Jose C. “Bill” Melendez, a long-time animation veteran who is probably best known for his work with Charles Schulz’s Peanuts characters, has passed away at the age of 91, Reuters reports.
Born in Mexico, Melendez started his career with Disney, then later moved to Bob Clampett’s unit at the Warner Bros. studios. (He is credited on many of Clampett’s cartoons as “J.C. Melendez” or “C. Melendez.”) In 1959, Melendez animated Schulz’s characters for the first time in a series of Ford commercials.
In 1965, Melendez teamed up with Schulz and producer Lee Mendelson to create a hastily-put-together special for the Coca-Cola Company. The now-immortal Charlie Brown Christmas ended up with an Emmy and Peabody Award- and led to a long line of specials based on Schulz’s characters, most of which were overseen by Melendez. In addition, Melendez himself provided the voice of Snoopy and Woodstock.
In addition to his Peanuts work, Melendez was also responsible for helping bring to life such other well-known characters as Garfield, Cathy, Babar, and Betty Boop, as well as adaptations of works by Jules Feiffer and C.S. Lewis. Not only that, but he also directed a bunch of TV commercials (both with and without the Peanuts characters), some of which- along with clips from some of his other works- can be seen on his studio’s website (the Pittsburgh Paint ad spoofing the NBC peacock is one of my personal favorites).
As Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin, Snoopy prepares his Thanksgiving meal of popcorn and jelly beans, and Linus tells Charlie Brown what Christmas is all about this year, remember the animator who brought them to life- especially when you hear Snoopy make all those funny noises.
R.I.P., Bill. Peanuts was a big part of my childhood. I never missed a Peanuts special and still try to catch as many reruns as I can. Snoopy has climbed into his Sopwith Camel for the last time.
Snoopy isn’t dead. He’ll never die, thanks in part to the brilliant work of Bill Melendez.
From Disney to Termite Terrace to Peanuts. That is some kind of career in animation, all right. Another giant of the Cel Era has left us.
It never bothered me as a kid that Snoopy, who was so articulate in the strip, never spoke in the animated features. Melendez was just that skilled at conveying expression through sound and movement. I still think it was an amazingly audacious decision to leave Snoopy ‘speechless’ like that, and it simply would not have worked with a lesser craftsman at the helm. Woodstock, too; how do you even conceive of a vocal representation for a character who only ever speaks in hatch marks? That amusing, nervous little chirping burble was just right.
Thanks for the smiles, Mr. Melendez. Give our best to Sparky when you see him.
I think I’ll listen to some Vince Guaraldi tonight.
I’m almost sure I saw a Peanuts special once where you heard Snoopy’s thoughts out loud. He never actually talked, it was just what would have been in his thought bubbles in the comic strip. I remember absolutely nothing else about it, though, so I guess it’s possible I imagined it. If it did happen, it probably aired some time in the 80’s (how’s that for vague)?
So, uh, anyone else remember what I’m talking about?
There were two Peanuts specials where Snoopy “spoke.” They were adaptations of Broadway musicals based on the strips- You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Snoopy!!!. In the musicals, the actor who plays Snoopy not only talks, but sings- in fact, Snoopy!!! is from the beagle’s POV- so I assume it was neccessary. (Both specials had a few Melendez mumblings included alongside Snoopy’s talking, IIRC.)