I hope everyone had a nice Summer, though it wasn't a typical one for many. I'd just like to review an underrated gem in the Charlie Brown specials, It Was A Short Summer, Charlie Brown, originally aired in September of 1969. This is the last special Peter Robbins, the original voice of Charlie Brown, would play Charlie Brown, though he would play the "Blockhead" one more time in the movie A Boy Named Charlie Brown. Other voices include Pamela Ferdin as Lucy, Glenn Gilger as Linus, Ann Altieri as Frieda and Violet, Chris DeFaria as Peppermint Party and Pig Pen, David Carey as Shermy, Matthew Lifting as Roy, Sally Dryer as Clara, Shirley and Sophie, Lisa DeFaria as Patty, John Daschback as Schroeder and Bill Melendez (director and co-producer) as Snoopy. Charles Schulz wrote the script and Lee Mendelson and Melendez would produce it. Vince Guaraldi and John Scott Trotter would compose the music.
The special begins on the 1st day of school. Sally is apprehensive about going to school but agrees to go when her mother has just bought her a lunchbox. "But that's the only reason I'm going!," Sally tells big brother Charlie Brown. Linus asks what their 1st assignment is and it's a 500-word essay on what they did during Summer. "How do you come up with these great ideas?," Linus asks, tongue firmly in cheek. Charlie Brown complains about it to Violet, who offers no comfort. "I finished mine during study time." And so, Charlie Brown, Linus and Lucy all rehash the Summer, some of whom would rather forget.
And the flashback begins- it's the last day of school and Linus looks forward to reading comic books and watching TV. Charlie Brown plans to practice his pitching and Schroeder plans to practice his piano. Alas, Lucy has signed the whole gang up for Summer Camp. Linus fears Queen snakes. The boys are unorganized and fight their way into the bus. The girls, however, are organized and march accordingly into the bus. Snoopy imagines he's driving the bus until the real driver (who we don't see)removes him from the driver's seat. The 1st completion is a swimming competition between the boys and the girls. The boys have trouble staying afloat and the girls complete their laps. So Charlie Brown challenges the girls against the boys in a softball game. Snoopy makes the only point for the boys. The girls rub the victory in the boys' faces at the campfire. So they try their hand the next morning at a canoe race. Charlie Brown only gets a few feet from the dock. At their cabin, Snoopy is able to beat the other boys at arm wrestling so they offer a challenge to the girls. Lucy accepts this challenge. So the next morning, the Masked Marvel and Lucy duke it out at arm wrestling. He plants a kiss on Lucy's cheek. And Lucy claims she's the true winner due to "foul" play on the Masked Marvel. Back at school, Linus receives an A for his report but Charlie Brown receives a C minus.
What I liked: I always loved Vince Guaraldi's scores in these specials. New selections include the opening and closing theme and the Masked Marvel's theme. It's amusing to see the boys grossed out by the camp food and Snoopy's solution is to make his own gourmet meals, which of course, he doesn't share! It's also fun to see Lucy (or Lucille as Peppermint Party calls her) run the cabin like a drill sergeant. She calls each by name, some answer "Here!" and some answer "Present," but only Peppermint Patty answers "Yo!" The anticlimactic wrestling match between Lucy and the Masked Marvel is probably the icing on the cake for me. 10 Queen snakes out of 10! I'd like to dedicate this review to my friends David and Bronwyn Lawler who make entertainment reviews and commentaries fun to read and listen to.
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