Snoopy's Reunion

Snoopy's Reunion is the 34th prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on the CBS network on May 1, 1991 as part of the animated anthology series Toon Nite.[1] It is one of three Peanuts projects to date (the others being Snoopy, Come Home and The Peanuts Movie) not to have "Charlie Brown" in the title (though the working title was Those Were the Days, Charlie Brown) and one of the few Peanuts specials to feature adults on-screen.

Snoopy's Reunion
GenreAnimated TV Special
Created byCharles M. Schulz
Written byCharles M. Schulz
Directed bySam Jaimes
Voices ofPhil Sanfran
Josh Keaton
Kaitlyn Walker
Bill Melendez
Megan Parlen
Laurel Page
Steven Slofiar
ComposerJudy Munsen
Country of originU.S.
Production
Executive producerLee Mendelson
ProducerBill Meléndez
EditorRick Hinson
Camera setupNick Vasu
Running time22 minutes
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseMay 1, 1991 (1991-05-01)
Chronology
Preceded byWhy, Charlie Brown, Why? (1990)
Followed byIt's Spring Training, Charlie Brown (1992)
From left to right: Andy, Marbles, Spike, Snoopy, Olaf, Molly, Rover and Belle. Five of the siblings appeared at some point in the Peanuts comic strip; Molly and Rover were created for this special.

Summary

The story begins at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, set at the time of Snoopy's puppyhood. The next day, the puppies quickly mature. While still puppies, Snoopy and his siblings quickly become adept musicians, with each puppy learning to play an instrument. Snoopy plays the guitar, Spike plays the first fiddle, Belle on the second fiddle, Marbles on banjo, Olaf on jug, Molly on mandolin, Rover on steel guitar, and Andy on drum set. At the same time, the owner puts a sign which reads "PUPPIES FOR SALE". Missy (the puppies's mother) and the puppies cry as when they see (and read) the sign. After reading it, the puppies realize they are going to be parting ways (from both their mother and each other) when they are sold from the puppy farm.

Meanwhile, Charlie Brown, depressed from a recent defeat, arrives home to an empty, unwelcoming house. He tells his sister Sally he needs to have someone to welcome him home after a defeat, like a dog.

Back at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, Snoopy and his siblings are all playing music together. Snoopy is sold to Lila, his first owner. His siblings are also sold, one by one. Lila and Snoopy have fun together for a brief time in Lila's house, which is at first shown with her family living in a neighborhood. Lila and her family move to an apartment building and are told by the landlord that no pets are allowed. Lila's mother tells her they can no longer keep Snoopy, and that that Snoopy must go back to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. Lila responds by crying out loud "But Mom...! They can't do that! It's too unfair! It's heartful break! How can I ever tell him?"

Lila tells Snoopy (who is not in trouble) she has to have a word with him. She tells Snoopy that he has been a good puppy. She has a word with him and tells him about the sad news. The sad news is that she and her family can no longer keep him because pets are not allowed in the apartment building (according to the building's law and landlord). She continues that is very sorry and he has to go back to the puppy farm. She promises him that she will visit him. With her mother, Lila returns Snoopy to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm and tearfully says goodbye and that she is going to miss him.

The owner of the puppy farm tells Snoopy that he promises to find him a new home and owner. He has not failed yet. He goes back to the chalkboard and reinstates Snoopy's name on the list. Snoopy is the only puppy who becomes purchased by an owner, only to be returned, and (temporarily) still living at the puppy farm. With Missy (his mother) still at the puppy farm, Snoopy is returned and living with his mother again until someone else becomes the right owner for him.

The next buyer turns out that it is going to be Charlie Brown, who decides it's time for him to get a dog. He and Linus head to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. He negotiates with the owner and is able to purchase Snoopy for $5. While talking to the owner, Linus looks at some paperwork. The owner of the puppy farm tells Charlie Brown that a dog like Snoopy costs more than $5 and may be expensive, but senses Charlie Brown is the right owner for Snoopy, and sells Snoopy for $5. Charlie Brown spots Snoopy in the shed (where the puppies had all been previously sold) with his mother Missy and near Olaf's jug. Linus tells Charlie Brown that Snoopy had a previous owner and is a "used dog". Charlie Brown happily takes him home, tries to train him, and soon realizes that he is an unusual dog. A montage showcases some of his abilities, such as playing baseball, sledding, surfing, and tennis.

After about a lustrum (five years), Charlie Brown realizes that Snoopy (since he's been his dog for four or five years) misses his family. So he invites Snoopy and his siblings to a reunion at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. Invitations are sent to Belle, Spike, Olaf, Marbles, Molly, Rover, and Andy, who unanimously agree to the reunion. Each one excitedly heads to the reunion, carrying their respective instruments.

They all arrive at Charlie Brown's house. He, Sally, Snoopy, and Snoopy's siblings get on a bus to visit the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm for their reunion. Eventually, they arrive at the Daisy Hill bus stop. But when they get there, they see a parking garage instead of a puppy farm. It's just a parking garage, a small pile of dirt, and no puppy farm. Charlie Brown (when he finds nothing but a parking garage instead of the puppy farm) is confused, and asks the bus driver if it's the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. The bus driver insists that it is the puppy farm. He lies that it is still there. Snoopy and his siblings exit the bus and play music on the sidewalk in front of the parking garage. They do not realize Daisy Hill Puppy Farm had been demolished and replaced with a parking garage. The bus driver (earlier on) was indeed wrong when he said the location was the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm.

While Snoopy and his siblings (on their musical instruments) are playing a song, Charlie Brown explores the area. He later discovers an old "Puppy For Sale" sign half buried in the dirt pile. Then he picks it up and says out loud they are in fact, at the puppy farm. He shows Snoopy and his siblings it was where their old home was. The puppy farm was broken down and redeveloped into a parking garage. Despite the (permanent) loss of the puppy farm, Snoopy and his siblings seem happy to be together again, and continue to play more music.

Charlie Brown later realizes that the reunion has made Snoopy and his siblings happy, and declares it was a reunion even if it was not the best. He then wonders how Snoopy's siblings are going to get home. Snoopy responds by getting into his World War I flying ace costume, and ushers them up on top of his doghouse (i.e. Sopwith Camel). The camera cuts back to Charlie Brown and Linus, insinuating that Snoopy is flying his 'plane'. All his siblings have gone back home. Charlie Brown is shocked and wonders aloud how he could do that, to which Linus replies, "Well, he's your dog, Charlie Brown".

Continuity

Charles Schulz did not consider material from the television specials and films to be canonical with the Peanuts comic strip.[2] This results in the following continuity errors:

  • In the comic strip, Snoopy existed as Charlie Brown's dog long before Sally and Linus were born. In this special, Charlie Brown doesn't acquire him until long after they were born.
  • In the comic strip, Charlie Brown and Snoopy knew each other way before Charlie Brown adopted Snoopy. In this special, Charlie Brown sees Snoopy for the first time.
  • In the comic strip, Snoopy acts as an ordinary dog prior to his adoption by Charlie Brown. In this special, he is already well talented when Charlie Brown adopts him.
  • Originally in the strip and later in the 1972 movie Snoopy, Come Home and the 1980 special Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown, Charlie Brown tells Linus about how a kid dumped sand on him and made him cry, and the next day he and his parents went to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm to get Snoopy. In this special, they both go to get him.
  • In the strip and Snoopy, Come Home, Linus calls the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm to find out about Snoopy's history when he goes to see Lila in the hospital, and finds out that he was a "used dog". In this special, when Charlie Brown and Linus go to pick him up, Linus finds out about his history in a ledger sitting on a desk.
  • In the strip, Snoopy (and Woodstock) find out on their own that the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm (Snoopy's old home) was closed and demolished and turned into a parking garage. In the special Charlie Brown discovers this and shows this to Snoopy and his siblings. Charlie Brown even says a line similar to what Snoopy says in the strip: "Do you realize what happened? They're parking on your memories!". In the strip, however, Snoopy is shown with Woodstock at this. Snoopy (as Woodstock looks on) says about the parking garage (which is what the puppy farm was turned into after it was demolished), "YOU STUPID PEOPLE! YOU ARE PARKING ON MY MEMORIES!".

Voice cast

References
  1. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 327. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  2. "Peanuts FAQ".
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