A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition

A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition Features

Additional A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition Information

Since its top-rated debut on CBS in December 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas has been one of America's most beloved television shows. Year after year, fans of all ages tune in to the Emmy-winning Christmas special that has earned a permanent place in the nation's popular culture.

This collector's treasury contains the entire script of A Charlie Brown Christmas, illustrated with full-color stills from the animated film. Producer Lee Mendelson and animator Bill Melendez pay tribute to the program with personal memories and reflections about the show, including charming anecdotes about their long friendship and working career with Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz. Offering rare, behind-the-scenes insights, they also share memories of the late, great jazz pianist/composer Vince Guaraldi and provide never-before-published background sketches, storyboards, production sheets, and other materials that bring the making of the show to life.

A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition also brings the sound of the show home with the piano/vocal musical scores for Guaraldi's "Christmas Time Is Here" and "Linus and Lucy," two songs that have become standards of American popular music.

As the very first Peanuts special, A Charlie Brown Christmas brought Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang to television. In addition to breaking the mold by using jazz music (which exposed millions of people to jazz for the first time and inspired a generation of jazz pianists), A Charlie Brown Christmas broke new ground by using real children for the voices instead of adult actors. Schulz, Mendelson, and Melendez created these and other innovations that made A Charlie Brown Christmas a unique and timeless work of animation art.

A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition celebrates this award-winning and history-making show with warmhearted memories, fascinating trivia, and colorful animation art that will delight fans of all ages.

What Customers Say About A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition:

I am using the book because it has the only script for "A Charlie Brown Christmas" The kids are loving it.

The book includes reminiscences about Charles Schulz and also lots of glimpses into the creative process (artwork sketches, animation cells, sheet music).Probably 40 percent of the book (essentially the second half) is the illustrated script for "A Charlie Brown Christmas" in its entirety.Paperback, but thick and almost coffee table book quality. You don't need to have grown up with Charlie Brown to appreciate this, but of course this will bring back lots of great memories if you did.

HalfacreAuthor, Genuine Friendship Give it as a gift to the "Peanuts Fan" in your life.Philip D. A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition is a treasure for those -- like me -- who love this Christmas classic. It is a great "behind the scenes look" that includes photos of the cast of characters whose voices are so familiar.

This book is the ultimate backstage pass to the recording studio, with interviews with the original child actors who voiced the characters and sang on Guaraldi's "Christmas Time is Here." As a bonus treat, the script and original animation art round out the book. While we've been treated to many Charles Schulz documentaries and remembrances over the years, "A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" is the first book to focus on the first Peanuts' television special. The book includes in-depth interviews with producer Lee Mendelson, animator Bill Melendez, and Vince Guaraldi's children.

I may not be musical, but if you are, this book includes the music. The book has a lot of material that has meaning for me personally.

The book was not a disappointment to read and own. I was young when this special was shown on television and it was always one of my favorites.

I loved this book. I will be using the script in my classroom for Reader's Theatre.

I am very glad I bought it. It has material for every fan of the famous TV special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas".

I am fond of the discussions of the people involved in creating the production of the TV show and the script.