ABC to Celebrate Valentine's Day With Back-to-Back CHARLIE BROWN Specials, 2/11

ABC will celebrate Valentine's Day by airing the classic animated special BE MY VALENTINE, CHARLIE BROWN. In the special, hearts are fluttering on Valentine's Day at Birchwood School, and Linus has brought a huge box of candy for his homeroom teacher. Thinking that the candy is for her, Sally reciprocates with a homemade card for Linus. Lucy meanwhile, demands some affection from Schroeder, and Charlie Brown waits for his cards in the mail... and waits... and waits... The special, created in 1975, will air Saturday, February 11(8:00-8:30 p.m., ET) ,on the ABC Television Network.

This special stars Duncan Watson (Charlie Brown), Stephen Shea (Linus), Melanie Kohn (Lucy), Greg Felton (Schroeder), Lynn Mortensen (Sally) and Linda Ercoli (Violet). "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown" was executive-produced by Lee Mendelson, produced by Bill Melendez and directed by Phil Roman. Music was composed and performed by Vince Guaraldi. 

The special will be followed by the airing of A CHARLIE BROWN VALENTINE, produced and animated by the same team that gave us the classic "PEANUTS" holiday specials and taken directly from the late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz's famed comic strip, "A Charlie Brown Valentine" will air Saturday, February 11 (8:30-9:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. (©2002 United Feature Syndicate Inc.) In this special, Charlie Brown finally works up the courage to call the little red-haired girl to ask her to the Valentine's Day dance. But once again he ends up broken-hearted and empty-handed when he dials the wrong number and reaches Peppermint Patty instead.

Cast members include Wesley Singerman (Charlie Brown), Lauren Schaffel (Lucy), Corey Padnos (Linus), Emily Lalande (Peppermint Patty), Jessica D. Stone (Marcie) and Christopher Ryan Johnson (Schroeder). Lee Mendelson was executive-producer and Bill Melendez was producer and director of "A Charlie Brown Valentine."

On October 2, 1950 the PEANUTS comic strip launched in seven American newspapers. Who would have guessed the impact the brand would have around the world for decades to come. Nearly 60 years later, the comic strip appears in over 2,200 newspapers, in 75 countries and 21 languages. PEANUTS animated specials have become a seasonal tradition and thousands of consumer products are available in virtually all retail channels. Charlie Brown kicking the football, Linus and his blanket and Lucy leaning over Schroeder's piano are images to which everyone can relate. Such phrases as "Security Blanket" and "Good Grief" have become a part of the global vernacular. Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez's association with Charles Schulz stretches back to 1965 with "A Charlie Brown Christmas," which debuted on CBS in 1965 with Mendelson as executive producer and Bill Melendez as animator and director. The three men continued their long-term association until Schulz's death, working together on 50 PEANUTS network specials and four feature films. The network specials won five Emmys, two Peabodys and 18 other Emmy nominations.