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Posts with tag Charlie Brown

Bill Melendez, animator and voice of Snoopy, dead at 91 - VIDEO

Bill MelendezWe have a TV Royalty category here at TV Squad, and if there's anyone who worked in television and deserved the honor it's Bill Melendez.

Melendez was an animator for Walt Disney Studios in the 1930 and 40s, working on such classic movies as Fantasia and Pinocchio and Mickey Mouse shorts, then went on to make tons of movies, cartoons and commercials (he worked on many Bugs Bunny shorts and other famous cartoons) for well-known companies such as United Productions of America (where he was an animator on Gerald McBoing McBoing) and Playhouse Pictures. He then met Charles Schulz in 1959 and went on to animate (and often direct and produce) most of the Peanuts TV specials, including A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Boy Named Charlie Brown, It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and many, many others. Many people don't know this but he was also the voice of both Snoopy and Woodstock (they didn't talk, of course, but he did all of the howls and other noises). He worked on TV versions of Cathy and Garfield too.

Continue reading Bill Melendez, animator and voice of Snoopy, dead at 91 - VIDEO

New TV on DVD releases this week

QuarkHere are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

Wait a second: Honey West is out on DVD?! And it's not even one of those lame "Season 1, Volume 2" deals it's an actual complete series? I never thought this show would come out on DVD (Quark I thought might because of its cult status), but I find myself saying that less and less these days, and that's a good thing.

As for It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, that's not one of my favorite animated holiday specials, but I think I'll get it so I can say I have them all.

  • Arthur - Season 11
  • Big Bang Theory - Season 1
  • Charlie Brown - It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
  • Cheers - Season 10
  • Desperate Housewives - Season 4
  • Doctor Who - The Invisible Enemy with K9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend and The Invasion of Time
  • Eli Stone - Season 1
  • Faerie Tale Theatre - Complete Series
  • Ghost Hunters - Live
  • Ghost Whisperer - Season 3
  • Honey West - Complete Series
  • Life - Season 1
  • Little People, Big World - Season 2, Vol. 1
  • Living with Ed - Season 2
  • The Office - Season 4
  • Quark - Complete Series
  • Supernatural - Season 3

Arrested Development: The Easter eggs

Arrested DevelopmentDo not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of classic TV shows.

If you are a devoted Arrested Development fan like me, you probably watched all episodes at least five times each if not more. But have you noticed all the Easter eggs featured on the show? They take the shape of props in the background, allusions to other TV series or movies, expressions, etc. If not, you may be interested in the post below where I list some of the Easter eggs featured on the show and where to find them.

If you recently got addicted to this gem of a show, you may want to print this article out and spot the eggs the second time you watch the series. Because, let's face it, you'll want to watch it again! And again! Oh, and again!

Continue reading Arrested Development: The Easter eggs

What's On Tonight: Election Coverage, iCarly, Mad TV

  • A Charlie Brown ValentineAt 7, CNN has Election Coverage of the Louisiana Primary.
  • At 8, FOX has the Budweiser Shootout auto race.
  • ABC has A Charlie Brown Valentine at 8.
  • TLC has two new episodes of Flip That House at 8, then a new Trading Spaces.
  • Also at 8: Nickelodeon has a new iCarly, followed by a new Naked Brothers Band.
  • At 9, CBS has a new 48 Hours Mystery.
  • CNBC has a new Suze Orman Show at 9.
  • Lifetime has the new movie Making Mr. Right at 9.
  • Cartoon Network has two new episodes of Naruto at 9, then a new One Piece.
  • At 11, FOX has a new Mad TV, followed by a new Talk Show with Spike Feresten.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Coca-Cola: "Dueling Parade Balloons"

Underdog and Stewie battle it out for a bottle of Coke

On a cool Thanksgiving morning old (Underdog) and new (Stewie from Family Guy) parade balloons battle it out for a inflatable bottle of Coca-Cola. As they cross the skyline of New York City fists fly and heads are butted. But, in the end, neither is the one who claims the prize. That honor goes to the honorable Charlie Brown, who seems to have finally won something in his life.

This was a cute and gentle commercial by Cola-Cola, which rarely disappoints when it comes to Super Bowl ads. I never realized that the Underdog and Stewie Thanksgiving Day balloons had such angry looks on their faces. That was an advantage in this commercial as we saw the two balloons battling it out. I enjoyed when Underdog slammed Stewie against the building. Nice job overall.

Continue reading Coca-Cola: "Dueling Parade Balloons"

New TV on DVD releases this week

The Rockford FilesHere are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

  • Alex Haley's Queen - Complete Miniseries
  • All Creatures Great and Small - The Complete Collection
  • Allo' Allo - Series 7
  • Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown - Remastered Deluxe Edition
  • Criss Angel Mindfreak - Season 3
  • Extras - Complete Series
  • Family Guy - Blue Harvest
  • The New Adventures of Old Christine - Season 1
  • The Rockford Files - Season 5
  • Sabrina, The Teenage Witch - Season 3

Charles Schulz's family not thrilled with PBS doc - VIDEO

Charles SchulzI'll say right up front that I am a huge Charles Schulz fan. I think Peanuts is one of the most important things in the history of pop culture (not just comics, but in all of pop culture - film, literature, TV, music and art). It's the type of comic that's entertaining and fun for all of the obvious reasons but something that can also show you a little bit about how to live your life too. I mean, who doesn't like Snoopy or A Charlie Brown Christmas?

So I've been a little antsy about a new biography of Schulz that is coming out next week, Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography, by David Michaelis. It's a bio that supposedly gives a fuller picture of Schulz, including the sad, unhappy parts of his life. Now I see that I'm not the only one who is a little antsy about the book and a new American Masters that will profile Schulz too.

Continue reading Charles Schulz's family not thrilled with PBS doc - VIDEO

Nielsen ratings for the week ending December 24

Penn Jillette1. NFL Post-Game Show (CBS)
2. Deal Or No Deal (NBC)
3. CSI (CBS)
4. Identity - Mon (NBC)
5. CSI: Miami (CBS)
6. CSI: NY (CBS)
7. NCIS (CBS)
8. 60 Minutes (CBS)
9. Two and a Half Men (CBS)
10. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (CBS)
11. Shark (CBS)
12. Criminal Minds (CBS)
13. House (FOX)
14. Identity - Thurs (FOX)
15. Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
16. Charlie Brown: I Want A Dog For Christmas (CBS)
17. Identity - Weds (NBC)
18. Dateline - Weds (NBC)
19. The Unit (CBS)
20. Law and Order: SVU (NBC)

What's on tonight: 60 Minutes, Survivor, Dexter, Xmas Movies & Specials

  • Charlie Brown ChristmasAt 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, followed by the season finale of Survivor and the reunion show.
  • ABC has A Charlie Brown Christmas at 7, followed by The Santa Clause 2.
  • NBC has a new Football Night In America at 7, then the Chiefs vs. the Chargers.
  • Also at 7: Food Network has the Nigella Bites Christmas Special, followed by Emeril's Happy Happy Holidays.
  • At 7:30, The CW has a new Reba.
  • At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, followed by new epsisodes of American Dad and Family Guy, then a repeat Family Guy.
  • How The Grinch Stole Christmas (the Jim Carrey version) airs on ABC Family at 8.
  • TBS is showing National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation all night.
  • At 9, Discovery has Holiday Mythbusters.
  • Hallmark has A Boyfriend For Christmas at 9.
  • At 10, Showtime has a new Dexter.

ABC re-airing A Charlie Brown Christmas this month

charlie brown christmasJust like last year, ABC is airing A Charlie Brown Christmas twice this year. If you missed it when it aired late last month, you can catch it again on ABC on Sunday, December 17 at 7 pm. I recorded the special when it aired in November but haven't yet gotten around to watching it. When I do finally get time to sit and watch it, I'll do my usual ritual of dousing the lights, unplugging the phone and immersing myself in the special as I've done every year since I was a kid. I could purchase the DVD, but I have no interest in that. I like keeping this special tied to the holiday season, it's like a gift I get to unwrap and enjoy at the end of every year. I only wish ABC had also re-aired It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, since my local station moved it to 3 am so they could air some insipid midterm election debate.

Charlie Brown's five worst cartoon moments

It's a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Week! Charlie Brown, where have you been all these years? We've been missing you. We usually see you at the major holidays, like Christmas and Halloween, but to be honest those visits seem repetitive. What else have you been up to? Sure, you've taken some trips and had some valentines and such, but we've come to expect more Charlie Brown, and quite frankly, we need you these days. Please think about giving us Charlie Brown's Democratic Presidential Election, or something equally topical and timely.

10 Zen Monkeys has compiled a list of Charlie Brown's five worst cartoon moments. Check it out on their site which comes complete with YouTube embedded video and spot-on commentary. Continue onto see my thoughts about the list:

Continue reading Charlie Brown's five worst cartoon moments

A Charlie Brown Thanskgiving airs November 20

a charlie brown thanksgivingIt's not exactly of the same caliber as A Charlie Brown Christmas or It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, but A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is not without its charm. The ever-malleable Charlie Brown finds himself hosting a Thanksgiving feast when a pushy Peppermint Patty invites herself and her friend Marcie over. Charlie Brown doesn't know a thing about preparing such a feast, so he and his pals go with what they know, serving up an unimpressive meal of toast and popcorn. The special will air on November 20 at 8 pm on NBC.

If I had to rate this special, I'd probably place it somewhere between It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. A Charlie Brown Christmas will always be my favorite, though. That kind of magic you can never duplicate.

Shrek gets a holiday special

Joining the ranks of Frosty, Rankin-Bass' Rudolph and Charlie Brown's lonely Christmas tree is everyone's favorite ogre Shrek.

DreamWorks Animation SKG will be producing an original half-hour holiday special for ABC. The special Shrek the Halls will feature the voices of the entire original cast - Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas.

We won't be seeing holiday-themed Shrek on the air until 2007. Why? Well, animation done right takes time, but so does building a lasting franchise. According to DreamWorks' Jeffrey Katzenberg, the events of Shrek the Halls will pick up after the events of the yet-to-be-released third Shrek film.

I'm sure the Shrek special will be great, but can anyone really top a dentist elf, unhappy Yeti and misfit reindeer? Shrek is so postmodern in its sensibility that I'm sure it will be incorporating references to all the classic holiday specials anyway. It's the dawning of a hyper-referential pop culture Christmas.

No Charlie Brown or Kermit in Thanksgiving Parade

charlie brownWhat a load of crap. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a tribute to helium, lip syncing, egregious product placement, and in a small way, Thanksgiving. However, don't expect to see either Kermit the Frog or Charlie the Brown floating high above with all the other balloons. Instead, they'll be replaced by Flying Ace Snoopy, Pickachu and the Energizer Bunny. Okay, I'll accept one Peanuts character replacing another, but c'mon, getting rid of an icon like Kermit the Frog for some lame incoherent cartoon character or a product mascot? If I hadn't accepted long ago that this annual parade is essentially a slow moving advertisement, I'd be much more bothered than I am right now.

Oh yeah, and if you're concerned about another balloon-related accident like the one that occurred last year, extra precautions have been taken, including wind instruments along the route to help avoid such occurrences. Now the only thing they'll have to worry about is a bolt of lightening striking the Snoopy balloon and causing it to come to life a la Frankenstein's monster, resulting in utter mayhem as he flies his doghouse over Broadway, launching sidewinder missiles at the SpongeBob balloon. When you think about it, that's really what Thanksgiving is all about ... in my head.

Fine Living celebrates 40th anniversary of The Great Pumpkin

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie BrownI am older than It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

One year older, to be exact. The classic Halloween TV special marks its 40th anniversary this year, and Fine Living Network is celebrating with several TV and web specials and features. On TV, you can watch a special one hour episode of We Live Here titled We Live Here - In Fear, which will explore three haunted cities around the country: Savannah, Georgia, St. Augustine, Florida, and Memphis, Tennessee. The special will air several times until November 1. Online, you can watch a new reading of the classic Peanuts story by Top 40 icon Rick Dees. And to make your Halloween complete, you can download a wav file of spooky Halloween sounds.

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