Bill Melendez

Highest Rated: 100% A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)

Lowest Rated: 84% A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Birthday: Nov 15, 1916

Birthplace: Not Available

Some animators remain forever associated with one creation or series of creations; this was particularly true for Bill Melendez, who remained closely tied to his majestic ability to bring Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts characters to life. Born Jose Cuautemoc in Sonora, Mexico, in 1916, Melendez studied illustration at CalArts (née the Chouinard Art Studio) and began his career at the age of 22, signing on as an animator with the Disney studios on such feature classics as Fantasia (1940), Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), and Bambi (1942). In subsequent years, he moved to Warner Brothers as an animator on Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig cartoons, then to UPA (ca. 1948), where he helped animate innumerable theatrical featurettes and commercials. Melendez's connection with Schulz arrived in conjunction with his UPA work doing advertising spots for the prestigious J. Walter Thompson agency; a big fan of the Peanuts comic strips, he hit upon the idea of using the characters to sell automobiles, a concept to which Schulz immediately warmed. The men experienced such an intimate and intuitive working rapport that they ultimately branched out into half-hour animated specials, several Peanuts feature films, and five one-hour Peanuts specials, plus countless additional television advertisements for companies such as MetLife. (Throughout his long tenure with Schulz, Melendez did double duty by making the non-verbal vocal noises emanated by two of the characters, Snoopy and Woodstock). Additional Schulz creations included animations of Cathy, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Babar, and Garfield on the Town. Melendez died at age 91 in September 2008, eight and a half years after Schulz. He was survived by his son, Steven, who ran Bill Melendez Productions after his death. Throughout his career, Melendez received 17 Emmy nominations and won 8; he also received an Oscar nomination in 1970 for writing the lyrics to the score of A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969).

Highest Rated Movies

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
100%
A Boy Named Charlie Brown
95%

Filmography

MOVIES

RATING	TITLE	CREDIT	BOX OFFICE	YEAR
87%	The Peanuts Movie	Snoopy/Woodstock	$106.2M	2015
No Score Yet	Peanuts Summertime Specials	Director	—	2008
No Score Yet	He's a Bully, Charlie Brown	Director Actor	—	2006
No Score Yet	I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown	Producer Director	—	2003
No Score Yet	Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown	Director Snoopy Producer	—	2003
No Score Yet	A Charlie Brown Valentine	Director Snoopy Producer	—	2002
No Score Yet	It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown	Director Actor	—	2000
No Score Yet	You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown	Producer	—	1998
No Score Yet	Frosty Returns	Producer Director	—	1992
No Score Yet	It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown	Director Producer	—	1992
No Score Yet	Snoopy's Reunion	Producer	—	1991
No Score Yet	Why, Charlie Brown, Why?	Producer	—	1990
No Score Yet	It's Three Strikes, Charlie Brown	Director	—	1986
No Score Yet	She Likes You, Charlie Brown	Director	—	1986
No Score Yet	Happy New Year, Charlie Brown	Director	—	1986
No Score Yet	Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown	Producer Director	—	1985
No Score Yet	Charlie Brown Celebration	Director Producer	—	1984
No Score Yet	It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown	Producer Director	—	1984
No Score Yet	What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown?	Producer Director	—	1983
No Score Yet	What Next, Charlie Brown	Director	—	1983
No Score Yet	Garfield on the Town	Producer	—	1983
No Score Yet	It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown	Director	—	1983
No Score Yet	Is This Good-Bye, Charlie Brown?	Producer	—	1983
No Score Yet	Very Funny, Charlie Brown	Director	—	1983
No Score Yet	Here Comes Garfield	Producer	—	1982
No Score Yet	It's Magic, Charlie Brown	Producer	—	1981
No Score Yet	Some Day You'll Find Her, Charlie Brown	Producer	—	1981
No Score Yet	Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown	Producer	—	1980
No Score Yet	Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don't Come Back!)	Producer Snoopy/Woodstock Director	—	1980
No Score Yet	She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown	Producer	—	1980
No Score Yet	The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe	Director Screenwriter	—	1979
No Score Yet	You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown	Producer Director	—	1979
No Score Yet	Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown	Director Producer Snoopy	—	1977
No Score Yet	It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown	Producer	—	1976
No Score Yet	Dick Deadeye	Director	—	1976
No Score Yet	You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown	Producer	—	1975
No Score Yet	Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown	Producer	—	1975
No Score Yet	It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown	Executive Producer	—	1974
No Score Yet	Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus	Producer	—	1974
100%	A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving	Director Producer	—	1973
No Score Yet	There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown	Director	—	1973
No Score Yet	You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown	Director	—	1972
93%	Snoopy, Come Home	Snoopy Producer Director	—	1972
No Score Yet	Play It Again, Charlie Brown	Director	—	1971
95%	A Boy Named Charlie Brown	Snoopy Director	—	1969
No Score Yet	It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown	Director	—	1969
No Score Yet	He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown!	Producer Director	—	1968
No Score Yet	You're in Love, Charlie Brown	Producer Director	—	1967
95%	It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown	Snoopy Producer Director	—	1966
No Score Yet	The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show	Director	—	1966
84%	A Charlie Brown Christmas	Producer	—	1965

TV

RATING	TITLE	CREDIT	YEAR
No Score Yet	The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show 1983-1985	Voice Director	1983

Quotes from Bill Melendez's Characters

Snoopy/Woodstock:

Hey!

Snoopy/Woodstock:	Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!
Snoopy/Woodstock:	Ahhhhhhhhhh!

On Dvd & Streaming

Bill Melendez

Highest Rated Movies

Filmography

MOVIES

TV

Quotes from Bill Melendez's Characters