A Charlie Brown Christmas debuted on CBS on December 9, 1965. It was the first tv special based on the Peanuts comic strip (the original cartoon strip was named L’il Folks but another artist who had a comic strip called Little Folks already held the trademark for that name and objected, resulting in the United Features Syndicate renaming the newer comic Peanuts, which Charles Schulz hated).
The half hour special was commissioned by Coca Cola and included some unusual choices (a jazz score by Vincent Guaraldi, no laugh track, and children cast as the voice actors) that resulted in the producers and the network predicting that it would be a disaster. They also criticized the slow pace and the simple animation. Instead the special received high ratings as well as an Emmy and a Peabody.
It aired annually on CBS until 2000. ABC then aired it from 2001 until 2019. Apple TV+ acquired exclusive rights to all Peanuts related media in 2020 but under the terms of the agreement, Apple must air each of the three Charlie Brown holiday specials (It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and A Charlie Brown Christmas) for free during a three day window near each respective holiday. Earlier this year, Apple renewed the rights to stream Peanuts media through 2030.
Which Peanuts character do you identify with the most?
