It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) is a critically-acclaimed and very popular animated television special, based on the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. It was the second Peanuts holiday special (and first Halloween special) to be produced and animated by Bill Meléndez. Its initial broadcast took place on October 27th, 1966.

[Lucy, Charlie Brown, and the kids go trick-or-treating and go to the first house]

Kids: Trick-or-treat! Money or eats!

Lucy: [after getting her bag filled] Can I have an extra piece of candy for my stupid brother? He couldn't come with us 'cause he's sitting in a pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin. [gets her extra candy, then the other kids get their bags filled] It's so embarrassing to have to ask for something extra for that blockhead Linus.

[Everyone announces what they got in their trick-or-treat bag]

Lucy: I got 5 pieces of candy!

Violet: I got a chocolate bar!

Patty: I got a quarter!

Charlie Brown: I got a rock.

[they go to the next house]

Kids: Trick-or-treat!

Violet: Gee, I got a candy!

Patty: Boy, I got three cookies!

Lucy: Hey, I got a pack of gum!

Charlie Brown: I got a rock.

[they go to the next house]

Lucy: Trick-or-treat. I got a popcorn ball!

Patty: I got a fudge bar!

Violet: I got a pack of gum!

Charlie Brown: I got a rock.

Sally: If anyone had told me I'd be waiting in a pumpkin patch on Halloween night, I'd have said they were crazy.

Linus: Just think, Sally, when the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch, we'll be there to see him. [suddenly, there's a rustling in the grass among the pumpkins] What's that? What's that? I hear the Great Pumpkin! [the rustling grows louder; excited] There he is, there he is! [a giant silhouette of Snoopy rises up] It's the Great Pumpkin! He's rising up out of the pumpkin patch! [faints] What happened...did I faint? What did he leave us? Did he leave us any toys?

Sally: I WAS ROBBED! I SPENT THE WHOLE NIGHT WAITING FOR THE GREAT PUMPKIN, WHEN I COULD'VE BEEN OUT FOR TRICK-OR-TREATS! HALLOWEEN IS OVER AND I MISSED IT! YOU BLOCKHEAD! YOU KEPT ME ALL NIGHT WAITING FOR THE GREAT PUMPKIN, AND ALL THAT CAME WAS A BEAGLE! I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GO OUT FOR TRICK-OR-TREATS, AND IT WAS ALL YOUR FAULT! I'LL SUE! WHAT A FOOL I WAS! I COULD'VE HAD CANDY, APPLES, AND GUM! AND COOKIES AND MONEY AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS! But no! I had to listen to you. You blockhead. What a fool I was. Trick-or-treats come only once a year. [Charlie Brown, Lucy, and the kids come up to them] And I miss it by sitting in a pumpkin patch with a blockhead. [shakes Linus by his shirt] YOU OWE ME RESTITUTION!!!

Linus: [to Charlie Brown] You've heard about fury in a woman scorned, haven't you?

Charlie Brown: Yes, I guess I have.

Linus: Well, that's nothing compared to the fury of a woman who has been cheated out of tricks-or-treats. [the other children, including an angry Sally, exit the pumpkin patch and leave Linus all alone] Hey, aren't you gonna wait and greet the Great Pumpkin, huh?! It won't be long now! If the Great Pumpkin comes, I'll still put in a good word for you! [realizes what he just said] Good grief, I said "if"! I meant when he comes! I'm doomed. One little slip like that can cause the Great Pumpkin to pass you by. [the camera zooms out to reveal the entire pumpkin patch] Oh, Great Pumpkin! Where are you?!

Charlie Brown: Well, another Halloween has come and gone.

Linus: Yes, Charlie Brown.

Charlie Brown: I don't understand it. I went trick-or-treating and all got is bag full of rocks. I suppose you spend all night in the Pumpkin Patch. [Linus nods] And the Great Pumpkin never showed up?

Linus: Nope.

Charlie Brown: Well, don't take it too hard, Linus. I've done a lot of stupid things in my life too.

Linus: STUPID?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN "STUPID"?! Just wait 'til next year, Charlie Brown! You'll see! [credits roll as Charlie Brown is annoyed] Next year at this same time, I'll find a pumpkin patch that is real sincere, and I'll sit in that pumpkin patch until the Great Pumpkin appears! He'll rise out of that pumpkin patch and he'll fly through the air with his bag of toys! The Great Pumpkin will appear, and I'll be waiting for him! I'll be there! I'll be sitting there in that pumpkin patch, and I'll see the Great Pumpkin! Just wait and see, Charlie Brown! I'll see that Great Pumpkin! I'll SEE the Great Pumpkin! Just you wait, Charlie Brown! The Great Pumpkin will appear and I'll be waiting for him!

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