Scripts.com A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving By Charles M. Schulz Page 1/10
Charlie Brown. Oh, Charlie Brown. I can't believe it. She must think I'm the most stupid person alive. Come on, Charlie Brown. I'll hold the ball and you kick it. Hold it? Ha! You'll pull it away and I'll land flat on my back and kill myself. But Charlie Brown, it's Thanksgiving. What's that got to do with anything? Why, one of the greatest traditions we have is the Thanksgiving Day football game. And the biggest, most important tradition of all is the kicking off of the football. Is that right? Absolutely. Come on, Charlie Brown. It's a big honor for you. Well, if it's that important, a person should never turn down a big honor. Maybe I should do it. Besides, she wouldn't try to trick me on a traditional holiday. This time I'm gonna kick that football clear to the moon. [SCREAMING] Isn't it peculiar, Charlie Brown, how some traditions just slowly fade away? What's the matter, big brother? Nothing. I was just checking the mail box. What did you expect? A turkey card? Holidays always depress me. I know what you mean. I went down to buy a turkey tree......and all they have are things for Christmas. For Christmas? Already? Anyway, why should I give thanks on Thanksgiving? What have I got to be thankful for? All it does is make more work for us at school. Do you know what we have to do now? Page 2/10
We have to write an essay on Stanley Miles. You mean Miles Standish. I can't keep track of all those people. What's all the commotion? We've got another holiday to worry about. It seems Thanksgiving Day is upon us. I haven't even finished eating all my Halloween candy. Sally, Thanksgiving is a very important holiday. Ours was the first country in the world to make a national holiday to give thanks. Isn't he the cutest thing? What are you gonna do on Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown? My mother and dad and Sally and I......are all going over to my grandmother's for dinner. Why don't you come along, Linus? We could hold hands under the table. [YELLS] [PHONE RINGING] Hello? Hi, Chuck. This is Peppermint Patty. How you been, Chuck? - Okay, I guess. - Do you kind of miss me, Chuck? - Well, I, uh... - That's okay, Chuck. I know you probably can't talk because someone's listening. We'll keep these intimate things to ourselves, okay, Chuck? Well, I, uh... Listen, I really have a treat for you. My dad's been called out of town. He said I can go to your house and share Thanksgiving with you, Chuck. Well, I, uh... I don't mind inviting myself over because I know you kind of like me, Chuck. Well, I, uh... Page 3/10
Okay, that's a date. See you soon, you sly devil. - Oh, brother. - Now what? Peppermint Patty's coming to Thanksgiving dinner. We won't even be home. [PHONE RINGS] - Hello? PATTY: Listen, I have even greater news. - Remember that great kid, Marcie? - Sure. I just talked to her and she kind of would like to see you again. Her folks said it would be okay if she joined us. So you can count on two for dinner, Chuck. But I just don't know. This will be okay with your folks, won't it, Chuck? Well, the problem is... Don't worry, we won't make any problems. We'll help clean up the dishes and everything. Just save me a drumstick and the neck, okay, Chuck? See you, Chuck. How do I always get into these things? Now she's bringing Marcie too. It's your own fault because you're so wishy-washy. [PHONE RINGS] Hello? Hey, guess who just walked in over here. It's Franklin. I told him about the big turkey party you're having......and he's sure his folks will let him come. Hey, Chuck, this is gonna be the biggest bash of the year. See you. Page 4/10
I think I'm losing control of the whole world. - Now what's wrong? - Now she's bringing Franklin too. Peppermint Patty has invited herself, Marcie and Franklin over for Thanksgiving dinner......and I'm not even going to be home. I'm going to be at my grandmother's. Why don't you just call her back and explain it to her? You can't explain anything to Peppermint Patty......because you never get to say anything. I'm doomed. Three guests for Thanksgiving and I'm not even going to be home. Peppermint Patty will hate me for the rest of my life. What time are you going over to your grandmother's, Charlie Brown? We're supposed to be there by 4:30. Okay, that makes it easy. You simply have two dinners. You cook the first one yourself for your friends......and then you go to your grandmother's with your family for the second one. I can't cook a Thanksgiving dinner. All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast. That's right, I've seen you make toast. You can't butter it, but maybe we could help you. Snoopy, you go out to the garage and get a table......that we can set up in the back yard. [GRUMBLING] We don't have any time to play, Snoopy. Please get some chairs around the table. [SCREAMING] [LAUGHS] What are we going to wear to this big Thanksgiving party, sir? And what time do we go? Page 5/10
Well, kid, I'm gonna go like this. Old Chuck is pretty cool about dates. He always wears that striped shirt of his. I just talked to Charlie Brown. He said dinner will be served a little earlier. Great, we're ready. Do you think I should wear a tie? No, you can come as you are, Franklin. Old Chuck won't mind. Besides, he didn't say it was formal. Okay, Snoopy, that's pretty good. Come on inside. We need some help with the food. [CHIRPING] [CLATTERING] [CHIRPING] [BABBLING] [BABBLING] [CHIRPING] What? Oh, hi, Snoopy. Come on in. Snoopy, how can you serve the food in that ridiculous outfit? How about your chef's hat? Come on, Snoopy. We don't have any time for this playing around. The guests will be here pretty soon, so please get ready to help serve them. [SIGHS] - Hi, Chuck. - Hi, Peppermint Patty. - Hi, Franklin. Hi, Marcie. - Hi, Chuck. Are we going to have a prayer? It's Thanksgiving, you know. Before we're served, shouldn't we say grace? In the year 1621, the pilgrims held their first Thanksgiving feast. They invited the great Indian chief Massasoit......who brought 90 of his brave Indians and a great abundance of food. Governor William Bradford and Captain Miles Standish... Page 6/10
...were honored guests. Elder William Brewster, who was a minister, said a prayer that went something like this: "We thank God for our homes and our food and our safety in a new land. We thank God for the opportunity to create a new world for freedom and justice. " Amen. What's this? A piece of toast? A pretzel stick? Popcorn? What blockhead cooked all this? What kind of a Thanksgiving dinner is this? Where's the turkey, Chuck? Don't you know anything about Thanksgiving dinners? Where's the mashed potatoes? Where's the cranberry sauce? Where's the pumpkin pie? You were kind of rough on Charlie Brown, weren't you, sir? Rough? Look at this. Is this what you call a Thanksgiving Day dinner? Did we come across town for this? We were supposed to be served a real Thanksgiving dinner. Now, wait a minute, sir. Did he invite you here to dinner or did you invite yourself and us too? Gee, I never thought of it like that. Do you think I hurt old Chuck's feelings? I bet I hurt his feelings, huh? Golly, why can't I act right outside of a baseball game? Marcie, maybe you can go to old Chuck and patch things up for me. Maybe you can tell him how I really feel. Tell him that I didn't mean it the way it sounded. Marcie, you can do it. Go see him and tell him I really like him......and that the dinner is okay with me. Well, I don't know, but I'll try. Page 7/10
I think maybe you should go to Chuck and tell him yourself. No, Marcie, I'll just ruin everything. You know I'm too brusque and rough. - You go and speak for me. - Well, okay. This is not unlike another famous Thanksgiving episode. Do you remember the story of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins......and Captain Miles Standish? This isn't like that one at all. Don't feel bad, Chuck. Peppermint Patty didn't mean all those things she said. Actually, she really likes you. I don't feel bad for myself. I just feel bad because I ruined everyone's Thanksgiving. But Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck. You heard what Linus was saying out there. Those early pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them. And we should be thankful too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that's what they mean by "Thanksgiving," Charlie Brown. - Psst. Come here. - See you later, Charles. Charles? He's all yours, Priscilla. Priscilla? Priscilla? - Apologies accepted, Chuck old boy? - Sure. There's enough problems in the world already, Chuck......without these stupid misunderstandings. Let's not play lovers' games, Chuck. I agree. Page 8/10
You're holding my hand, Chuck. You sly dog. [CLOCK CHIMlNG] Good grief, it's 4:00. We're supposed to be at Grandmother's house......for Thanksgiving by 4:30. I better talk to her and explain my dilemma. Hello? Grandma? This is Chuck. I mean, Charlie Brown. We're gonna be a little late. You see, I invited a few friends over and they're still here. [WOMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY O VER PHONE] Well, it's just Linus and a girl named Marcie......and a girl named Peppermint Patty... She's a great baseball player.... and a boy named Franklin. [WOMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY O VER PHONE] No, ma'am, they haven't eaten. As a matter of fact, they've let me know that......in no uncertain terms. [WOMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY O VER PHONE] What? You mean it? Hey, Peppermint Patty, great news. We're all invited to Charlie Brown's grandmother's for Thanksgiving dinner. [CHEERING] Isn't there an old song that goes: "Over the hills and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go"? Sure, only this is the way it goes: [SINGING "O VER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS"] Well, there's only one thing wrong with that. What's that, Charlie Brown? My grandmother lives in a condominium. Page 9/10
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