Charlie Brown's All-Stars! (1966)

Charlie Brown's All-Stars title — June 8, 1966

Charlie Brown's All Stars! is the second prime-time animated television special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was the second such TV special (following A Charlie Brown Christmas) to be produced by Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez (who also directed), and originally aired on CBS on June 8, 1966, with annual re-airings on CBS through 1971.

Storyline[]

The special begins with a chase of Charlie Brown trying to catch a long-shot ball which he fails to get and his team shouting at him: "YOU BLOCKHEAD, CHARLIE BROWN!"

After Charlie Brown's baseball team loses their first game of the season, his players quit. Linus meets Charlie Brown with good news: Mr. Hennessey, the operator of the local hardware store, is offering to sponsor Charlie Brown's baseball team, place them in an organized league, and even buy them new uniforms.

The excitement gets the better of Charlie Brown, and he eagerly tells the team the good news. Lucy then states that if Charlie Brown can get the team uniforms, they will give him another chance and return to the team. But however, later at home, Charlie Brown receives a phone call from Mr. Hennessey and is told that the league doesn’t allow girls or dogs to play baseball. Charlie Brown tries to reason with him, but Mr. Hennessey replies that they are the league's rules, not his. If Charlie Brown and his team join the league, Mr. Hennessey says, the girls and Snoopy cannot participate. Unwilling to sacrifice his friends, Charlie Brown has no choice but to decline Mr. Hennessey's offer.

Moments later, Charlie Brown relays the bad news to Linus, who tells him that Lucy and the team will most likely be angry with his decision. However, Charlie Brown has an idea: He will not tell them until after the next game, figuring their lifted spirits will drive them to a great win. Linus says that this may not be a good idea, but Charlie Brown feels it will work. The game starts off slowly, but as it picks up, the team begins to play spectacularly. Although Snoopy successfully steals second, third, and home, Charlie Brown attempts to tie the game by doing the same, only to be thrown out at the plate, ending the game with yet another loss.

Lucy and several others tell Charlie Brown that if they had their uniforms, they would have won the game. Charlie Brown then tells the team (without revealing the reasons why) that he told Mr. Hennessey that the deal was off. This causes the team to yell in anger and storm off. As the girls complain about their misfortune, Linus angrily reveals to them the reason why Charlie Brown declined the offer. Schroeder furiously berates the girls for their selfishness and outrageous behavior, pointing out that the uniforms meant to Charlie Brown as much as they did to them, probably even more, causing them to finally admit defeat and feel ashamed. Lucy comes up with an idea to make up for the insults by making a special baseball uniform for Charlie Brown. Linus insists they have no material available. However, Lucy responds (grinning evilly) that they do and she, the other girls, and Snoopy use Linus's blanket (the only material available) to create the baseball uniform, forcing Linus to give up his habits.

The team presents the newly made uniform shirt to Charlie Brown. He is determined that his team will win the next day's baseball game, but it rains, so the game is canceled. Charlie Brown is standing in the rain on the pitcher's mound, where Linus finds him and tells him that nobody will be coming to the field. When Linus stares at Charlie Brown, Charlie Brown questions why he is looking at him like that. Linus wails bitterly and tells him that his uniform was made out of his blanket. Charlie Brown finally realizes what the girls did. And he offers him the tail of his uniform (which he accepts and sucks his thumb as he normally does). Then they both (Charlie Brown and Linus) stand on the mound together in the pouring rain during the closing credits.

Charlie Brown's All-Stars! (1966)

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Storyline[]

Sound Effects Used[]

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