It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

[biffwestwood]

This year is the 50th anniversary of this Halloween special.

What do you think of it?

To me, it's probably the best Halloween special ever made.

I thought Charlie Brown's costume of the ghost with more than just two eye holes was hilarious and as a result, he always gets rocks when trick-or-treating.

I always wonder if Charles Schulz was ever told by someone "If I was Charlie Brown, I would've given those rocks back through the windows of the houses?" since logically that's what I would expect to happen if you gave a trick-or-treater a rock instead of an actual treat.

[Bart's treehouse]

There are three things that I've learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.

[That Don Guy]

I have heard numerous times that, in real life, Charlie Brown gets far more candy for Halloween than any real person, as kids would send candy in to the TV stations that aired the special, addressed to him. The same goes with valentines on Valentine's Day, although this was more based on the newspaper comic strips, as Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown didn't premiere until 1975.

How many Halloween specials were there before It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, anyway? You would think that someone would have thought, "We can't have a prime-time Halloween special aimed at kids; who's going to be home to watch it, when they're all trick-or-treating at that time of night?" Speaking of which, I wonder how many kids watch this and ask, "Why are they going from door to door? Don't they just all go to (e.g.) their school for the big Halloween thing?"

[biffwestwood]

I have heard numerous times that, in real life, Charlie Brown gets far more candy for Halloween than any real person, as kids would send candy in to the TV stations that aired the special, addressed to him. The same goes with valentines on Valentine's Day, although this was more based on the newspaper comic strips, as Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown didn't premiere until 1975.



How many Halloween specials were there before It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, anyway? You would think that someone would have thought, "We can't have a prime-time Halloween special aimed at kids; who's going to be home to watch it, when they're all trick-or-treating at that time of night?" Speaking of which, I wonder how many kids watch this and ask, "Why are they going from door to door? Don't they just all go to (e.g.) their school for the big Halloween thing?"

I'e heard of the "sending of the Halloween candy to Charlie Brown" reaction after this special originally aired (and for several years after). Due to that, I always wonder who ultimately ate the candy that was sent.

Please keep in mind that this special often doesn't air on Halloween. The original air date was October 27, 1966 so unlike Linus and Sally, children won't miss the show or tricks-or-treats.

[Walid]

Due to that, I always wonder who ultimately ate the candy that was sent.

mysteries of the world...

[Nicky]

I like it. It's Peanuts, so you really can't go wrong with it. The Great Pumpkin arc in both comics and on screen is incredibly funny to watch and watch again.

[D DEBBS]

The USPS made 'Charlie Brown Christmas' forever stamps a few years ago...I say they SHOULD have 'Great Pumpkin' forever stamps, too!

[Gatorgod]

The TV gave us the best Halloween special and Star Trek 50yrs ago! Woo! they were on a roll!
I like how Linus's holiday deity would only visit pumpkin patches of the "Most sincere!".. complicating a simple holiday with demagoguery and unobtainable purity of soul that fanatics ruin fun things with..... Schulz was Brilliant!
"Forgive me Great Pumpkin! Next year I promise to be even More sincere!"