TEN PARTICIPANTS NAMED AS FINALISTS IN THE
“IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN” 40TH ANNIVERSARY ESSAY CONTEST
Ten Finalists of Nationwide Essay Contest Submit the Best out of Hundreds of
“Worst Halloween Ever” Stories
Grand Prize Winner to be announced in October
New York, NY (August, 2006): As ABC’s airing of the most popular Halloween special draws near, ten finalists from the “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” 40th Anniversary Essay Contest hosted by Snoopy.com have been named. As their prize for writing one of the best “Worst Halloween Ever” stories, each of the finalists will receive $100 worth of cool Peanuts merchandise (including a Great Pumpkin DVD and a new book on the making of the special) for making it to the final ten, however, still to be determined from these ten finalists is the Grand Prize winner who will be announced closer to Halloween in October. This Grand Prize winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California.
Maybe it was the costume that fell apart halfway down the block…or the health-nut neighbor who gave out raisins instead of candy…or being ditched by your older brother when he was supposed to take you trick-or-treating. Everyone has a “Worst Halloween Ever” story, and from the hundreds that Snoopy.com received, the top ten were from the following participants:
The “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” 40th Anniversary Essay Contest Finalists
(in alphabetical order):
Elizabeth Holman
Bloomington, MN
Lisa MacConnell
Linn Creek, MO
Jim McDowell
Senatobia, MS
Keith Murray
St. Louis, MO
Veta Sams
Knoxville, TN
Michele Samuels
Mill Valley, CA
Lew Seitz
Cincinnati, OH
Robin Denise Smith
Greenville, SC
Charlean Souligne
Port St. Lucie, FL
Jenny Spear
Mission Viejo, CA
Judges for the “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” 40th Anniversary Essay Contest finalist and grand prize rounds include members of the Schulz family, the original voice of Charlie Brown, Peter Robbins, the special's Executive Producer, Lee Mendelson, and Director and Producer Bill Melendez.
Lee Mendelson, Executive Producer of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and countless other animated Peanuts specials, recounted one of his own worst Halloween experiences and said, “When I was 9 years old, a friend and I went trick or treating on our block, and a ‘huge monster’ answered the door, scaring us out of our wits. We ran home and cowered all night. I didn't go out on Halloween again for almost 40 years, but when I did, I took my 6 and 8 year old sons and a few friends to trick or treat. As we were walking down the street, a police car rolled up with a big police dog. I said, ‘Wow, kids look at the great costume THIS man has on!’ One of the kids said to my son, ‘Boy is your Dad stupid!’”
For more information on the “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” 40th Anniversary Essay Contest and the complete contest rules, visit www.snoopy.com. Don’t miss out on all the fun the website has to offer. Fans can access a daily Halloween-themed Peanuts comic strip, play games, send e-cards, read Halloween stories from favorite celebrity Peanuts fans, and more.
Peanuts is licensed and syndicated by United Features Syndicate, Inc. United Feature Syndicate, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the EW Scripps Company.
