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Happiness is a warm puppy.

— Rerun quoting a line originally said by Lucy in the comic strip

I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown is the fourth and most recent Christmas television special based on the newspaper comic strip Peanuts. It originally aired on ABC on December 9, 2003, and aired annually on that network through 2019. The teleplay consists of Peanuts' creator Charles M. Schultz's old comic strips.

Synopsis

Rerun hugging Snoopy

Having seen the relationship between Snoopy and Charlie Brown, Rerun van Pelt is desperate for a dog of his own for Christmas. He asks Santa Claus for on. Unfortunately, his mother and older sister, Lucy, do not believe that he is old enough to care for one. Frustrated, he asks Charlie Brown if he can play with Snoopy. While initially cooperative, Snoopy quickly tires of Rerun's idea of fun and games, and after a while he begins to snub Rerun.

At Rerun's request, Snoopy asks his brother, Spike, to leave his home in the desert near Needles, California and come to visit. When he arrives, Lucy is appalled at his skinny figure and takes him in to fatten him up. After a short stay, he gains significant weight, which he then loses from fear while riding with Rerun on his mother's bike. Because Rerun's mother still will not allow Rerun to have his own dog, Charlie Brown tries to find another home for Spike but to no avail, prompting him to return to his desert home.

Rerun asks Charlie Brown if Snoopy can come out and pull him on his sled. He finds himself pulling Snoopy on it instead, which makes him come to the conclusion that dogs can be troublesome.

Charlie Brown breaks the fourth wall at the end of the special by saying, "I always lie awake wondering, when will it ever end? Then a voice tells me, "Right after the credits."

Availability

The special was first released to VHS and DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment on October 26, 2004. Paramount's DVD release also contained Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales and a documentary about the making of A Charlie Brown Christmas as bonus features.

After the Peanuts specials' video rights were moved to Warner Home Video, they released it as a "Remastered Deluxe Edition" DVD on October 6, 2009. Instead of the bonus specials from the previous DVD, this one also included Happy New Year, Charlie Brown. The DVD was later included in the Snoopy's Holiday Collection box set with Warner's Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales and Happiness is... Peanuts: Snow Days DVDs.

Cast

I-want-a-dog-for-christmas-charlie-brown-18

From left to right: Franklin, Violet, Patty, Linus, Charlie Brown, Schroeder, Lucy, Pig-Pen, and Rerun.

Voice actor/actress Character(s)
Jimmy Bennett Rerun van Pelt
Ashley Rose Orr Lucy van Pelt
Corey Padnos Linus van Pelt
Adam Taylor Gordon Charlie Brown
Hannah Leigh Dworkin Sally Brown
Nick Price Schroeder
Jake Miner Franklin
Pig-Pen
Kaitlyn Maggio Violet Gray
Little girl
Bill Melendez Snoopy
Woodstock
Spike

Note: Patty appears in the pageant at the end, and Marbles, Andy, and Olaf appear in flashbacks, but they do not have speaking parts.

Gallery

See also

External links

Christmas Specials Based on Comic Strips
Peanuts A Charlie Brown Christmas • "The Play" • It's Christmastime Again, Charlie BrownCharlie Brown's Christmas TalesI Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown • "Dear Santa Claus" • "Christmas is on Its Way" • "Christmas is Coming" • It's Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown • "Happiness is the Gift of Giving" • "Happiness Is Holiday Traditions"
Garfield A Garfield Christmas Special • "Heatwave Holiday" • "Caroling Capers" • "Home for the Holidays"
Popeye Seasin's Greetinks!Mister and Mistletoe • "Spinach Greetings"
Dennis the Menace "The Christmas Story" • "The Christmas Horse" • "The Fifteen-Foot Christmas Tree" • A Dennis the Menace Christmas
Other comic strips PalsThe Captain's Christmas • "Hazel's Christmas Shopping" • "A Christmas Tale" • "Krazy's Krismas" • "It's Better To Give" • "Just 86 Shopping Minutes Till Christmas" • "Christmas with the Addams Family" (1965) • Rupert and the Christmas ToffeeThe Monica's Gang's ChristmasA Family Circus ChristmasB.C.: A Special ChristmasZiggy's GiftThe Bestest Present • "North Pole Cat" • A Wish For Wings That WorkRupert and Billy Blizzard • "Peace on Earth" • A Christmas Angel • "Christmas for All of Us" • Rupert and the Missing SnowLittle Orphan Annie's A Very Animated Christmas • "Rupert's Christmas Adventure" • "The Night Before Christmas" • "Oh Christmas Tree" (Little Lulu) • "Santa's Snowman" • "Christmas with the Addams Family" (1998) • "Oh Christmas Tree" (Fly Tales) • "A Baby Blues Christmas Special" • "A Glacial Christmas" • "Eternal Christmas" • "The Strange Christmas of Mr. Paddle" • "A Huey Freeman Christmas" • "All I Want for X-Mas" • "Rupert Saves Christmas" • "The Christmas Tree" • "Pretty Christmas Night" • "The Twelve Rings of Christmas Bells" • "Christmas Eve" • "Bug-A-Booo in: A Different Christmas" • The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales...
WildBrain
WildBrain Spark "Christmas Tree" • "Twinkle's Wish" • A Holly Johnny Christmas • "Christmas" (Yo Gabba Gabba!) • "A Very Awesome Christmas" • Yo Gabba Gabba!: A Very Awesome Live Holiday Show! • "SheZon's Greetings" • Dorg and the Christmas Fairy • "Johnny's Holiday Light Fight" • "Christmas at Malory Towers"
Studio B Productions Snowden: Raggedy Ann & Andy's Adventure • "Joy to Yvon" • "Snow Biz" • The Legend of Frosty the SnowmanTis the Season for RevengeSecret Santa • "Jungle Bells" / "Goat of Christmas Presents" • "Sleighs of Hazard" • "Jingle Cans" • The Side Show Christmas • "Kid vs. Kat vs. Christmas" • "Fangs for the Memories" • "Hearth's Warming Eve" • "I Heard the Barks on Christmas Day" • "Christmas Evil" • "Hearthbreakers" • "Charles Dickens" • "A Hearth's Warming Tail" • "Robert Edwin Peary" • "The Hearth's Warming Club" • My Little Pony: Best Gift EverMy Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Holidays Unwrapped
CINAR / Cookie Jar Entertainment "The Dogs' Christmas" • Madeline's Christmas • "The Real Story of O Christmas Tree" • "Thomas' Snowsuit" • "50 Below Zero" • "A Gift of Munsch" • "The Night Before Christmas" • "The Perfect Christmas" • "The Best Christmas Present Ever" • "Abe and Babe's Christmas Lesson" • "Sally Cat's Christmas Dream" • "The Big Apple Christmas Caper" • "Santa Needs Help" • "All I Want for Christmouse" • "Christmas Star" • "Snowmobile to Panic" • Arthur's Perfect Christmas • "Caillou's Christmas" • Caillou's Holiday MovieGotta Catch Santa ClausThe Velveteen Rabbit • "A Holly Johnny Christmas" • "That's Swellaphant!" • "Caillou’s Perfect Christmas"
DiC Entertainment "Christmas Memories" • "North Pole Cat" • "Xmas Marks the Spot" • "There's No Such Thing as Stego-Claws" • "The Year Scroogenip Swiped Christmas" • "Koopa Klaus" • "Santa Claus is Coming to Flatbush" • "Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll" • "Christmas in July" • "The Night Before Cave Christmas" • A Christmas Adventure • "Merry Christmas, Super Dave!" • Inspector Gadget Saves ChristmasA Hollywood Hounds Christmas • "Do Not Reboot 'Til Christmas" • "Kilo Is Coming to Town" • "It's a Gorganus Life" • "Madeline at the North Pole" • "Just Like Old Times" • Twas the Night Before BumpyJingle Bell RockSonic Christmas BlastThe Adventures of SnowdenA Christmas Carol • "Holiday on Ice" • "A Gadget Boy Christmas Around the World" • "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" • "Witchmas Carole" • "The Christmas Phantom" • "Across the Delaware" • "Berry Merry Christmas" • "Santa Claw" • "The Claw Who Stole Christmas"
Ragdoll Productions "Magical Lights" • "Christmas Tree" • "Making Christmas Cards" • "Crackers" • "Christmas Carols" • "The Perfect Tree"
Decode Entertainment "Santa Sword is Coming to Town" • "Secret Santa" • "Last Day of Christmas" • "A Very Sadie Christmas" • "His Master's Choice" • "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" • "The Nutcracker" • "The Happy Holidays Issue" • "How to Make a Christmas Miracle" • "Lobster Claus is Coming to Town"
Halifax Films "Bob's Broken Sleigh" • "A Wish World Christmas"
Iconix Brand Group A Charlie Brown Christmas • "The Play" • It's Christmastime Again, Charlie BrownCharlie Brown's Christmas Tales • "Berry Merry Christmas" • I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown • "Dear Santa Claus" • "Happy First Frost" • "Christmas is Coming" • "Christmas is on Its Way" • "It's Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown" • "Berry Merry Melody" • "Lemon's Name in Lights" • "Happiness is the Gift of Giving" • "Mission Unfrostable" • "Happiness Is Holiday Traditions"
FilmFair "Paddington's Christmas" • "Paddington and the Christmas Shopping" • "Christmas in Fabuland" • "Huxley Pig's Cinderella"
Nerd Corps Entertainment "A Christmas Wish" • "Monster Machine Christmas" • Lego Friends: Holiday Special • "Happy Sniffmas" • "A Blazing Amazing Christmas"
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