ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 5.04 - JULY 2000

Working With Sparky
(continued from page 1)

Schulz was truly a strip artist at heart. His comics have run in more newspapers and books than any other in history.

Our Development Process
When Lee Mendelson, our executive producer, needed the next show, he would call Sparky, who then formed up a premise. If Lee or I dared suggest the next premise for the show, Sparky would gently ignore us. He had to create his shows from the start and we certainly respected his decision and responsibility.

Once he was ready, he would call me and say, "Come on up, I have an idea. [For example] Let's do a story where Snoopy will be "The Pied Piper" in his little town and play the part of the Pied Piper, but, he will not play a pipe, he will play a concertina."

Schulz's stories have penetrated the popular culture. When people see a mangy-looking Christmas tree, isn't it always called a Charlie Brown tree?

I would fly up to Santa Rosa with my small tape recorder, my pencil and my storyboard tablet to meet with Sparky.

We would start at 10:00 a.m. and talk, take notes, and where acceptable, tape our conversation. We would work for two hours until 12:00 noon. Then off to lunch at the Warm Puppy in his ice arena. After lunch we'd go back to his studio for another half to one hour then I'd go back to the airport to get my plane back to Hollywood.

The day after our meeting I would start drawing or visualizing the story, as far as we got. As I drew I would elaborate on our story telling and try to be as faithful as possible to Sparky's story. Once in a while I would sketch in continuity to explain a scene that I felt needed it. Later on he would wonder where this came from and I would say it came from my notes from the meeting. He never questioned my veracity.

Schulz has even lent his talent to print versions of other popular TV series like the original Kids Say the Darndest Things!

I would sketch the story on my storyboard pad as far as I had material, then I'd call Sparky and suggest another meeting.

I'd fly back to Santa Rosa; incidentally, Sparky usually picked me up at the airport. We'd go back to the studio where I would show him the storyboard. He would read it and give me corrections and changes. He would correct the language as he went and then continue the story where we had left off. I took notes and made drawings as we went along. As usual, we would work until noon and then take a lunch break. After which we would decide if there was enough material to complete the show. I would finish my notes and fly back to Hollywood.

I'd continue illustrating the story in my storyboard pad and when I had done 60 pages with six drawings per page...well, I have a rule of thumb that these 360 illustrations are a half-hour show. It would take me about two more weeks to finish the story. Then I had to hustle back to Santa Rosa and this time we would go over the story critically. Sparky would correct the language, informing me that we can't have the kids sound like they're Spanish! So he carefully tells me how the dialogue should be read. I, of course, ignore this kind of instruction.

There will never be another one like Sparky.

Glorious Interruptions
Now once in a while we'd have interruptions that are part and parcel of the show writing moment, such as once when we were working in the middle 1960s. We were interrupted by Craig and Monte, Sparky's boys. They burst into the studio to inform Sparky they had a kite and needed help to get it up. I said, "Great! I'm an expert kite flyer!"

We, the kids and I (Sparky was staked at his desk), rushed out. Soon I had that kite way up in the air, past the trees. From around the neighborhood in a clamor of excitement, kids rushed up at the site of a kite flying in the Coffee Grounds! The kids were jumping about cheerfully chattering. Sparky then showed up to watch us. I called him to take over the high-flying kite. Sparky came up to me and after my encouraging him to take the kite, he did. I explained how to react to a loss or easing up of the wind as I handed him the string. The kids were yelling excitedly. Sparky had the string when the wind completely died down. I yelled at Sparky as the kite fluttered. "Run, Sparky, run! Pull on the string, Sparky, pull!" The kite fluttered and settled over some trees. Sparky without a word went back to the studio, I followed him.

Sparky: "Well, that kite eating tree did it again. Couldn't stand to see the kite flying. The kite eating tree got our kite!"

We went back to work and finished our story. Sparky read it and handed it to me. He allowed: "Well, Bill, you have a good story there, it's up to you. Finish it!"

Bill Melendez is an animator and producer, who has long worked with Charles Schulz on many of thePeanuts animated television specials. He has been awarded 8 Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards and over 150 advertising awards. In addition, Bill was the first American to receive the Venice Cup for over-all animation excellence. After a seven-decade career in animation, Bill still animates, produces and directs out of his Hollywood, California-based studios, Bill Melendez Productions.

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