'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' Airs Tonight on ABC
by Richard Sharp
Besides "A Charlie Brown Christmas," the best Peanuts special ever conceived is unquestionably "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." For over 45 years, the film has been as synonymous with Halloween as sheet ghosts, trick or treating and vandalous teens smashing pumpkins.
Linus' unwavering faith in the Santa-like Great Pumpkin, Snoopy's sopwith camel flight, the rocks in Charlie Brown's treat sack, all set to the glorious, Autumnal jive of the Vincent Guaraldi Sextet - like caramel apples and girls in fake-slutty costumes, Halloween just isn't the same without it.
The special was moved over from CBS, where it aired for decades, to ABC in 2001, and the network will be airing "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST.
Not that you need reminding on what the special is all about, but here's the synopsis on the hour-long holiday tradition from ABC:
"In the 1966 animated special It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, The PEANUTS gang celebrates Halloween, with Linus hoping that, finally, he will be visited by The Great Pumpkin, while Charlie Brown is invited to a Halloween party. Cast members include Peter Robbins (Charlie Brown) and Christopher Shea (Linus). The cast also includes Sally Dryer as Lucy, Chris Doran as Schroeder, Bill Melendez as Snoopy, Kathy Steinberg as Sally, Tracy Stratford as Violet and Ann Altieri as Frieda."
Watch two great clips from "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown":