It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown

It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown is the last animated special produced under the supervision of Charles M. Schulz. Based on characters from the comic strip Peanuts, it was released on September 12, 2000, seven months after the death of Charles Schulz. It has yet to air on TV. It's The Pied Piper also has the distinction of being the first new Peanuts special to be released to DVD.

Plot
It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown is a retelling to Sally by Charlie Brown of the story how the Pied Piper of Hamelin (portrayed by Snoopy) chased away all the mice (changed by Charlie Brown from rats because, upon the story saying that the rats fought the dogs and killed the cats, Sally is terrified of rats) from the town of Hamlet. The Peanuts kids substitute some characters, Snoopy being the Pied Piper Beagle with his contract being for a year's supply of dog food. Snoopy plays a concertina (squeezebox, with presumably David Benoit doing the honors). The special breaks Peanuts tradition in that it shows adults, who speak audible language (unlike most other Peanuts specials in which adults are only heard off stage speaking in "wah wah" sound of a muted trombone). The other good example was the This is America, Charlie Brown miniseries, which portrayed adult historical figures alongside the kids.

Cast and crew

 * Quinn Beswick - Charlie Brown
 * Ashley Edner - Sally Brown
 * Corey Padnos - Linus van Pelt
 * Rachel Davey - Lucy van Pelt
 * Frank Welker - The Mayor
 * Neil Ross - Interviewer/Townsperson
 * Pat Musick - First Woman
 * Joan Van Ark - Secretary
 * Bill Melendez - Snoopy/Woodstock/Mice Sounds


 * Directed by Bill Melendez
 * Written by Charles M. Schulz
 * Produced by Bill Melendez and Mike Wallis
 * Executive Producer: Lee Mendelson
 * Original Music by David Benoit