Snoopy's siblings
In Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts, the imaginative beagle Snoopy has seven brothers and sisters. Five appeared at various times in the strip: four brothers, Spike, Andy, Marbles, and Olaf; and one sister, Belle. The two others were never mentioned by name in the comic strip, but the whole family appeared in the 1991 television special Snoopy's Reunion, introducing the two unknown siblings, identified in the special as Molly and Rover.
Snoopy's older brother Spike — a skinny, sleepy-looking dog in a beat-up fedora — is the most familiar to readers of the strip. Spike was introduced in 1975, and appeared frequently in the 1980s, living alone in the desert of Needles, California with coyotes and cacti. Snoopy's sister Belle, who first appeared in 1976, made only a few appearances in the comic strip, but the character was heavily merchandised in the 1970s and 80s. Snoopy and Belle were the subjects of several international fashion exhibitions, with prominent designers creating outfits for plush dolls of the two siblings.
History[edit]
Snoopy having seven siblings was an element of the strip that developed as the strip evolved. Originally described in a June 1959 strip as an "only dog",[1] Snoopy went to a family reunion with several unnamed siblings in a May 1965 sequence.[2] In March 1970, Snoopy wrote in his autobiography that he was one of seven puppies,[3] and the number reached its final count of eight beagles in December 1972.
In a 1987 interview, Schulz said that he felt introducing Snoopy's siblings was a mistake, similar to the introduction of Eugene the Jeep in Thimble Theatre: "I think Eugene the Jeep took the life out of Popeye himself, and I'm sure Segar didn't realize that. I realized it myself a couple of years ago when I began to introduce Snoopy's brothers and sisters. I realized that when I put Belle and Marbles in there it destroyed the relationship that Snoopy has with the kids, which is a very strange relationship. And these things are so subtle when you're doing them, you can make mistakes and not realize them."[4] Schulz elaborated further in another 1987 interview: "Snoopy had a sister, Belle, whom I discovered I really didn't like. I brought in Spike and I like Spike a lot. But when I brought another brother in — I thought Marbles would make a great name for a dog — I discovered almost immediately that bringing in other animals took the uniqueness away from Snoopy. So the only other animal character who works now is Spike, as long as Spike stays out in the desert."[5]
Snoopy's siblings all appeared in the 1991 television special Snoopy's Reunion, in which Snoopy discovers that the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm has been replaced with a parking garage. Snoopy gathers his siblings together to perform as a country band.[6] The two unnamed siblings are given the names Molly and Rover in the special; however, their appearance is not considered canonical in the comic strip.[7]
Spike[edit]
Spike, Snoopy's older brother who lived in the desert, was the most frequently-seen sibling in the strip.[8] He was introduced in the August 13, 1975 strip.[9] He was a recurring character between 1984 and 1988, and was also used in one-off appearances sporadically through the rest of Peanuts history. Spike is named after Charles Schulz's childhood dog.[10]
Spike's appearance is similar to Snoopy's, but he is substantially thinner, has a perpetually sleepy-eyed look, sports long, droopy whiskers that look like a mustache, and wears a fedora. He sometimes wears Mickey Mouse shoes which were a gift from Mickey Mouse. He is called Snoopy's older brother during the first story in which he appears.
Spike lives alone in a cactus, in the middle of the desert near Needles, California, only occasionally interacting with the principal characters in the strip, generally in visiting Snoopy. His friends are mostly inanimate saguaro cacti and an occasional tumbleweed. In 1991's Snoopy's Reunion, Spike's home was a huge hollow saguaro in which he kept books and his fiddle.
When Spike debuted in the strip in August 1975, it was revealed that his exceptionally low weight was because he had been living with coyotes, and his job was to clean out their den, which apparently causes him to burn off a lot of body fat. Although he got a better-fed appearance after his first visit to the Brown household, he apparently had to go "back to business" soon after returning home, for he soon became as thin as before.
He temporarily became Rerun's dog in I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown, and also starred in his own television special, It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown.[11] He was also a main character in Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown, where he is shown traveling from Needles to visit Snoopy to be the best beagle at his wedding. Spike competes in a dog race to earn money for a bus ticket. He wins the race, but then gets disqualified for not being a greyhound. The final scene shows Spike returning home to Needles where his private residence is a hollowed-out saguaro cactus with modern amenities inside, where he is rewarding himself for his long travels by eating cake from Snoopy's wedding.
Another storyline was in 1994 when he and his brothers Olaf and Andy visit Snoopy in the hospital. They abruptly leave shortly after Snoopy recovers.
Beginning in a series of strips from May 1981, Spike began joining Snoopy in his World War I escapades as an infantryman fighting in the trenches, the one change in Spike's appearance being that he wears a WWI-style army Brodie helmet instead of his trademark fedora. In a 1996 series when Spike himself comes down ill with the flu, Snoopy and Spike's mother Missy came over on a troopship to visit wearing a fur hat (the soldiers manning the rails of the troopship were also beagles). This was her sole appearance in the strip. At least two strips mentioned his meeting with Mickey Mouse.
In Snoopy's Reunion, Spike is shown being taken away by a rich family (with a limo). In the September 18, 1994, Sunday comic, Spike admits that he ran away from his owners to Needles after accidentally chasing a rabbit into a road, where it was run over.[12] In The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show episode "The Lost Ballpark" Spike made a cameo appearance, his first appearance in any medium other than newspapers.
Spike's final appearance in the strip was on December 21, 1999, two months before the strip concluded.[13] A large statue of Spike resides in a Subway restaurant in Needles. The Schulz family lived in Needles from 1928 to 1930. They moved to Needles to join other family members who had relocated from Minnesota to tend to an ill cousin.[14]
Belle[edit]
Belle is Snoopy's sister, who first appeared in the strip on June 28, 1976.[15] She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with her teenage son, whom Snoopy noted as resembling the Pink Panther.[16] Belle herself bears a strong resemblance to Snoopy, but with longer eyelashes. In addition, she wears a lace collar and sometimes wears a pearl necklace.
Belle only made a few appearances in the strip, but is remembered because of the Belle stuffed animal toys sold in the late 1970s and early 1980s.[17] San Francisco toy merchandiser Determined Productions had the license to make Snoopy plush toys, and they introduced Belle plush after receiving many requests from children who wanted a female "sister" doll.[18]
The character was extensively merchandised by Determined Productions, who produced Snoop Many people who were not regular readers of the comic strip mistakenly thought that she was Snoopy's girlfriend rather than his sister.
Snoopy's sister made her first appearance in the comic strip on June 28, 1976. Belle also appeared briefly in the opening sequence of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show.
In 1984, Snoopy and Belle inspired fashion designers around the world, including Lagerfeld, Armani, and de la Renta to create one-of-a-kind outfits in their honor. Both beagles modeled for the "Snoopy in Fashion" exhibition held that year in Japan. "Snoopy & Belle in Fashion" continues to be exhibited as of 2020.[19] Photographs of the exhibition were collected in a 1988 book, Snoopy in Fashion.[20]
There was another traveling exhibition of Snoopy and Belle plush in outfits made by fashion designers in 1990, as a celebration of the comic strip's fortieth anniversary. This exhibition began in Paris at the Louvre Museum, and then to the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo, followed by showings in Los Angeles, New York City, London, Milan and Madrid.[21] Photographs from this collection were published as Snoopy Around the World.[22]
Other than the appearance in the opening credits of the TV series, Belle's only animated special was 1991's Snoopy's Reunion. Also she was mentioned, but not seen, in 2003's I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown.
Andy & Olaf[edit]
Andy and Olaf live together on a farm.[23] Andy is distinguished by his shaggy coat but otherwise looks like Snoopy. Olaf is obese and wears a hunting cap, and aside from his ears, bears little resemblance to Snoopy or his other siblings.
Olaf is first seen during a series on January 19, 1989, in which he visits Snoopy. During this sequence, Lucy enters with Olaf in an "ugly dog" contest, which he wins (much to his disappointment). He appears again in 1994, when he, Andy, and Spike visit Snoopy, who is in the hospital. After Snoopy recovers, the three brothers abruptly leave. This is the first appearance of Andy in the strip.
After that, Olaf and Andy are shown in several 1994 strips. They are sitting against a barn contemplating what direction their lives should go in. They appeared sporadically after that.
His animated debut was the 1991 TV special Snoopy's Reunion. Andy is based on a wire-haired fox terrier (also named Andy) that Schulz owned from October 1988 to March 1994.
Both Olaf and Andy made their second animated appearance in I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown via a flashback scene.
Marbles[edit]
Marbles is the oldest and reputedly the smartest of the siblings, whose only appearances in the comic strip were in 1982 from September 28 to October 9.[24] Marbles is the only sibling whose ears are spotted rather than being solid-colored. Unlike Snoopy's siblings Spike and Belle, he does not share in Snoopy's fantasy World War I scenarios, seeing Snoopy's Sopwith Camel as his doghouse, an "ambulance" as a shopping cart, etc. while commenting that "...[Snoopy] was always the quiet one in the family." He leaves a visit to his brother over this. He was also seen to wear jogging shoes.
He also appeared in the 1991 animated feature Snoopy's Reunion and in a flashback from I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown, when Charlie Brown was talking to Rerun about Snoopy's siblings. Marbles plays the banjo.
Other siblings[edit]
The other two siblings, Molly and Rover, appeared in the 1981 TV special Snoopy's Reunion; however, Schulz never depicted or named these characters in the comic strip, so these names are not considered to be canonical.
Snoopy's parents[edit]
Snoopy's parents, Baxter and Missy, have each appeared only once in the comic strip (Baxter on June 18, 1989,[25] and Missy on July 26, 1996,[26]) but only Missy appeared on television. Missy appeared in Snoopy's Reunion in the flashback of when Snoopy and his siblings are born and being bought by people. Baxter is said to have lived in Florida, has a large white mustache, and wears glasses and a baseball cap. Missy bears a strong resemblance to Snoopy and Belle and wore a fur hat.
References[edit]
- ↑ Schulz, Charles M. (2013). The Complete Peanuts: 1959 to 1960. Fantagraphics Books. p. 67. ISBN 978-1560976714. Search this book on
- ↑ Schulz, Charles M. (2013). The Complete Peanuts: 1965 to 1966. Fantagraphics Books. pp. 57–58. ISBN 978-1560977247. Search this book on
- ↑ Schulz, Charles M. (2008). The Complete Peanuts: 1969 to 1970. Fantagraphics Books. p. 190. ISBN 978-1560978275. Search this book on
- ↑ Groth, Conrad, ed. (2020). What Cartooning Really Is: The Major Interviews with Charles M. Schulz. Fantagraphics Books. p. 98. ISBN 978-1683963820. Search this book on
- ↑ Pauer, Frank (2000). "A Conversation with Charles Schulz". In Inge, M. Thomas. Charles M. Schulz: Conversations. University Press of Mississippi. p. 148. ISBN 9781578063055. Search this book on
- ↑ Solomon, Charles (2012). The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation: Celebrating Fifty Years of Television Specials. Chronicle Books. p. 168. ISBN 978-1452110912. Search this book on
- ↑ peanutscollectorclub.com
- ↑ Farago, Andrew (2017). The Complete Peanuts Family Album: The Ultimate Guide to Charles M. Schulz's Classic Characters. Weldon Owen. p. 204. ISBN 978-1681882925. Search this book on
- ↑ Schulz, Charles M. (2015). The Complete Peanuts: 1975 to 1976. Fantagraphics Books. p. 97. ISBN 978-1606993453. Search this book on
- ↑ Gorney, Cynthia (2000). "The Peanuts Progenitor". In Inge, M. Thomas. Charles M. Schulz: Conversations. University Press of Mississippi. p. 137. ISBN 9781578063055. Search this book on
- ↑ Hughes, Mike (September 27, 1988). "Charlie Brown's younger sister: Schulz daughter stars in special 'Girl in the Red Truck'". Gannett News Service. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ↑ Horton, Kaleb. "On the Existential Beauty of Peanuts". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
- ↑ Spike's origin story
- ↑ Beyer, John R. (January 19, 2020). "Needles, a small town with a big history". Beyer's Byways. Valley Daily Press. Gannett. Retrieved 2020-01-19. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Farago, Andrew (2017). The Complete Peanuts Family Album: The Ultimate Guide to Charles M. Schulz's Classic Characters. Weldon Owen. p. 209. ISBN 978-1681882925. Search this book on
- ↑ Schulz, Charles M. (2015). The Complete Peanuts: 1975 to 1976. Fantagraphics Books. p. 235. ISBN 978-1606993453. Search this book on
- ↑ Kleiman, Carol (June 23, 1980). "Good grief! How did Snoopy, the world's most popular dog, become a soft cuddly toy..." Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ↑ Creamer, Beverly (January 2, 1980). "Doing big business with one little dog". Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ↑ Snoopy & Belle in Fashion, retrieved October 21, 2020.
- ↑ Boucher, Connie, ed. (1988). Snoopy in Fashion. Chronicle Books. ISBN 9780877015741. Search this book on
- ↑ Cope, Penelope Bass (January 23, 1990). "Snoopy style: For 'Peanuts' at 40, the Louvre displays high-fashion clothes on lovable puppies". The Wilmington News-Journal: D1. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ↑ Rizzo, Albert (1990). Snoopy Around the World. Harry Abrams. ISBN 978-0810938083. Search this book on
- ↑ Farago, Andrew (2017). The Complete Peanuts Family Album: The Ultimate Guide to Charles M. Schulz's Classic Characters. Weldon Owen. p. 208. ISBN 978-1681882925. Search this book on
- ↑ Farago, Andrew (2017). The Complete Peanuts Family Album: The Ultimate Guide to Charles M. Schulz's Classic Characters. Weldon Owen. p. 210. ISBN 978-1681882925. Search this book on
- ↑ Schulz, Charles (1989-06-18). "Peanuts by Charles Schulz for June 18, 1989 | GoComics.com". GoComics. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
- ↑ Schulz, Charles (1996-07-26). "Peanuts by Charles Schulz for July 26, 1996 | GoComics.com". GoComics. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
External links[edit]
- The Peanuts Animation and Video Page
- Spike's origin strips
- Belle fan site (archived from the original on August 31, 2009)
- Snoopy's Siblings in Snoopy's street fair game
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