century-style CGI, while still maintaining the flat, comic-strip style of the earlier shows.

"He's a Bully, Charlie Brown" was the last special to have any involvement from "Peanuts" creator Charles Schulz.

This special will be included as a bonus feature on Warner Bros.' Remastered Deluxe DVD of "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" [ [http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Charlie-Brown-Peanuts-Specials-Not-Elected-Announced/10119 Charlie Brown/Peanuts Specials DVD news: 'You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown' Announced | TVShowsOnDVD.com ] ] .

Cast

* Spencer Robert Scott - Charlie Brown
* Stephanie Patton - Lucy van Pelt
* Benjamin Bryan - Linus van Pelt
* Rory Thost - Peppermint Patty
* Jessica Gordon - Marcie
* Sierra Marcoux - Sally Brown
* Jimmy Bennett - Rerun van Pelt
* Taylor Lautner - Joe Agate
* Bill Meléndez - Snoopy
* Katie Fischer - Girl
* Jolean Wejbe - Violet Gray
* Paul Butcher - Boy

Crew

* Directed by Lee Mendelson and Larry Leichliter
* Produced by Bill Meléndez
* Screenplay written by Charles M. Schulz and Justine Fontes

References

External links

* [http://www.schulzmuseum.org/news.html "He's a Bully, Charlie Brown" being shown at the Schulz Museum on 28 October 2006]
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