NEW YORK -- May 23, 2006 -- This October marks the 40th Anniversary of the Halloween classic, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," which airs annually on ABC and is available on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment. To celebrate this milestone in TV and Peanuts history, Snoopy.com is hosting an essay contest for Peanuts fans with the worst Halloween stories ever -- tales that can rival Charlie Brown's woeful lament, "I got a rock," or Linus and Sally's disappointing wait for the Great Pumpkin in the pumpkin patch.
Maybe it was the costume that fell apart halfway down the block... or the health-nut neighbor who gave out raisins instead of candy... or being ditched by your older brother when he was supposed to take you trick-or-treating. Everyone has a "Worst Halloween Ever" story -- and Snoopy.com wants to hear yours!
Lee Mendelson, Executive Producer of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and countless other animated Peanuts specials, recounted one of his worst Halloween experiences and said, "When I was 9 years old, a friend and I went trick or treating on our block, and a 'huge monster' answered the door, scaring us out of our wits. We ran home and cowered all night. I didn't go out on Halloween again for almost 40 years, but when I did, I took my 6 and 8 year old sons and a few friends to trick or treat. As we were walking down the street, a police car rolled up with a big police dog. I said, 'Wow, kids look at the great costume THIS man has on!' One of the kids said to my son, 'Boy is your Dad stupid!'"
PRIZES!
Of course, the best of the "Worst" deserve to be rewarded -- and Snoopy.com has fantastic prizes: cool Peanuts merchandise, plus a Grand Prize all-expenses-paid trip for two to the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California!
HOW TO ENTER:
Submit an essay of no less than 500 words and no more than 600 words about your "Worst Halloween Ever." The following information MUST be included along with the essay: name and address of entrant; date of birth; entrant's e-mail address (if available); and where entrant learned of contest (name of newspaper or website). Entrants must be 13 years or older to enter. Essays may be submitted via email to [email protected] or by mail with stapled cover sheet to:
"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" Essay Contest
United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
200 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10016
Submissions must be received by United Feature Syndicate no later than July 21, 2006.
Judges include members of the Schulz family; the original voice of Charlie Brown, Peter Robbins; the special's Executive Producer, Lee Mendelson; and Director and Producer Bill Melendez.
Ten finalists will be chosen by August 31, 2006, and the Grand Prize Winner will be announced in time for the ABC Network airing of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" this October!
For more information on the "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" Essay Contest and the complete contest rules, visit http://www.snoopy.com. Don't miss out on all the fun the website has to offer. Fans can access a daily Halloween-themed Peanuts comic strip, play games, send e-cards, read Halloween stories from favorite celebrity Peanuts fans, and more.
Peanuts is licensed and syndicated by United Features Syndicate, Inc. United Feature Syndicate, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the EW Scripps Company.
"IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN" ON DVD
"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," is available on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment. The young and young-at-heart are in for a treat as Linus awaits the benevolent Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is invited to his first Halloween Party and Snoopy fights off the Red Baron. The bonus feature, "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown," is also included for more SPOOKTACULAR fun! Created by Charles M. Schulz and produced and directed by Bill Melendez, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" is a fun and festive family viewing tradition that can be enjoyed for generations to come. Perfectly timed for Halloween haunting, the DVD is available for the suggested retail price of $16.99 U.S./$17.99 Canada.
