Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown
| Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Animated television special |
| Created by | Charles M. Schulz |
| Written by | Charles M. Schulz |
| Directed by | Phil Roman |
| Voices of | Duncan Watson Melanie Kohn Stephen Shea Lynn Mortensen Greg Felton Bill Melendez Linda Ercoli |
| Theme music composer | Vince Guaraldi |
| Opening theme | "Heartburn Waltz" |
| Ending theme | "Nocturne in E♭ major, Op. 9, No. 2" |
| Composers | Vince Guaraldi Frédéric Chopin Johann Sebastian Bach Ludwig van Beethoven John Scott Trotter |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Lee Mendelson |
| Producer | Bill Melendez |
| Editors | Chuck McCann Roger Donley |
| Running time | 25:15 |
| Production companies | Lee Mendelson Film Productions Bill Melendez Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | January 28, 1975 |
| Related | |
Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown is the 13th prime-time animated television special based on the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.[1] In the United States, it debuted on CBS on January 28, 1975.[2]
The special received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Children's Special at the 27th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1975. It was one of two Peanuts specials nominated that year, along with It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown, but they both lost to Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus (another Bill Melendez production).[3]
Plot
Linus purchases an oversized heart-shaped box of chocolates as a Valentine gift for his teacher, Miss Othmar. Sally, assuming the gift is for her, crafts a valentine in return. Lucy attends a puppet show hosted by Snoopy, with Charlie Brown as narrator. Snoopy conveys the nature of true love. Sally struggles to fashion a valentine, leading Charlie Brown to demonstrate how to cut out a heart. His efforts are overshadowed by Snoopy, who skillfully crafts an intricate music box-inspired valentine.
On Valentine’s Day, the group exchanges cards and candy. Charlie Brown arrives with a briefcase in eager anticipation. As the distribution concludes, Charlie Brown has received nothing except a single candy heart bearing the message, “FORGET IT, KID!” Linus is unable to present his gift to Miss Othmar, who has departed with her boyfriend.
Linus hurls the box of chocolates from a bridge, only for each piece to be caught and consumed by Snoopy and Woodstock. Charlie Brown slams his briefcase against his mailbox and attempts to kick it, injuring his foot.
The following day, Charlie Brown checks his mailbox for a valentine from the Little Red-Haired Girl. Instead, he is met with a kiss from Snoopy, hiding in the mailbox. Violet presents Charlie Brown with a used valentine, having erased her name from it. Schroeder reprimands Violet, Lucy, Sally, and the others for their thoughtlessness. He advises Charlie Brown not to accept such a token of pity. Charlie Brown takes the valentine. Later he expresses to Linus regret for disregarding Schroeder’s advice. He remains hopeful that Violet’s offering will establish a precedent, leading to greater recognition next year. Linus advises against undue optimism.
Voice cast
- Duncan Watson as Charlie Brown
- Melanie Kohn as Lucy van Pelt
- Stephen Shea as Linus van Pelt
- Lynn Mortensen as Sally Brown
- Greg Felton as Schroeder
- Linda Ercoli as Violet/Frieda
- Bill Melendez as Snoopy/Woodstock
Music score
The music score for the special was composed by Vince Guaraldi (except where noted) and conducted and arranged by John Scott Trotter.[4] It was recorded by the Vince Guaraldi Trio on December 9, 17, 18, 23 and 30 1974, at Wally Heider Studios, featuring Guaraldi (piano, electric piano, Minimoog, ARP String Ensemble, electric guitar), Seward McCain (electric bass) and Vince Lateano (drums).[5]
The special's theme song, "Heartburn Waltz" (Track 15) is performed in ten different variations.[4] A mono version of "Heartburn Waltz" (version 6) was first released in 1998 on Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits, marking the first time any music cues from the special received a general release.[4][6][7] In the mid-2000s, recording session reel-to-reel tapes for seven 1970s-era Peanuts television specials scored by Guaraldi were discovered by his son, David Guaraldi. This resulted in four additional cues — "Never Again", "Heartburn Waltz" (version 8), "There's Been a Change" and "Heartburn Waltz" (aka "Charlie Brown's Wake-Up") (version 9) — being made available on the compilation album, Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2 (2008).[7][8]
A remastered soundtrack album featuring original recordings and several bonus tracks was released for the first time on January 17, 2025.[9]
Television
The special originally aired annually on CBS from 1975 to 2000.[10] The special placed in the top 20 for television ratings in its first airing in 1975.[11]
The special aired annually on ABC from 2001 until 2020, paired with A Charlie Brown Valentine starting in 2009. (In this special, Linus attempts to give a valentine to his teacher as Charlie Brown hopes to receive one.) After that, Be My Valentine and other Peanuts specials left broadcast TV for streaming and moved to Apple TV.
After the original special aired in 1975, similar to what happened after It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, many children sent Charlie Brown lots of valentines via Charles Schulz out of sympathy.[12]
Home media
The special was released on the CED format in 1982 along with It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown, He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown, and Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown. It was released on VHS in 1986 and 1988, from Media Home Entertainment and its Hi-Tops Video subsidiary, respectively, through the "Snoopy's Home Video Library" collection. That release cut out the part in the opening scene where Snoopy keeps shooting arrows. It was released again in its entirety by Paramount Home Media Distribution on January 11, 1995, and was re-released in clamshell packaging on October 1, 1996. Paramount released the special on January 7, 2003 on DVD with You're in Love, Charlie Brown and It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown. It was rereleased on January 15, 2008 by Warner Home Video in a "remastered deluxe edition" with a new bonus featurette, "Unlucky in Love: An Unrequited Love Story". It has also been released on laserdisc, and is available on iTunes.
References
- ^ Solomon, Charles (2012). The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation: Celebrating Fifty Years of Television Specials. Chronicle Books. pp. 122–125. ISBN 978-1452110912.
- ^ "The Tuscaloosa News".
- ^ "Outstanding Children's Program Nominees / Winners 1975".
- ^ a b c Bang, Derrick. "Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts Song Library: Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown". fivecentsplease.org. Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ Bang, Derrick. "Vince Guaraldi Timeline". fivecentsplease.org. Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ Koda, Cub. Charlie Brown’s Holiday Hits at AllMusic. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- ^ a b Bang, Derrick. "Vince Guaraldi on LP and CD". fivecentsplease.org. Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
- ^ Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown TV Specials, Volume 2 at AllMusic. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
- ^ Vince Guaraldi's "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (Original Soundtrack Recording 50th Anniversary Extended Edition)" press release
- ^ Woolery, George W. (1989). Animated TV Specials: The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987. Scarecrow Press. p. 27. ISBN 0-8108-2198-2. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ^ "St. Petersburg Times".
- ^ Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown on YouTube