On October 27, 1966, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” makes its debut on CBS and delights American viewers. The animated special becomes a seasonal classic, watched by generations of families every year around Halloween.
The 25-minute cartoon draws on a recurring plotline from Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strip, in which Linus van Pelt firmly believes in the Great Pumpkin, a Santa Claus-like figure who supposedly delivers gifts to children on Halloween night. Despite being disappointed year after year when the Great Pumpkin fails to appear, Linus’ faith remains unshakable.
Linus convinces Charlie Brown’s younger sister, Sally, to skip the Halloween festivities and join him in a pumpkin patch to await the Great Pumpkin’s arrival. Meanwhile, Charlie Brown suffers his own Halloween disappointment. As his friends collect candy, he repeatedly receives rocks in his trick-or-treat bag, prompting the now-famous refrain: “I got a rock.”
The program was also the debut of Snoopy’s persona of the World War I Flying Ace. The character first appeared in the comic strip in October 1965, inspired in part by Schulz’s son, Monte, and his interest in World War I aircraft.
The “Peanuts” special came less than one year after the enormous success of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” which premiered in December 1965. Hoping for another holiday hit, CBS again turned to producer Lee Mendelson and “Peanuts” creator Schulz.
Citing national Nielsen ratings, a 1967 issue of Broadcasting magazine reported “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” attracted an estimated 50 million viewers during its debut. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that approximately half of U.S. television audiences watched the premiere.
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