A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is a beloved classic, though there is one particular scene that has garnered criticism from fans of the special as of late.
And it’s a scene executive producer and director Lee Mendelson would have removed altogether if it were up to him.
It’s where Woodstock, Snoopy’s faithful sidekick, partakes in the Turkey the Beagle has prepared. Even back in 1973 when the special was released, Mendelson felt uneasy about a bird eating another bird.
Mendelson wrote in his editorial for the Huffington Post, “[Charles M.] Schulz insisted that Woodstock join Snoopy in carving and eating a turkey. For some reason, I was bothered that Woodstock would eat a turkey.
“I voiced my concern, which was immediately overruled.”
Mendelson noted that the scene was cut when CBS shortened the special from 25 to 22 minutes, but when the rights of the show were moved over to ABC in 2001, it went back to its original length and the scene was reinstated.
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