April 9, 1974
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! is the 12th prime-time animated TV special based on the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. In the United States, it debuted on CBS on April 9, 1974, at 8 p.m., five days before Easter.
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Children's Special at the 27th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1975. It was one of two Peanuts specials nominated that year, along with Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, but they both lost to Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus (another Bill Melendez production).
Storyline
As Easter approaches, the Peanuts gang busily prepares for the holiday, though Linus remains steadfast in his belief that their efforts are unnecessary. He fervently argues that the "Easter Beagle" will ensure everything is taken care of, but his insistence is largely dismissed by his friends. The only one who listens is Charlie Brown's sister, Sally, though she remains hesitant due to their previous experience with the Great Pumpkin during Halloween.
Meanwhile, Peppermint Patty and Marcie embark on a quest to dye Easter eggs. However, Marcie, new to the task, struggles with the process. Their first attempt goes awry when Marcie mistakenly fries all the eggs on a griddle. Undeterred, they try again, but Marcie further misinterprets the instructions, using a waffle iron, toaster, and conventional oven. With their final carton of eggs, Peppermint Patty explains the proper method — boiling the eggs. Unfortunately, Marcie cracks the eggs before boiling them, leaving Peppermint Patty exasperated and out of both eggs and money.
Elsewhere, after enduring a cold spring rain, Woodstock seeks shelter with Snoopy, who kindly purchases him a birdhouse. Initially, Woodstock is unimpressed, but he soon transforms it into a luxurious bachelor pad. However, Snoopy's curiosity gets the better of him, and while inspecting the birdhouse, he accidentally destroys it, forcing him to buy a new one, which Woodstock does not bother furnishing.
Lucy, determined to win at an Easter Egg hunt, organizes her own private hunt. She painstakingly hides and tracks each egg so she can find them all again and win. Unbeknownst to her, Snoopy follows behind, snatching them up. When Easter morning arrives, the Easter Beagle, revealed as Snoopy, distributes eggs to everyone, including Woodstock and Lucy. Unfortunately for Charlie Brown, Snoopy runs out of eggs by the time he reaches him.
After receiving their eggs, Marcie, following Peppermint Patty's advice, eats one without removing the shell, declaring it tastes awful. Sally, now a believer in the Easter Beagle, is content, while Lucy realizes the egg she received was one of her own. Furious, she confronts Snoopy, but a kiss from him softens her anger, leaving her hopeful for the next Easter season.
Sound Effects Used
- Bill Melendez Door Knock Sound
- Bill Melendez Wood Cracking Sound
- DePatie-Freleng Buzzer Sound
- DePatie-Freleng Hammer Sound
- DePatie-Freleng Saw Sound
- H-B HIT, CARTOON - SMALL BONK 01 (slightly higher pitched)
- H-B SPIN, CARTOON - WACKY SPIN WITH DRUM
- Snoopy Laugh
- Sound Ideas, BODYFALL - BODYFALL ON DIRT, HUMAN 01
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, POP - BIG CORK POP
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, SQUEAK - SEVERAL RUBBER SQUEAKS, STRETCH
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, TEETH - RAPID TEETH CHATTERING
- Sound Ideas, CRASH, WOOD - LARGE WOOD CRUNCH 02
- Sound Ideas, HIT, CARTOON - HOLLOW METALLIC HEAD KONK 02
- Sound Ideas, HIT, CARTOON - TWO HOLLOW METALLIC HEAD KONKS WITH HORN (2nd hit)
- Sound Ideas, RICOCHET - CARTOON RICCO 02
- Sound Ideas, RICOCHET - CARTOON RICCO 04
- Sound Ideas, SQUEAK, CARTOON - LITTLE ZABORK (Heard briefly.)
- Valentino Cash Register - Opening
- WB FALL, BODY - BODYFALL WITH GRUNT 01
- Woodstock Laugh