ABC to Air HAPPY NEW YEAR, CHARLIE BROWN, 12/30

The ABC Television Network and the PEANUTS gang will ring in the new year with the animated PEANUTS special, "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown," created by late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, along with "She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown," airing with Spanish audio via SAP MONDAY, DECEMBER 30 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

In "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown," the PEANUTS gang is ringing in 1986 and Marcie and Peppermint Patty are throwing a big New Year's Eve bash. Charlie Brown plans to celebrate the holiday by curling up with a big book that weighs nearly as much as he does: Tolstoy's War and Peace. The book's weight doesn't stop him from lugging it to Lucy's pre-party dance class, where he cuts a mean rug with a rollicking Patty. With just 1131 pages to go, Charlie Brown takes another break, this time for the party, and summons the courage to invite his true love, the little red-haired girl. She doesn't respond, but hapless Chuck shows up anyway - with Tolstoy in tow. Then he settles down with the book - on a porch swing in a snowstorm, and in so doing, misses the evening's big surprise.

The cast includes Chad Allen as Charlie Brown, Melissa Guzzi as Lucy, Jeremy Miller as Linus, Kristi Baker as Peppermint Patty, Elizabeth Lyn Fraser as Sally, Aron Mandelbaum as Schroeder and Jason Mendelson as Marcie.

The special was executive produced by Lee Mendelson and created and written by Charles M. Schulz. Bill Melendez is the producer. It was directed by Bill Melendez and Sam Jaimes. The music is by Desiree Goyette and Ed Bogas.

In "She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown," disaster strikes as Peppermint Patty heads to her first major ice skating competition with coach Snoopy and faithful companion Marcie by her side. As always, the unassuming Woodstock flies in to save the day.

The cast includes Patricia Patts as Peppermint Patty, Casey Carlson as Marcie, Arrin Skelley as Charlie Brown and Bill Melendez as Snoopy. The special was executive produced by Lee Mendelson and written and created by Charles M. Schulz. It was directed by Phil Roman and produced by Bill Melendez. The music is by Ed Bogas and Judy Munson.

On October 2, 1950 the PEANUTS comic strip launched in seven American newspapers. Who would have guessed the impact the brand would have around the world for decades to come. Nearly 60 years later, the comic strip appears in over 2,200 newspapers, in 75 countries and 21 languages. PEANUTS animated specials have become a seasonal tradition and thousands of consumer products are available in virtually all retail channels. Charlie Brown kicking the football, Linus and his blanket and Lucy leaning over Schroeder's piano are images to which everyone can relate. Such phrases as "Security Blanket" and "Good Grief" have become a part of the global vernacular. Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez's association with Charles Schulz stretches back to 1965 with "A Charlie Brown Christmas," which debuted on CBS in 1965 with Mendelson as executive producer and Bill Melendez as animator and director. The three men continued their long-term association until Schulz's death, working together on 50 PEANUTS network specials and four feature films. The network specials won five Emmys, two Peabodys and 18 other Emmy nominations.

Photo Courtesy of ABC

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