View source for You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown

{{Short description|1972 animated television special}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = CBNotElected.jpg
| image_size           = 220
| image_alt            =
| caption              = 
| genre                = 
| creator              = Charles M. Schulz
| based_on             = ''Peanuts''
| writer               = Charles M. Schulz
| screenplay           = 
| story                = 
| director             = Bill Melendez
| starring             = [[Chad Webber]] <br /> [[Hilary Momberger]] <br /> [[Stephen Shea]] <br /> [[Robin Kohn]] <br /> Todd Barbee <br /> Linda Ercoli <br /> Brian Kazajian <br /> Lynda Mendelson <br /> [[Bill Melendez]]
| narrated             = 
| theme_music_composer = Vince Guaraldi
| opentheme            = "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" <small>(vocal version)</small>
| endtheme             = "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" <small>([[Dixieland]] version)</small>
| composer             = [[Vince Guaraldi]] <br> [[John Scott Trotter]]
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| num_episodes         = 
| producer             = Bill Melendez <br /> [[Lee Mendelson]]
| editor               = Robert T. Gillis <br /> Charles McCann <!-- not [[Chuck McCann]] --> <br /> Rudy Zamora, Jr.
| cinematography       = 
| runtime              = {{duration|m=25|s=15}}
| company              = [[Lee Mendelson Film Productions]]<br>[[Bill Melendez Productions]]<br>[[United Feature Syndicate]]
| budget               = 
| network              = [[CBS]]
| released             = {{Start date|1972|10|29}}
| related              = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Play It Again, Charlie Brown]]'' (1971)
* ''[[There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown]]'' (1973)
}} 
}}

'''''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown''''' is the eighth prime-time animated TV special produced based upon the comic strip ''[[Peanuts]]'' by [[Charles M. Schulz]], and the 10th one to air.<ref name=Woolery>{{cite book |last1=Woolery |first1=George W. |title=Animated TV Specials: The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987 |date=1989 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=0-8108-2198-2 |access-date=27 March 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/animatedtvspecia0000wool/page/472/mode/2up |pages=472–473}}</ref> It originally aired on CBS on October 29, 1972, nine days before the [[1972 United States presidential election]] between incumbent [[Richard Nixon]] and [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[George McGovern]]. It was the first new ''Peanuts'' special to air since the spring of 1971.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Terrace |first1=Vincent |title=Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012 |date=2013 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=9780786474448 |page=92 |edition=2nd}}</ref>

''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'' ranked No. 9 in the Nielsen TV ratings the week it aired.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LApWAAAAIBAJ&dq=not+elected+charlie+brown&pg=PA11&article_id=5498,2741175|title = "Peanuts Gang Continues to Rate High," by Rick Dubrow, UPI, Nov. 10, 1972}}</ref> It received a nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming, which is Entertainment/Fictional at the 25th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1973.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1973/outstanding-childrens-program|title = Outstanding Childrens Program Nominees / Winners 1973}}</ref>

==Plot== 
[[Sally Brown]] returns home from school and tells [[Charlie Brown]] that she cannot open her locker. Charlie Brown promises to help her open her locker every day, and Sally takes him in for [[Show and tell (education)|show and tell]].

The next day at school, Charlie Brown sees an election poster for student body president. [[Linus Van Pelt]] thinks that Charlie Brown would make a great president, but Charlie is convinced that nobody would vote for him. [[Lucy Van Pelt|Lucy]] appoints herself his campaign manager and takes a student [[Opinion poll|poll]], which only confirms Charlie's belief (which is possibly a lie). When Lucy announces they will need to find another candidate, Sally Brown suggests Linus, and Lucy takes another poll, which is almost unanimously favorable toward Linus, so he enters the election.

Linus' campaign, assisted by Lucy and Charlie, is vigorous and enthusiastic, and he takes a huge early lead in the opinion poll against his opponent, Russell Anderson. At an assembly, Linus and Russell each make a campaign speech, with Linus receiving a rapturous response from the audience. However, at a subsequent assembly, he commits a major blunder when he goes off-script by talking about the [[Great Pumpkin]], causing Charlie and Lucy to scream in frustration. This gets Linus laughed off the stage, much to the anger of Lucy.

When [[Election Day]] finally arrives, it is a back and forth affair with the lead changing hands several times. The votes are tied when the final vote is submitted by Russell himself, who decides that Linus would be a better president, so the final ballot count declares Linus the winner, 84 to 83. Following his victory, Sally prods Linus to go to the principal and lay down the law, only to have the law laid down to him by the principal. After he sheepishly reveals this to Sally, she accuses Linus of selling out like all other politicians. She angrily kicks her locker and walks away, not realizing that she has finally opened the door.

==Voice cast== 
* [[Chad Webber]] as Charlie Brown 
* [[Stephen Shea]] as Linus van Pelt 
* [[Robin Kohn]] as Lucy van Pelt 
** [[Jean Vander Pyl]] as Lucy van Pelt (whispering) 
* [[Hilary Momberger]] as Sally Brown 
* Todd Barbee as Russell Anderson 
* Linda Ercoli as Violet 
* Brian Kazanjian as Schroeder 
* [[Bill Melendez]] as Snoopy and [[Woodstock (Peanuts)|Woodstock]]

This special marked the debut television appearance of Woodstock, whose feature film debut was in ''[[Snoopy Come Home]]'', also released in 1972.

[[Patty (Peanuts)|Patty]], [[Frieda (Peanuts)|Frieda]], [[Pig-Pen]], 5, and [[Shermy]] also appear.

==Production notes==
The plot from ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'' was taken from a story that ran in the comic strip in October 1964, in which Linus runs for school president with Charlie Brown as his running mate. In the original storyline, Linus blows the election (and Charlie Brown's bid for Vice President) after bringing up The Great Pumpkin in his final speech and being laughed off stage&ndash;again after leading in the polls at the time. Unlike the television special, Linus' opponent is never seen or mentioned.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schulz |first=Charles M. |title=The Complete Peanuts 1963-1964 |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |year=2008 |location=Seattle}}</ref> This special first aired under the title ''You're Elected, Charlie Brown''. It was subsequently changed after Charles Schulz realized that Charlie Brown was neither elected nor does he run. This explains why there is a [[caret]] between the words "You're" and "Elected" on the chalkboard (there was no time to redo the entire cel).{{Citation needed|date=May 2019}}

The same storyline, albeit adhering more closely to the original strip, was adapted for the ''[[Peanuts Motion Comics]]'' episode "Linus for President."

==Music score==
{{Main|You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (soundtrack)}}
The music for ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'' was composed by [[Vince Guaraldi]] and conducted and arranged by [[John Scott Trotter]]. The score was performed by the Vince Guaraldi Sextet on August 22, 1972, at [[Wally Heider Studios]], featuring [[Tom Harrell]] (trumpet), Pat O'Hara (trombone), Seward McCain (electric bass, flute), Mel Martin (woodwinds) and Glenn Cronkhite (drums).<ref name=Bangtimeline>{{Cite web | url= http://www.fivecentsplease.org/dpb/VinceGuaralditimeline.html#1972 | title = Vince Guaraldi Timeline | last = Bang | first = Derrick |website= fivecentsplease.org | publisher= Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire  |access-date= 25 June 2020 }}</ref> ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'' is notable for marking the debut of Snoopy's "Joe Cool" theme song, sung by Guaraldi.<ref name=Bangsonglist>{{Cite web | url=http://www.fivecentsplease.org/dpb/cuesheet.html | title=Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts Song Library: ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'' | last = Bang | first = Derrick |website= fivecentsplease.org | publisher= Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire  |access-date= 11 March 2020 }}</ref>
{{div col}}
#"Incumbent Waltz (Theme from ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'')" (variation No. 1)
#"You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" (vocal version) 
#"Incumbent Waltz (Theme from ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'')" (variation No. 2)
#"Oh, Good Grief"
#"Fast Piano Jazz" 
#"Blue Charlie Brown" (up-tempo version) 
#"Incumbent Waltz (Theme from ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'')" (variation No. 3)
#"Trombone" [Teacher talks] 
#"[[Linus and Lucy]]" (bridge)
#"Poor Charlie Brown" 
#"Joe Cool" (lead vocal: Vince Guaraldi)
#"Incumbent Waltz (Theme from ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'')" (variation No. 4)
#"Dilemma" 
#"Woodstock's Wake-Up" 
#"Joe Cool" (instrumental)
#"Deserted Charlie Brown" (a variation of "Oh, Good Grief") 
#"You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" (slow piano version) 
#"You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" (Dixieland version) 
#"Linus and Lucy" (chimes version)
#"You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" (Dixieland version) 
{{div col end}}

Starting in 2007, select music cues from ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'' have been made available on several compilation albums:<ref name=Bangsonglist/><ref name=Bang>{{cite web |url= http://fivecentsplease.org/dpb/ |title= Vince Guaraldi on LP and CD|last= Bang |first=Derrick |website= fivecentsplease.org |publisher= Derrick Bang, Scott McGuire  |access-date= February 25, 2020 }}</ref>
*Both the vocal and extended instrumental versions of "Joe Cool" as well as "Incumbent Waltz (Theme from ''You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown'')" (variation No. 4) appeared on ''[[Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials]]'' (2007)<ref>{{AllMusic | class= album | id= mw0001230366| title= ''Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown TV Specials'' | access-date= 11 March 2020}}</ref>
*"Oh, Good Grief" and the chimes-driven version of the ''Peanuts'' signature tune, "[[Linus and Lucy]]" appeared on ''[[Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown Television Specials, Volume 2]]'' (2008).<ref>{{AllMusic | class= album | id= mw0001332872| title= ''Vince Guaraldi and the Lost Cues from the Charlie Brown TV Specials, Volume 2'' | access-date= 11 March 2020}}</ref>

On September 6, 2024, a remastered album featuring original recordings and several bonus tracks was released to coincide with the [[2024 United States presidential election]].<ref>{{cite web |url= https://mendelsonproductions.com/Youre_Not_Elected_Charlie_Brown_Soundtrack_Album.html|title= Vince Guaraldi's "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" Soundtrack Album |last= Mendelson|first= Lee|website= Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc|publisher= Lee Mendelson Film Productions|access-date= July 10, 2024}}</ref>

==Home media==
The special was first released on home video on [[RCA]]'s [[SelectaVision]] [[Capacitance Electronic Disc|CED]] format in 1982 along with ''[[It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown]]'', ''[[It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown]]'', and ''[[A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving]]''. It was released on VHS and Betamax by [[Media Home Entertainment]] in 1985, along with ''[[A Charlie Brown Christmas]]''. It was released on VHS again in 1988, this time under their kids subdivision [[Hi-Tops Video]]. On August 17, 1994, it accompanied ''[[It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown]]'' on a Snoopy Double Feature release from [[Paramount Home Entertainment]]. In 1995, it was released on [[LaserDisc]] as a bonus feature with A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. It has been released on [[DVD]] three times, first as a "bonus feature" on the September 12, 2000 ''[[It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown]]'' DVD<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Charlie-Brown-Peanuts-Specials-Volume-Release/1606 |title=Charlie Brown/Peanuts Specials - It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (& You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown) |access-date=2008-11-01 |publisher=[[TVShowsOnDVD.com]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003220654/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Charlie-Brown-Peanuts-Specials-Volume-Release/1606 |archive-date=2009-10-03 }}</ref> then on its own as part of [[Warner Bros. Home Entertainment|Warner Home Video]]'s "Remastered Deluxe Edition" line of Peanuts specials on October 7, 2008 and again as part of ''Peanuts: 1970’s Collection, Volume 1'' on October 20, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Charlie-Brown-Peanuts-Specials-You're_Not_Elected_CB_Remastered/10403 |title=Charlie Brown/Peanuts Specials - Warner's Official Press Release for You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown: Remastered Deluxe Edition |access-date=2008-11-01 |publisher=[[TVShowsOnDVD.com]] |date=2008-08-25 |last=Lambert |first=David |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013120813/http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Charlie-Brown-Peanuts-Specials-You're_Not_Elected_CB_Remastered/10403 |archive-date=2008-10-13 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0069525|title=You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown}}

{{Peanuts}}
{{Vince Guaraldi}}

[[Category:Peanuts television specials]]
[[Category:Television shows directed by Bill Melendez]]
[[Category:1972 television specials]]
[[Category:1970s American television specials]]
[[Category:1970s animated television specials]]
[[Category:1970s American animated films]]
[[Category:1972 in American television]]
[[Category:CBS television specials]]
[[Category:CBS original programming]]
[[Category:Works about elections]]
[[Category:Television shows written by Charles M. Schulz]]