Little Red-Haired Girl
Encyclopedia : L : LI : LIT : Little Red-Haired Girl
The Little Red-Haired Girl is an unseen character in the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, and is a symbol of unrequited love. She serves as the object of Charlie Brown's desire. He most often notices her while eating lunch outdoors, and often tries to get up the courage to speak to her, but always in vain. Anything touched by her or associated with her is precious to him. For example, in one strip he finds her pencil dropped in the hallway, notices that it has been chewed and declares, "She's human!" Presumably, this common habit makes her seem more approachable, but, typically, he never follows through.
She also figures prominently in Valentine's Day strips, several of which focus on Charlie Brown's hope of getting a valentine from her.
Although the Little Red-Haired Girl is never seen, nor is her name even mentioned, she is still crucial to the strip. Not only does she provide a recurring comic theme, but Charlie Brown's hapless schoolboy crush on her is a part of his personality to which nearly all readers can relate, so it makes him seem more real.
In July 1969, a story arc ran depicting the Little Red-Haired Girl moving away. Charlie Brown despaired that he would never see her again. He saw her from a distance later that year while skiing. Peppermint Patty and Marcie encountered her at summer camp a few years later. Eventually, the Little Red-Haired Girl moved back to Charlie Brown's neighborhood, with no further mention of her ever having been away.
The 1977 animated TV special It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown depicted the Little Red-Haired Girl on camera and stated that her name was Heather; she was voiced by Michelle Muller. She appeared again on camera in the 1985 special Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!. Schulz did not consider these animated appearances to be canonical. Officially, she remains unseen and unnamed. [link]
The Little Red-Haired Girl was seen in the comics in silhouette once in 1998, dancing with Snoopy. When the storyline was adapted as part of the 2002 TV special A Charlie Brown Valentine, she was seen unshadowed.
A former coworker, Donna Johnson, was Schulz's inspiration for the character.
| Peanuts | |
|---|---|
| Characters | |
| 5 | Charlotte Braun | Charlie Brown | Sally Brown | Eudora | Franklin | Frieda | The Great Pumpkin | Kite-Eating Tree | Lila | Little Red-Haired Girl | Marcie | Miss Othmar | Patty | Peggy Jean | Peppermint Patty | José Peterson | Pig-Pen | Poochie | Roy | Schroeder | Shermy | Joe Shlabotnik | Snoopy | Snoopy's siblings | Thibault | Linus van Pelt | Lucy van Pelt | Rerun van Pelt | Violet | Woodstock | |
| Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!) > A Boy Named Charlie Brown (feature film) | Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown | Snoopy, Come Home | |
| Other Media | |
| A Charlie Brown Christmas (soundtrack album) | The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show | Linus and Lucy | Snoopy | Snoopy's Silly Sports Spectacular | This is America, Charlie Brown | You're a Good Man… |
| People | |
| Vince Guaraldi > Donna Johnson | Bill Melendez | Charles M. Schulz |