Editing It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

{{short description|1966 animated Halloween television special}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = GPCBtitlecard66.jpeg
| image_alt            = The words "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" written on a pumpkin with leaves around it and a ghost with black eyes behind it. Other pumpkins and the night sky can be seen in the background.
| caption              = Title card
| genre                = Animated television special
| creator              = [[Charles M. Schulz]]
| writer               = Charles M. Schulz
| director             = [[Bill Melendez]]
| voices               = {{Plainlist| <!-- Per end credits -->
* [[Peter Robbins (actor)|Peter Robbins]]
* Chris Shea
* [[Sally Dryer]]
* Kathy Steinberg
}}
| theme_music_composer = [[Vince Guaraldi]]
| opentheme            = "Linus and Lucy"
| endtheme             = "Charlie Brown Theme"
| composer             = Vince Guaraldi<br />[[John Scott Trotter]]<br />[[Lee Mendelson]]
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| executive_producer   = [[Lee Mendelson]]
| producer             = Lee Mendelson<br />Bill Melendez
| cinematography       = Nick Vasu
| editor               = Robert T. Gillis<br />Steven Melendez
| runtime              = 25 minutes
| company              = [[Lee Mendelson Films|Lee Mendelson Productions]]<br />[[Melendez Films|Bill Melendez Productions]]<br />[[United Media|United Feature Syndicate]]
<!-- only information about original airing should be included -->| network              = [[CBS]]
| released             = {{Start date|1966|10|27}}
| related              = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Charlie Brown's All Stars!]]'' (1966)
* ''[[You're in Love, Charlie Brown]]'' (1967)
}} 
}}

'''''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown''''' is a 1966 American [[animation|animated]] [[Halloween]] [[television special]] based on the [[comic strip]] ''[[Peanuts]]'' by [[Charles M. Schulz]]. The third ''Peanuts'' special, and the second holiday-themed special, to be created, it was written by Schulz along with director/animator [[Bill Melendez]] and producer [[Lee Mendelson]]. The cast included [[Peter Robbins (actor)|Peter Robbins]] as [[Charlie Brown]], Christopher Shea as [[Linus Van Pelt]], [[Sally Dryer]] as [[Lucy Van Pelt]], and Melendez as [[Snoopy]]. The special features music composed by [[jazz]] pianist [[Vince Guaraldi]], whose contributions include the theme song "[[Linus and Lucy]]". It aired on broadcast television every year from its debut in 1966 until 2020, when it became an [[Apple TV+]] exclusive.

''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' follows the children of the ''Peanuts'' comics as they celebrate Halloween, while Linus forgoes celebrations to wait in a pumpkin patch for the mythical [[Great Pumpkin]]. The sequence following Snoopy as a World War I [[flying ace]] and its depiction of Lucy pulling a football away from Charlie Brown have both become widely recognized in pop culture. The program was highly successful, watched by 49% of American television viewers in its debut broadcast. It received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its artistic style and music score, and it is often regarded as the best of the ''Peanuts'' television specials. The success of ''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' led to the development of the Halloween special as a television genre.

==Synopsis==<!-- This summary should remain concise at under 400 words per Wikipedia's manual of style guidelines for writing about fiction. -->

Sometime before [[Halloween]], Linus diligently crafts a letter addressed to the Great Pumpkin, much to the ridicule of his peers. However, Sally Brown becomes intrigued by the idea, captivated by her affection for Linus. Shortly thereafter, Charlie Brown arrives with exciting news—he has been invited to a Halloween party hosted by Violet. As Halloween night unfolds, the children prepare their costumes for trick-or-treating. On their way, they make a brief detour to the pumpkin patch, where they mock Linus for choosing to miss the festivities anticipating in waiting for the Great Pumpkin. Linus, undeterred, persuades Sally — who is enamored with him — to stay with him in the patch. Meanwhile, the others embark on trick-or-treating rounds, but Charlie Brown is disappointed, as he consistently receives rocks instead of candy. Afterward, they head to Violet’s Halloween party.

During this time, Snoopy, dressed as a [[World War I]] flying ace, boards his doghouse, imagining it to be a [[Sopwith Camel]] fighter plane engaged in a dramatic aerial battle with the elusive [[Manfred von Richthofen|Red Baron]]. Snoopy's imaginary adventure takes a turn as he is "shot down," forcing him to navigate the [[Western Front (World War I)|treacherous countryside]] behind enemy lines. His journey culminates at Violet’s party, where he stealthily enters the apple-bobbing tank while Lucy participates. Later, Snoopy finds solace in listening to Schroeder play the piano. The initially cheerful music delights him but soon shifts to melancholy, overwhelming Snoopy with sadness. The music alternates between joyful and sorrowful, ultimately leaving Snoopy in tears. He departs the party, disheartened by the emotional rollercoaster.

At the pumpkin patch, Linus, ever steadfast in his belief, spots a figure in the distance. Convinced it is the Great Pumpkin, he faints in excitement. To his embarrassment, the figure turns out to be Snoopy, prompting Sally to angrily berate Linus for leading her to waste her night. Later, at 4 a.m., a concerned Lucy retrieves her brother from the cold pumpkin patch, tenderly bringing him home and putting him to bed.

The following day, Charlie Brown and Linus reflect on the events of Halloween. Charlie Brown attempts to comfort Linus by acknowledging his past mistakes. However, Linus, deeply offended, launches into a passionate tirade, insisting that the Great Pumpkin will undoubtedly appear next year. Charlie Brown can only roll his eyes, resigned to Linus' unshakable belief.

==Cast==
The program's cast includes:<ref>{{Cite web |title=It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Its-the-Great-Pumpkin-Charlie-Brown/ |website=Behind the Voice Actors}}</ref>
* [[Peter Robbins (actor)|Peter Robbins]] as [[Charlie Brown]]
* Christopher Shea as [[Linus Van Pelt]]
* Cathy Steinberg as [[Sally Brown]]
* [[Bill Melendez]] as [[Snoopy]]
* [[Sally Dryer]] as [[Lucy Van Pelt]]
* Gai DeFaria as [[Pig-Pen (Peanuts)|"Pig-Pen"]]
* Glenn Mendelson as [[Schroeder (Peanuts)|Schroeder]] and [[Shermy]]
* Ann Altieri as [[Violet (Peanuts)|Violet]] and [[Frieda (Peanuts)|Frieda]]
* Lisa DeFaria as [[Patty (Peanuts)|Patty]]

== Background ==
[[File:Charles Schulz NYWTS.jpg|thumb|[[Charles M. Schulz]] in 1956]]
The ''[[Peanuts]]'' comic strip by [[Charles M. Schulz]] first printed in 1950, and it became popular within its first years of publication.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|pages=18–19}}</ref> Schulz first introduced the [[Great Pumpkin]] in 1959 by having Linus confuse the traditions of Halloween and Christmas.<ref name="BallPage55">{{harvnb|Ball|2021|page=55}}</ref> The Great Pumpkin was introduced through a series of strips published over eight days, which became a major event for the comic strip. A similar story appeared again in 1960, encompassing sixteen comics.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=88}}</ref> Schulz continued to write Great Pumpkin stories in ''Peanuts'' each October.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=89}}</ref>

The television special ''[[A Charlie Brown Christmas]]'' had been written by Schulz and broadcast on [[CBS]] in December 1965. The special was highly successful, prompting the network to hire Schulz for two additional television specials. His second special, ''[[Charlie Brown's All Stars!]]'', broadcast in the summer of 1966. While it was successful, it was not as renowned as ''A Charlie Brown Christmas''.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|pages=82–83}}</ref>

==Production==
The network requested another holiday special after the success of ''A Charlie Brown Christmas.''<ref name="SolomonPage15">{{harvnb|Solomon|2012|page=15}}</ref> Its plot was formulated by a team of three: Schulz, director [[Bill Melendez]], and producer [[Lee Mendelson]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Cavna |first=Michael |date=October 27, 2011 |title=It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: 7 Things You Don't Know About Tonight's 'Peanuts' Special |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown-7-things-you-dont-know-about-tonights-peanuts-special/2011/10/26/gIQAQPZhKM_blog.html |access-date=June 26, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> The network executive communicating with Mendelson specified that it had to be a "[[Blockbuster (entertainment)|blockbuster]]", which brought considerable stress to the writers.<ref>{{harvnb|Schulz|Mendelson|2006|pages=7–8}}</ref> They also gave the writers more creative freedom while they wrote the third special.<ref name="LindPage83">{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=83}}</ref>

The writers began with disparate scenes from the comic strip to adapt, including Snoopy as a [[World War I]] flying [[Flying ace|ace]] and Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown.<ref>{{harvnb|Schulz|Mendelson|2006|pages=10–12}}</ref> Schulz's co-writers immediately took to the idea when he suggested writing a Halloween special around the Great Pumpkin.<ref name="LindPage83"/> The main storyline about Linus and Sally was based on a series of strips from October and November 1962.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schulz |first=Charles M. |title=The Complete Peanuts 1961-1962 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |year=2007 |location=Seattle}}</ref> The writing process went quickly, allowing more time for other aspects of production, such as animation.<ref name="Cavna">{{cite news |last=Cavna |first=Michael |date=October 19, 2016 |title=Why ''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' is the greatest 'Peanuts' visual achievement |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/10/19/why-its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown-is-peanuts-greatest-visual-masterpiece/ |access-date=December 28, 2017}}</ref> The decision to adapt Snoopy's flying ace persona from the comic strip came together with the Halloween theme after Schulz realized it resembled a Halloween costume.<ref name="SolomonPage15"/> Schulz suggested the idea of Charlie Brown receiving a rock while trick-or-treating, but Mendelson felt that this was "too cruel".<ref name="Cavna" /> Schulz and Melendez responded by suggesting Charlie Brown should receive three rocks.<ref name=":4" /><ref name="Cavna" /> Mendelson later agreed that it was the right decision after seeing the scene's popularity.<ref name="Cavna" />

The program was given a production budget of $76,000.<ref>{{harvnb|Solomon|2012|page=16}}</ref> The children in the program were voiced by child actors, including both trained child actors and children that lived in Mendelson's neighborhood.<ref name=":4" /> Melendez insisted on having child actors in all of the ''Peanuts'' specials,<ref>{{Cite video |title=We Need a Blockbuster, Charlie Brown! The Making of The Great Pumpkin |date=2008 |type=Video}}</ref> and he voiced Snoopy by recording himself saying nonsense words and then speeding it up.<ref name="Kurp">{{Cite web |last=Kurp |first=Joshua |date=October 28, 2011 |title=Checking In…with the Voice Cast of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown |url=https://www.vulture.com/2011/10/checking-in-with-the-voice-cast-of-its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown.html |access-date=June 26, 2023 |website=Vulture}}</ref> Steinberg's lines as Sally Brown were rushed when she developed a loose tooth, fearing that it would cause a [[lisp]]. She was taken to the studio to record all of her lines the same night and developed a severe lisp after losing her tooth the following day. Steinberg struggled with the word "restitution" while she was recording, so Mendelson had her pronounce it one syllable at a time and spliced it together afterward.<ref name=":4" />

The animations were drawn by a team of artists led by Melendez. [[Bill Littlejohn]] also worked on the program's animation. Unlike previous ''Peanuts'' specials, ''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' incorporates frequent movement of the camera.<ref name="Cavna" /> Artist Dean Spille painted the backgrounds of the French countryside during Snoopy's flying ace sequence. He drew from memory as he had previously visited similar areas in Europe, and he was given full creative freedom by Schulz and Melendez.<ref>{{harvnb|Solomon|2012|pages=15–16}}</ref> The backgrounds in this sequence used [[linear perspective]] rather than a simple flat design.<ref>{{harvnb|Solomon|2012|page=31}}</ref> Mendelson later told ''[[The Washington Post]]'' that the sequence with Snoopy flying his doghouse was "one of the most memorable animated scenes ever."<ref name="Cavna" /> He also described ''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' as Bill Melendez's "animation masterpiece".<ref name="Cavna" /> The program's final runtime was 25 minutes.<ref name=":4" />

== Music score ==
{{Main|It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (soundtrack){{!}}It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (soundtrack)}}

The music score was performed by the [[Vince Guaraldi]] Sextet, featuring Guaraldi on piano, [[Monty Budwig]] on bass, [[Colin Bailey (drummer)|Colin Bailey]] on drums, John Gray on guitar, [[Ronnie Lang|Ronald Lang]] on woodwinds and [[Mannie Klein|Emmanuel Klein]] on trumpet. It was orchestrated by [[John Scott Trotter]]. Recording took place on October 4, 1966, at [[Desilu Productions|Desilu]]'s Gower Street Studio in Hollywood.<ref name=":8" /> Guaraldi had been in charge of music in both of the previous ''Peanuts'' specials, as well as the unaired 1963 documentary [[A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1963 film)|''A Boy Named Charlie Brown'']].

Guaraldi's theme for the special, "Great Pumpkin Waltz", is first heard when Linus is writing the Great Pumpkin at the beginning and plays throughout. The [[World War I]] songs played by Schroeder while Snoopy dances are: "[[It's a Long Way to Tipperary]]", "[[There's a Long Long Trail A-Winding|There's a Long, Long Trail]]", "[[Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag]]", and "[[Roses of Picardy]]". Guaraldi historian Derrick Bang commented that the music Guaraldi composed for the special "emphatically established the ''Peanuts'' 'musical personality'," adding that the version of "Linus and Lucy" featured during the cold open was "arguably the best arrangement…that Guaraldi ever laid down, thanks in great part to [[Ronnie Lang|Ronald Lang]]'s flute counterpoint." This version was again utilized in the 1969 feature film ''[[A Boy Named Charlie Brown]]''.<ref name=Bang>{{cite web |url= http://www.fivecentsplease.org/dpb/vincecd.html |title= Vince Guaraldi on LP and CD: ''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Music from the Soundtrack'' |last= Bang |first=Derrick |website= fivecentsplease.org |publisher= Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire  |access-date= February 25, 2020 }}</ref>

[[Craft Recordings]] released the [[It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording|complete soundtrack album]] from the special on October 5, 2018, but faced criticism for the inclusion of sound effects.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Bang |first=Derrick |title=Vince Guaraldi on LP and CD |url=http://www.fivecentsplease.org/dpb/vincecd.html |access-date=September 7, 2023 |website=Five Cents Please}}</ref> Craft Recordings reissued the soundtrack on August 26, 2022 using newly discovered original master tapes, without sound effects from the television special.<ref name=":8">{{cite news |first= Joe|last = Marchese |title= It's a New Release, Charlie Brown! "Great Pumpkin" Arrives on CD, LP From Original Session Masters |work= The Second Disc|date= June 15, 2022 |url = https://theseconddisc.com/2022/06/15/its-a-new-release-charlie-brown-great-pumpkin-arrives-on-cd-lp-from-original-session-masters/ | access-date = June 16, 2022}}</ref><ref name=":9" />

== Release ==
The initial broadcast of ''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' was on [[CBC Television]] in Canada on October 26, 1966.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1966-10-22 |title=Charlie Brown, Gang Celebrate Halloween |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/saint-john-times-globe-charlie-brown-ga/157411342/ |work=Saint John Times Globe |pages=19}}</ref> It was then broadcast on CBS October 27, 1966, preempting ''[[My Three Sons]]'', and tied ''[[Bonanza]]'' as the No. 1 broadcast in that week's Nielsen TV ratings.<ref name="Kurp" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Lowry |first=Cynthia |date=November 22, 1966 |title=Television: Como Show Lacks Old Style, Pace |work=AP via The Free Lance-Star |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PeBNAAAAIBAJ&dq=great+pumpkin+charlie+brown&pg=PA2&article_id=6100,5619144 |access-date=October 15, 2022}}</ref> The show aired against [[Star Trek: The Original Series|''Star Trek'']] on [[NBC]] and ''[[The Dating Game]]'' on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], earning 49% of the total market share with 17.3 million viewers.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=86}}</ref> After its success, CBS rebroadcast the program each year. It moved to [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] in 2001, where it continued to broadcast annually.<ref name="Kurp"/>

''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' was made available as a home release in 1985.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 18, 1988 |title=New for children |pages=75 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/169189983/}}</ref> The program was released on [[DVD]] by [[Paramount Pictures]] on September 12, 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/custom-search |access-date=September 7, 2023 |website=The Numbers}}</ref>

[[Apple Inc.]] purchased the broadcast rights to all ''Peanuts'' specials in 2018, and they became [[Apple TV+]] exclusives in 2020. This was the first year that ''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' was not broadcast on television since its debut in 1966. A licensing agreement allowed the special to air on [[PBS]] in 2021. The agreement was not renewed in 2022, but Apple has made the special free to watch for one weekend each year since then.<ref>{{Cite web |date= September 25, 2024 |title= Season's Greetings! Apple TV+ streams beloved Peanuts specials for free this holiday season |url=https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2024/09/apple-tv-streams-beloved-peanuts-specials-for-free-this-holiday-season/ |publisher=Apple}}</ref>

== Themes ==
Religion and faith feature prominently in the special. Linus's belief in the Great Pumpkin and Charlie Brown's belief in [[Santa Claus]], and their opposition to one another's beliefs, are described as "[[Religious denomination|denominational differences]]".<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=84}}</ref> This theme is lifted directly from the ''Peanuts'' comic strip, with the "denominational differences" line appearing in 1963.<ref name="BallPage55"/> Though Schulz was religious, he rejected [[evangelicalism]] and [[revealed religion]],<ref>{{harvnb|Michaelis|2008|page=353}}</ref> and he had long opposed the idea of denominational differences splitting religion, believing that no one denomination could be sure of the truth.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=99}}</ref> Throughout the program, Linus maintains faith in the Great Pumpkin while he is criticized by the other children, and he chooses to maintain a vigil in the pumpkin patch at the cost of missing the festivities.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=85}}</ref>

The special plays off of many traditional aspects of Halloween and celebrations associated with the holiday, including pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, and wearing costumes.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=84}}</ref> Despite this, it does not incorporate elements of [[horror fiction]] outside of the title sequence.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Sokol |first=Tony |date=October 27, 2022 |title=What Makes It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown So Magical |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/what-makes-its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown-so-magical/ |access-date=June 26, 2023 |website=Den of Geek}}</ref>
Comparisons to [[Christmas]] are also included, particularly the letter to the Great Pumpkin as opposed to Santa Claus, alluding to the success of the franchise's Christmas special the prior year.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|pages=87–88}}</ref> Schulz modeled Linus's devotion in part on that of children whose families were too poor to purchase vast amounts of Christmas presents, and the hope that things would be better next year if they maintained faith.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |last=Pereira |first=Alyssa |date=October 17, 2016 |title='It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown': 50 years of friendship, hope, and Halloween |url=https://www.sfgate.com/tv/article/50-years-of-It-s-the-Great-Pumpkin-Charlie-9972556.php |access-date=June 26, 2023 |agency=SFGATE}}</ref>

== Reception ==
[[File:Snoopy in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown".png|thumb|Snoopy's journey across the French countryside has been praised for its art and animation. The backgrounds were painted rather than drawn, and it is the only scene to use [[linear perspective]].]]
The special was well received by viewers. The response was so positive that the Schulz and the studio began receiving packages of candy in response to Charlie Brown's failure to get any during the program.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=86}}</ref> Critic [[Lawrence Laurent (critic)|Lawrence Laurent]] praised the special in his review for ''The Washington Post'', emphasizing the musical score.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|pages=86–87}}</ref> Clay Gowran of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' responded to the program by expressing support for the creation of additional ''Peanuts'' specials.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=87}}</ref> Cynthia Lowry of the [[Associated Press]] commented on the special's optimism and lauded it for its "charm, adult wit and wisdom".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lowry |first=Cynthia |date=October 28, 1966 |title=TV Cartoon's Charlie Brown Has First Halloween Party |page=8B |newspaper=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]}}</ref> Mary Wood of ''[[The Cincinnati Post]]'' similarly praised the program as "utterly enchanting".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Mary |date=October 28, 1966 |title=Linus' Sincere Pumpkin Patch Didn't Deliver |pages=18 |newspaper=[[The Cincinnati Post]]}}</ref> At the [[19th Primetime Emmy Awards]], the special was nominated for Outstanding Children's Program and for Special Classifications of Individual Achievements.<ref>{{Cite web |title=It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown |url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/its-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown |access-date=September 8, 2023 |website=Television Academy}}</ref> The special has been celebrated for its artistic style, particularly its use of color.<ref name=":7" /> The sequence of Snoopy crossing the French countryside has received extensive praise, including from other animators and artists such as [[Jeff Pidgeon]] and Paul Felix.<ref name="SolomonPage15"/> ''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' is often described as the best of the ''Peanuts'' specials.<ref>{{harvnb|Solomon|2012|page=14}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' defined a new genre, as it was the first major [[Halloween special]] to broadcast on television.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=87}}</ref> The special's enduring popularity helped to define Halloween for the [[baby boomers]] generation and contributed to the spread of Halloween as a widely celebrated holiday.<ref>{{harvnb|Michaelis|2008|page=386}}</ref> Its viewing has since been established as a common Halloween tradition,<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=94}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Abate |first=Michelle Ann |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fL2uEAAAQBAJ |title=Blockheads, Beagles, and Sweet Babboos: New Perspectives on Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts |publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-4968-4419-4 |pages=4}}</ref> and its 2003 rebroadcast was the most successful holiday special of the 2000s with 13.2&nbsp;million viewers.<ref>{{harvnb|Solomon|2012|page=47}}</ref>

Two scenes adapting common elements of the comic strip—Snoopy as a WWI flying ace and Charlie Brown attempting to kick the football—were popularized by this special and became commonly recognized imagery.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=87}}</ref> The sequence of Snoopy as a flying ace, which featured no other characters and took up approximately one quarter of the program's runtime, popularized Snoopy as a character independently of the others.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Boxer |first=Sarah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HIGEDwAAQBAJ |title=The Peanuts Papers: Writers and Cartoonists on Charlie Brown, Snoopy & the Gang, and the Meaning of Life |publisher=Library of America |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-59853-617-1 |editor-last=Blauner |editor-first=Andrew |chapter=The Exemplary Narcissism of Snoopy|authorlink=Sarah Boxer}}</ref> Schulz replicated ''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'' when he portrayed Linus's devotion to the Easter Beagle in the 1974 special ''[[It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown]]''. In this case, Schulz was careful to avoid religious overtones, having Snoopy be the Easter Beagle.<ref>{{harvnb|Lind|2015|page=147}}</ref> The Great Pumpkin has also been referenced in later ''Peanuts'' specials, including ''[[You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Solomon|2012|page=108}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{Cite book |last=Ball |first=Blake Scott |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-kwnEAAAQBAJ |title=Charlie Brown's America: The Popular Politics of Peanuts |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2021 |isbn=978-0-19-009046-3 }}
*{{Cite book |last=Lind |first=Stephen J. |url=https://archive.org/details/charliebrownreli0000lind |title=A Charlie Brown Religion: Exploring the Spiritual Life and Work of Charles M. Schulz |publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-4968-0469-3}}
*{{Cite book |last=Michaelis |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=omiHL5hnqLcC |title=Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography |publisher=Harper Collins |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-06-093799-7|authorlink=David Michaelis}}
*{{Cite book |last1=Schulz |first1=Charles M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QCziNqijhREC |title=It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: The Making of a Television Classic |last2=Mendelson |first2=Lee |publisher=Harper Collins |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-06-089721-5|authorlink=Charles M. Schulz|authorlink2=Lee Mendelson}}
*{{Cite book |last=Solomon |first=Charles |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RP7euf2AQHwC |title=The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation: Celebrating Fifty Years of Television Specials |publisher=Chronicle Books |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-4521-1091-2}}

==External links==
* {{Wikiquote-inline|It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown|''It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown''}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0060550|title=It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown}}

{{Peanuts filmography}}
{{Vince Guaraldi}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown}}
[[Category:1960s animated television specials]]
[[Category:CBS television specials]]
[[Category:Television shows directed by Bill Melendez]]
[[Category:Halloween television specials]]
[[Category:Peanuts television specials]]
[[Category:1966 television specials]]
[[Category:1960s American television specials]]
[[Category:Television shows written by Charles M. Schulz]]