Welcome

Come on and join author Melissa Bradley as she sets off on her latest adventure...

WARNING

If you are not 18, please exit stage left. While there is normally nothing naughty here, I do write and review erotica so there are links to spicy stuff and the occasional heated excerpt.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

A Visit With The Peanuts

Happy Friday, Imaginarians! Today's post is all about one of my favorite things in the whole world, The Peanuts Gang. Back in February, I had the opportunity to visit Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry with my sister and nephew. We went to see the Charles M. Schulz traveling exhibit which was on loan from the Schulz museum in Santa Rosa, California. This was a trip down memory lane, a celebration of my longest relationship ever. Yes, even Steven Tyler and Johnny Depp cannot replace Charlie Brown in my affections...37 years and counting.

They had memorabilia such as the Emmy award won in 1965 for "A Charlie Brown Christmas." They also had Schulz' office recreated with the actual furnishings. It was very cozy, yet just a bit plain. The entire collection of Snoopy ornaments was on display, including some that were never released. I was drooling over that, especially the WWI flying ace on his Sopwith Camel doghouse. That is my favorite Snoopy incarnation.


I loved the numerous wall displays for each character. Their full name was given and when they were introduced into the strip. I had no idea Lucy and Linus were Van Pelts. Peppermint Patty was really Patricia Reichardt and was Schulz's response to the burgeoning women's movement. Franklin had been been introduced after the assassination Martin Luther King, Jr. in response to a letter from a teacher who requested a black character for her students. And of course, Woodstock, who was indeed named after the rock festival, but he didn't get his name until 1970, after being in the strip for three years.

My favorite part of the exhibit was Snoopy's doghouse. They had a complete list of everything inside, including bunkbeds, a color television and tons of empty root beer cans. They had an interactive exhibit where one could wear all of Snoopy's personas and I could not resist wearing the goggles and leathers of a WWI ace. I have fantasies of hunting the Red Baron myself.

There was also an interactive animation station where kids learned how to draw the characters. They learned about the animation process that was used for each of the Peanuts animated specials. Back then it involved hand-painted cels rather than digital technology. They even had a few of those cels on display. True artwork they are.

I could not believe the amount of trivia that I learned. Did you know that the Apollo 10 Lunar Module and Command Module were named Snoopy and Charlie Brown respectively? Following the Apollo 1 fire, Snoopy became the official mascot of aerospace safety and the Silver Snoopy award is given to space program worker who has gone above and beyond in pursuit of safety and quality. Did you know that both Linus and Shroeder were introduced as babies while Shermy and Patty (not Peppermint) were Charlie Brown's first best friends?

I wanted to go again and again. :)

So what is everyone doing this weekend? I'm hoping to catch a good movie and do some writing.

30 comments:

  1. What a cool exhibit! I didn't know a lot of those things. Writer Snoopy and WWI Flying Ace Snoopy have always been my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was completely awesome, M.J. I think the trivia was one of my favorite things. So many years I have loved Peanuts and I had no idea some of the backstory, etc. There was even a real red-headed girl in Schulz's life. A woman named Dorothy that he fell for, but never married like he'd wanted.

      Delete
  2. That looks like an awesome exhibit and I didn't know Peppermint Patty's last name. Very cool stuff.

    I'll have to be on the lookout for the exhibit down here in Florida.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't know Peppermint Patty's last name, either. It was amazing all of the background stuff. I really hope the exhibit comes to someplace near you as it is a wonderful experience. I also loved all of the farewell tribute comics drawn by Schulz' contemporaries upon his retirement.

      Delete
  3. That would be a really fun exhibit! There's a whole generation of us that grew up with the Peanuts Gang.
    I did know they were Van Pelts, but didn't know about the module names.
    Did they have Peanuts Viewgraphs? I still have mine.
    And was a grand piano listed for Snoopy's doghouse?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had so much fun, Alex that I wanted to go back again. I even got my picture taken with the Peanuts gang. I'll have to find a way to scan and post that. They had some of the toys produced for Peanuts and I do believe the Viewgraph was among them. And yes, a grand piano was listed for Snoopy's doghouse.

      Delete
  4. I would've loved that exhibit! I was a Peanuts junkie when I was a kid and had all the books. I still have the Snoopy Doghouse - in the box. Plus a ton of other Peanuts toys that are probably worth some money.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. High fives, my fellow Peanuts junkie! I am amazed by all of those toys you have. I had a Peanuts lunchbox, folders, notebooks and a Snoopy doll. I'm sure there were others, but I can't remember them all. LOL

      Delete
  5. my fave Snoopie episode is when Charlie's sister takes Snoopie with her to the playground so that other children won't molest her :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Snoopy really is the most awesome dog. And I loved how he always stood for what was right no matter what.

      Delete
  6. What did Snoopy need bunk beds for? Did Woodstock sleep over a lot?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think so. :) That doghouse was like Dr. Who's TARDIS.

      Delete
  7. Oh, man! Now I want to go there, too! I love Peanuts. Thanks for such a great review of your experience.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Carol! I hope the exhibit comes near you because it really is such a terrific experience. The whole world should see it. Thank you so much, I'm happy you enjoyed reading about my visit with the gang. :)

      Delete
  8. That exhibit sounds like so much fun Melissa! I couldn't wear the Snoopy goggles and hat. They'd never get them back. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maurice, it really was one of my favorite trips to the museum ever. LOL I was tempted to steal those goggles and leathers, too. But I was afraid Snoopy would come after me. ;D

      Delete
  9. Wonderful tribute-post to the coolest and smartest comic heroes of all time. Love, love, love the Peanuts!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fist bumps and high fives, my fellow Peanuts fan. They really are the best comics crew of all time. They even had wall displays of some of the most popular strips. Like the Valentine one where Snoopy ends up with thousands of Valentines and poor Charlie has none.

      Delete
  10. I can't think of a better way to spend the day! And your enthusiasm is awesome.

    Thanks for sharing the fun and spreading the goodness of Charles Schulz :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a great way to spend the day, especially with my nephew and sister. I really wanted to go back again as there was just so much to see.

      I'm very happy you this piece. The Peanuts are one of our greatest treasures, I think.

      Delete
  11. I wasn't really all that big of a fan of the Peanuts to be honest. Never understood the name either.

    And this weekend I'm doing more work. Yay. :|

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We all have our different favorites for sure. :)

      I hope the weekend gets better and the work goes by quickly and smoothly.

      Delete
  12. I love this Melissa! Thank you for sharing-I felt like I could get a glimpse of my childhood again :D

    You rocked this post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww.. thanks, Ella! It was like recapturing my childhood, too. :) I could have stayed by Snoopy's doghouse all day. LOL He had so many great characters. And what an awesome outlook on life.

      Delete
  13. What a fantastic exhibit! I would have loved to go through that one with you! I used to get the paperback reprints of the Peanuts strip from the library - the really early ones - when the art style was slightly different - and I read the strip in the newspaper faithfully for decades. I love PEANUTS!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know you would have enjoyed the hell out of this exhibit. They had an original Peanuts album with all the music that we associate with the animated specials as well as statues from those early strips with Baby Linus. It was incredible! Peanuts was definitely my go to first read in the comics. :)

      Delete
  14. I adore Charles Shulz too. He actually paid a visit to my elementary school in the 70s. My sister got an autographed cartoon drawing of Snoopy. I was in awe of how perfectly Snoopy was shaped. He was such a warmhearted gift to the world.

    Be well, Melly.
    xoRobyn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OMG!!! That is so incredibly cool and stunning. Thank you so so much for sharing that. Charles really was a treasure to us and judging by the popularity of Peanuts still, he left us with a legacy that will warm our hearts forever.

      Be well, too, my sister. Hugs!

      Delete
  15. Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes are the two comics that bring back the best memories of my childhood. Thanks for the flashback!

    ReplyDelete
  16. How cool is that? Love the dog house and his office.

    ReplyDelete

I love, love comments, so please leave your thoughts. I may not always be able to answer directly, but please know that what you say is very important to me.