A Boy Named Charlie Brown is a 1969 American animated film, produced by Cinema Center Films, distributed by National General Pictures, and directed by Bill Melendez. It is the first feature film based on the Peanuts comic strip. It was well-received and a box-office success, grossing $12 million. Plot When Charlie Brown's baseball team loses the first game of the season, he becomes convinced that he will not win any of them. On the way to school one day, Lucy jokingly suggests that he enter the school spelling bee. However, Linus considers it a good idea and encourages him despite the jeers of Lucy, Violet, and Patty. Charlie Brown nervously enters the spelling bee and defeats his classmates. As he studies for the school championship, he and Linus sing a spelling mnemonic ("I Before E") as Snoopy accompanies them on a Jew's harp. In class the next day, Charlie Brown freezes when challenged with perceive, but recovers when Snoopy plays the song's accompaniment outside the classroom window. Crowned champion, his classmates cheerfully follow him home and sing ("Champion Charlie Brown"). Lucy proclaims herself his agent, and when his friends suggest that he continue studying, he is confused. They tell Charlie Brown that he must now take part in the National Spelling Bee in New York City, and he is again filled with self-doubt. As Charlie Brown leaves, Linus reluctantly offers him his blanket for good luck, and the other kids cheer for him. Back at home, Linus suffers terrible withdrawal after being separated from his blanket. Unable to withstand without it, he pleads with Snoopy to go to New York City and help him recover it. They meet with an exhausted Charlie Brown in his hotel room, but he does not know where he left Linus' blanket. After searching outside of the hotel, they return to him, only to find him absentmindedly using the blanket as a shoe-shine cloth. Linus joins Snoopy in the audience as Charlie Brown competes; the other kids watch the contest at home on television. One-by-one, the other contestants are eliminated until only Charlie Brown and one other boy remain. However, after correctly spelling several words, Charlie Brown is eliminated when he accidentally misspells beagle, the type of dog Snoopy is, as B–E–A–G–E–L, much to his and everyone else's frustration, and Lucy (who is equally ashamed that he is eliminated). Despite finishing as the national runner-up,