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It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown is the twelfth animated television special based on the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. It was the fourth Peanuts TV special to be based around a holiday, following A Charlie Brown Christmas, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown was first broadcast on CBS on April 9, 1974.

Plot[]

The special opens with Marcie arriving at Peppermint Patty's house to paint eggs for Easter. While Peppermint Patty is not looking as she is busy with mixing the paints, Marcie fries the eggs, thus making it impossible to paint them. (On the attempt to make Easter eggs, Marcie asks Peppermint Patty, "Sir? How do we color the eggs after we fry them?".)

Marcie's inability to understand how to make Easter eggs forms a running gag throughout the special. Each time the girl cooks the eggs in a different way and exasperates Peppermint Patty. On the second attempt, Marcie waffle-presses four eggs, unsuccessfully tries to toast one (which cannot fit inside a single slot), and roasts it and the remaining seven (while still in the carton) in the oven. On the third and final attempt --and after Peppermint Patty spends the last of her allowance on a third dozen eggs-- when Peppermint Patty tells Marcie that the eggs are to be boiled (and neither fried, toasted, roasted, nor waffled), Marcie misunderstands. She (Marcie) inadvertently boils the eggs into a pot of water, but cracks them out of their shell. This results her into inadvertently making egg soup.

In the end of the attempt, Peppermint Patty tells Charlie Brown that she and Marcie have ruined three dozen eggs. Peppermint Patty has spent her whole allowance, is out of money, can't buy any more eggs, and she and Marcie end up with no colored eggs (and thus, they can't make any more attempts). But Linus tells Peppermint Patty and Marcie that the Easter Beagle will get them to receive Easter eggs. Peppermint Patty agrees with Linus, but tells herself that she doesn't want her friend Marcie to be disappointed on Easter.

Woodstock wakes up feeling cold in his nest. Snoopy gets him a birdhouse which Woodstock converts into a luxurious apartment furnished with a television, some artwork, a sunken bed, carpeting, a lounge chair, a vase, lamps, and a quartet-speaker stereo system. When Snoopy tries to look inside, he gets his snout stuck and the birdhouse breaks into pieces, requiring a return trip to the shopping mall to buy a new one.

Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Sally, Linus and Lucy meet Peppermint Patty and Marcie in the street and go to the shopping mall together. The children are shocked to see that, although it is not yet Easter, the department store is already displaying Christmas decorations (with a banner "displaying 246 days until Christmas". meaning next Christmas).

Linus insists that it is not necessary to prepare for Easter because the Easter Beagle will do it for them. None of the other children believe him, except for Sally, although she is skeptical at first because she remembers when the Great Pumpkin failed to show up on a previous Halloween.

Lucy prepares for an Easter egg hunt by hiding some painted eggs outside. She is not aware that Snoopy is following her and picking up the eggs.

On Easter morning, Snoopy arrives as the Easter Beagle. He carries a basket of painted eggs and tosses an egg to everybody. However, when he gets to Charlie Brown he finds that he has run out of eggs. Snoopy gives an embarrassed smile and hands the boy his now empty basket.

Sally (happily) says that Linus was right. There is an Easter Beagle. But Lucy says, "Some Easter Beagle!". And she shouts out that the Easter Beagle gave her one of her own eggs. Meanwhile, Marcie asks Peppermint Patty what the Easter eggs should be done after she receives them. Peppermint Patty says we eat them (we put a little salt --or pepper-- on it and eat them). Marcie salts her egg and eats it. But she does it without peeling off the egg shell.

Lucy realizes that the beagle took her eggs. Ten weeks later she is still grumpy about it and goes to see Snoopy to fight him. However, Snoopy stops the fight before it can start by giving Lucy an alarming but charming kiss on the cheek.

Voice cast[]

Uncredited[]

Quotes[]

  • Peppermint Patty: Marcie! You've made egg soup!? (screams)
  • Sally Brown: It's Easter and they already have that Christmas decorations up!
  • Charlie Brown: Good grief.
  • Linus van Pelt: I can't believe it.
  • Lucy van Pelt: I told you. It's the gift-getting season.

Soundtrack[]

  1. "Peppermint Patty" (laid-back vamp)*
  2. "Easter Theme"
  3. "Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major" (Beethoven)
  4. "Snoopy & Woodstock #1" (an up-tempo re-working of "Mystery Theme")
  5. "Woodstocks Dream #1"
  6. "Background #1" (actually "Tisn't the Season")
  7. "Woodstock's Dream #2"
  8. "Easter Theme #2"
  9. "Background #2"
  10. "Snoopy & Woodstock #2" (an up-tempo re-working of "Mystery Theme") N
  11. "Background #3"
  12. "Kitchen Music #1" (slow version)
  13. "Kitchen Music #2"
  14. "Woodstock's Pad (TV version)"
  15. "Background Music #4"
  16. Minuet in G Major, BWV Anh. 116 (Bach) ["Music Box Dance"]
  17. "Background #3" (actually "Woodstock's Dream" again)
  18. "Kitchen Music #3"
  19. "Linus and Lucy #1 variation"
  20. "Linus and Lucy #2 variation"
  21. Symphony No. 7, op. 92, second movement (Beethoven)
  22. Symphony No. 7, op. 92, first movement (Beethoven)
  23. "Kitchen Music #4"
  24. "Kitchen Music #5"
  25. "Easter Theme"

Trivia[]

  • Charles Schulz once said in an interview that the bunnies Snoopy dances with are none other than the Bunny Wunnys from Snoopy's favorite storybooks.
  • This special was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Special (as was Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown). The award went to Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, which was directed by Bill Melendez.
  • This is the final special that animator Frank Smith worked on before his passing in 1975.
  • The song from the music box scene is "Minuet in G Major (BWV Anh. 116)" by Johann Sebastian Bach.
  • The song in the egg distributing scene is "Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92" by Ludwig van Beethoven.
  • This is one of a few times Snoopy speaks in a Peanuts special; he happily shouts "Hey!" when he approaches the Bunny Wunnys in his dream.
  • This is the first special Schroeder voiced by Greg Felton.
  • Schroeder appears in only one shot and has only one line throughout the 20-minute special.
  • This is the only special Peppermint Patty voiced by Linda Ercoli.
  • The hopping beagle with the Easter basket sequence can be seen during the opening credits from The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show.
  • This marks Marcie's 4th appearance in a Peanuts TV Special; following after "There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown", "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" & "It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown".
  • Charlie Brown would have had an egg if Snoopy had thrown one less egg on the ground when he first arrived.
  • This special is one of the few times where Lucy does not react with disgust to being kissed by Snoopy.

Goofs[]

  • When Snoopy passes Easter eggs out to everyone, he gives Lucy the last one, but when he dances away from her, his Easter basket is still full of eggs, but when he walks up to Charlie Brown to give him one, his Easter basket is empty.
  • All of the furniture inside of Woodstock's birdhouse disappears after the birdhouse is destroyed.
  • When the Peanuts Gang goes to the shopping mall and sees all of the Christmas decorations, Lucy says to Linus, "I told you. It's the gift-getting season." She did say this earlier in this special, but when she was talking to Schroeder, not Linus.
  • When Peppermint Patty is about to yell at Marcie for cooking the egg soup, the stove disappears.
  • After Snoopy, Peppermint Patty, and Marcie were having fun dancing to the music, the music box with the angel blowing his horn on the left has disappeared.
  • When Snoopy shouts "Hey!" while approaching the Bunny Wunnys in his dream, his mouth does not move.
  • While Lucy is pulling out the eggs for their Easter Egg hunt, all of the eggs in her basket are solid colors, but after they are taken out of the basket, they are colored elaborately.
  • One hat that Snoopy tries on in the mall turns from brown to purple after it lands on the ground.
  • While in the mall, the gang is taking one escalator up while Snoopy takes another one down. As they do this, we see them cross paths, even though they are going in different directions.
  • While they are visiting the mall, there is a sign that proclaims that there are 246 days until Christmas. This would mean that the date during which the events take place is on April 23, 1974, with the latest possible date being April 25, which is extremely rare. Also, since Easter was on April 14, 1974, Sally is looking for a new pair of shoes nine days after.

Gallery[]

External links[]

Peanuts Animated Features
TV Specials Released 1960s A Charlie Brown ChristmasCharlie Brown's All-StarsIt's the Great Pumpkin...You're in Love...He's Your Dog...It Was a Short Summer...
1970s Play It Again...You're Not Elected...There's No Time for Love...A Charlie Brown ThanksgivingIt's a Mystery...It's the Easter Beagle...Be My Valentine...You're a Good Sport...It's Arbor Day...It's Your First Kiss...What a Nightmare...You're the Greatest...
1980s She's a Good Skate...Life Is a Circus...It's Magic...Someday You'll Find Her...A Charlie Brown CelebrationIs This Goodbye...?It's an Adventure...What Have We Learned...?It's Flashbeagle...Snoopy's Getting Married...You're a Good Man...Happy New Year...!Snoopy!!! The MusicalIt's the Girl in the Red Truck...
1990s Why, Charlie Brown, Why?Snoopy's ReunionIt's Spring Training...It's Christmastime Again...You're in the Super Bowl...It Was My Best Birthday Ever...
2000s It's the Pied Piper...A Charlie Brown ValentineCharlie Brown's Christmas TalesLucy Must Be Traded...I Want a Dog for Christmas...He's a Bully...
2010s Happiness Is a Warm Blanket...
2020s For Auld Lang SyneIt's The Small Things...To Mom (and Dad), With LoveLucy's SchoolOne-of-a-Kind MarcieWelcome Home, Franklin
Movies A Boy Named Charlie BrownSnoopy, Come HomeRace for Your Life, Charlie BrownBon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don't Come Back!!)The Peanuts Movie
The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show Season 1 "Snoopy's Cat Fight" • "Snoopy: Team Manager" • "Linus and Lucy" • "Lucy vs. the World" • "Linus' Security Blanket" • "Snoopy: Man's Best Friend" • "Snoopy the Psychiatrist" • "You Can't Win, Charlie Brown" • "The Lost Ballpark" • "Snoopy's Football Career" • "Chaos in the Classroom" • "It's That Team Spirit, Charlie Brown" • "Lucy Loves Schroeder"
Season 2 "Snoopy and the Giant" • "Snoopy's Brother Spike" • "Snoopy's Robot" • "Peppermint Patty's School Days" • "Sally's Sweet Babboo"
This Is America, Charlie Brown "The Mayflower Voyagers" • "The Birth of the Constitution" • "The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk" • "The NASA Space Station" • "The Building of the Transcontinental Railroad" • "The Great Inventors" • "The Smithsonian and the Presidency" • "The Music and Heroes of America"
Snoopy in Space "The Application" • "Training" • "The Graduation" • "Welcome to the ISS" • "I Never Promised You a Space Garden" • "Space Sleepwalking" • "The Journey on Orion" • "Crater Crash" • "Searching for Moon Rocks" • "You're a Good Moon, Charlie Brown" • "The Next Mission" • "Mars or Bust"
Others Peanuts (2014 TV series) • Peanuts Motion ComicsThe Snoopy Show
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