You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown
| You're A Good Sport, Charlie Brown | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Genre | Animated TV Special |
| Created by | Charles M. Schulz |
| Directed by | Phil Roman |
| Voices of | Duncan Watson Gail M. Davis Liam Martin Melanie Kohn Bill Melendez James Ahrens Stuart Brotman |
| Theme music composer | Vince Guaraldi |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Lee Mendelson |
| Producer(s) | Bill Melendez |
| Editor(s) | Chuck McCann Roger Donley |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | CBS |
| First shown in | October 28, 1975 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown |
| Followed by | It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown |
You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown is the 14th prime-time animated TV specials based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network on October 28, 1975. It has been released to DVD by Warner Home Video.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
On a pleasant spring day, Snoopy is playing tennis while testing an automated ball server, which soon malfunctions and pelts the beagle repeatedly with tennis balls. Later, Sally and a reluctant Linus arrive at the local tennis court to play tennis, but when Linus notes that the courts are "full with big kids", Sally loses her temper and warns the big kids to get off the court "or my boyfriend (meaning Linus) will clobber you!" After hearing that, Linus panics and runs away.
Snoopy arrives, and plays against an unseen player. After executing rather unorthodox tactics, Snoopy gains the lead. However, as a result of a few mistakes, he blows his lead of 6-5, (and reacts by ramming the net, beating up his racket, etc.) A one-point sudden-death tie-breaker is held, but Snoopy misses a pass, losing the match. Snoopy responds by breaking his racket in two, a la John McEnroe. The winner of the match is revealed to be Woodstock.
Peppermint Patty, who is making the rounds of the neighborhood, arrives and informs those who are present about the upcoming motocross race; she suggests that Snoopy should get a bike and enter. Meanwhile, Linus and Charlie Brown are tossing a football around, when Lucy comes and asks him to do a place kick. Peppermint Patty enters, and convinces Charlie Brown and Linus to enter. She states that the winner of the motocross will win two tickets to the Pro Bowl (which she brags about winning); so Linus, volunteering as the pit crew, suggests to Charlie Brown that he could enter the race. Charlie Brown agrees, but only if he and Linus combine their money and buy a bike together. Shortly afterwards, Lucy tricks Charlie Brown into another football placekick, which as always, she pulls away.
At the bike shop, they purchase a poor-quality bike with what they can afford. When Charlie Brown asks if it runs, Linus replies that "even if the bike walks, we'll be money ahead".
The race commences, with Snoopy (alias "The Masked Marvel") and Charlie Brown promptly wiping out on the first turn. Charlie Brown loses his helmet in the accident. While rushing to the hospitals, the ambulances accidentally switch the two around, and Charlie Brown is abruptly taken to a vet kennel while Snoopy is admitted into the hospital. After snapping out of his daze, Charlie Brown escapes from the vets, pulls Snoopy from the hospital, and they make their way back to the motocross.
Linus then outfits Charlie Brown with a hollowed-out pumpkin as a helmet, as per rule that each competitor requires a helmet. Meanwhile, all the other competitors, including Peppermint Patty, have accidents in the various mud traps; so now only Charlie Brown and Snoopy remain in the race. However, while Snoopy is showing off, his bike suddenly breaks down and he is forced to find a replacement (the tennis ball server). He returns to the race, and having gained a massive lead, stops for a picnic (a reference to the classic story of "The Tortoise and the Hare"). Charlie Brown, whose motorcycle compensates for its lack of speed for considerable power to overcome any difficult terrain (including mud pits) with a reasonably consistent speed, eventually catches up and overtakes Snoopy, due to Snoopy's "bike" getting stuck in the mud pit like all the others. Unfortunately, the kids in charge of the motocross could not afford the grand prize of Pro Bowl tickets, so Charlie Brown is instead given a gift certificate for five free haircuts; much to his dismay (since his dad is a barber and Charlie has hardly any hair besides). At the end of the day, Linus consoles Charlie Brown by telling him that the fact that he won against overwhelming odds is more important than receiving a prize.
The next day, a confident Charlie Brown is ready to pitch another baseball game, saying to the team that in spite of his "980 straight defeats", has come to understand what the winning is, and is certain that he will win this game. Instead, a line drive plows past him, causing his clothes to go flying, setting the stage for defeat number 981.
[edit] Voice cast
- Duncan Watson: Charlie Brown
- Liam Martin: Linus van Pelt & Woodstock
- Gail M. Davis: Sally Brown
- Melanie Kohn: Lucy van Pelt and Queen Loretta
- Stuart Brotman: Peppermint Patty
- James Ahrens: Marcie
- Bill Melendez: Snoopy
[edit] Notes
- You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown was the last Peanuts television special to air during Vince Guaraldi's lifetime. Guaraldi was putting the finishing touches on the soundtrack for It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown on February 6, 1976 when he was felled by a sudden heart attack. It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown would air posthumously on March 16, 1976.
- It was also Duncan Watson's second time playing Charlie Brown's voice (his first was the previous special Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown), as he would do it again in Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown in 1977.
