Classic Television - Special

You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown

Original channel

CBS

Original Air Date

October 29, 1972

Starring

Chad Webber

Hilary Momberger

Stephen Shea

Robin Kohn

Todd Barbee

Linda Ercoli

Brian Kazajian

Lynda Mendelson

Bill Melendez

You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown is the eighth prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz and the 10th one to air. It originally aired on CBS on October 29, 1972, right before the 1972 election.

Plot

Sally comes home and tells Charlie Brown that she's never going to school again. After her brother asks many questions on why, she says "I can't get my stupid locker open!" The next day Charlie Brown wakes her up telling her to get ready for school. Sally reminds him she won't go back there, but Charlie promises he'll help with her locker. Charle Brown tells her that some lockers are a little difficult and touchy, and she needs to make sure the numbers are just right. But Sally tells him that's not the problem, the problem is she can't reach it to open it. He doesn't know what to say so Sally brings him into her classroom for something else: to use him as her show-and-tell presentation. After this, Charlie Brown sees a poster that says "Student Body President Election". Linus thinks that would be a good job for Charlie Brown, but Lucy thinks Linus would be the better candidate. Also running is a student named Russell Anderson. Linus runs for the office with a vigorous and enthusiastic campaign, taking an early lead in the polls.

Unfortunately, he suffers a setback when, during his last address to the student body, he decides to ad lib a mention of The Great Pumpkin. Nonetheless he wins the election by one vote–84 to 83–the deciding vote cast from Russell, who has decided that Linus is, in fact, better for the job. Following his victory, Linus goes to the principal with the intention of keeping his campaign promises and laying down the law, only to be taken aback with the realization that he is still strictly subordinate to the faculty and in fact, like most student government positions, has no real power. Regardless, Sally has a fit and accuses him of selling-out like all other politicians. She then kicks the bottom of her locker and walks away, not realizing that she has finally opened it.