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 PM.
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).
While most of the
Peanuts gang is busy getting ready for Easter,
Linus futilely tries to convince them that it is all a waste of time, and that the "Easter Beagle" will take care of everything. Only Charlie Brown's sister,
Sally, believes him, although she remains skeptical after
their Great Pumpkin misadventure on Halloween. The rest of the story follows the Peanuts gang doing Easter fest things like coloring eggs, hiding eggs, and finding eggs, with Snoopy taking on the role of Easter Beagle and charming the heck out of everyone in the process, as his happy dance is part of his role as the holiday icon.
The music score for
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown was composed by
Vince Guaraldi (except where noted) and conducted and arranged by
John Scott Trotter.
The score was recorded by the Vince Guaraldi Quartet on February 12, 20, 26 and March 14, 1974, at
Wally Heider Studios, featuring Seward McCain (electric bass),
Tom Harrell (trumpet) and
Eliot Zigmund (drums).