History Franchise / Peanuts

* Advertising/MetLife (1985-2016)

The {{Newspaper Comic|s}} ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000. Beginning in TheSixties, Schulz started collaborating with animator Creator/BillMelendez and producer Lee Mendelson to produce the much-loved animated TV specials (which hold the honor, only shared with specials based on ''Series/SesameStreet'' and material from the ''Series/GetSmart'' franchise, of having had installments premiere on [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios every]] [[Creator/{{ABC}} Big]] [[Creator/{{CBS}} Four]] [[Creator/{{NBC}} network]]). The first of these, ''WesternAnimation/ACharlieBrownChristmas'', originally aired on December 9, 1965. By 1967, there was even a stage {{musical}}, ''Theatre/YoureAGoodManCharlieBrown'', which was followed by ''Snoopy! The Musical'' in 1975.

The {{Newspaper Comic|s}} ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000. Beginning in TheSixties, Schulz started collaborating with animator Creator/BillMelendez and producer Lee Mendelson to produce the much-loved animated specials (which hold the honor, only shared with specials based on ''Series/SesameStreet'' and material from the ''Series/GetSmart'' franchise, of having had installments premiere on [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios every]] [[Creator/{{ABC}} Big]] [[Creator/{{CBS}} Four]] [[Creator/{{NBC}} network]]). The first of these, ''WesternAnimation/ACharlieBrownChristmas'', originally aired on December 9, 1965. By 1967, there was even a stage {{musical}}, ''Theatre/YoureAGoodManCharlieBrown'', which was followed by ''Snoopy! The Musical'' in 1975.

The {{Newspaper Comic|s}} ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000. Beginning in TheSixties, Schulz started collaborating with animator Creator/BillMelendez and producer Lee Mendelson to produce the much-loved animated specials (which hold the honor, only shared with specials based on ''Series/SesameStreet'' and material from the ''Series/GetSmart'' franchise, of having had installments premiere on [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyStudios every]] [[Creator/{{ABC}} Big]] [[Creator/{{CBS}} Four]] [[Creator/{{NBC}} network]]). The first of these, ''WesternAnimation/ACharlieBrownChristmas'', aired on December 9, 1965. By 1967, there was even a play, ''Theatre/YoureAGoodManCharlieBrown'', which was followed by ''Snoopy! The Musical'' in 1975.

While the strip's cast began very young, they grew as time went on -- well, sort of; consensus is their age topped out at about 6 (Linus and Sally) to 8 (Charlie Brown, Lucy, et al.) -- but adults were always conspicuous by their absence, famously represented in the TV specials by unintelligible offscreen "wah-wah" noises produced by a muted trombone. (This was originally due to the editor's restrictions on the strip: to fit the kids in at a decent size in the small panels, he put the "camera" at their height and did away with anyone taller.)

When the kids weren't in school, they were usually playing baseball or having amazingly sophisticated intellectual conversations while leaning on a brick wall. Over the years, the strip became famous for its psychological realism, bordering on an all-out satire of more typically sentimental kiddie comics, though it arguably took a turn away from the philosophical toward more direct comedy relatively early in its run (around 1970). Charlie Brown developed from a standard "lovable loser" into a sensitive and intelligent Everyman, whose relentless track record of failure meant he struggled perpetually with the Really Big Questions. Alternately aiding and exasperating him in his quest were his best friend Linus, a philosopher who sucked his thumb and carried a SecurityBlanket, and Linus's big sister Lucy, a bossy, brassy self-described "fussbudget" who already knew what the universe's major problem was: it never asked ''her'' what to do.

[[caption-width-right:350:The one with [[https://youtu.be/x6zypc_LhnM the famous piano theme you’re probably hearing in your head]].]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ItsSpringTrainingCharlieBrown'' (1996)

* ''WesternAnimation/HappinessIsAWarmBlanketCharlieBrown'' (2011)

The {{Newspaper Comic|s}} ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000. Beginning in TheSixties, Schulz started collaborating with animator Creator/BillMelendez and producer Lee Mendelson to produce the much-loved animated specials (which hold the honor, only shared with specials based on ''Series/SesameStreet'' and material from the ''Series/GetSmart'' franchise, of having had installments premiere on every Big Four network). The first of these, ''WesternAnimation/ACharlieBrownChristmas'', aired on December 9, 1965. By 1967, there was even a play, ''Theatre/YoureAGoodManCharlieBrown'', which was followed by ''Snoopy! The Musical'' in 1975.

* ''Peanuts'' (2016)

* [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption Charlie Brown trying to kick the football and Lucy yanking the ball away.]] (Schulz briefly toyed with the idea of having him ''finally'' kick the football, but realized that the entire 'football' gag was about Charlie Brown's unending sense of optimism, rather than Lucy simply being mean).

* Snoopy's imagined personae: UsefulNotes/WorldWarI flying ace, novelist, attorney, golf pro, Beagle Scout leader, 'Mad Punter', tennis player, hockey player, streaker, vulture, helicopter, Easter Beagle, Flashbeagle, Joe Cool, etc. etc.

* ''Snoopy Presents: Lucy's School'' (2022)