After the show aired CBS ordered four more specials. Who knew? Honestly if Charles M. Schulz & Lee Mendelson went to one of the major networks today with the pitch for A Charlie Brown Christmas I would imagine that the response would be, "So, this is a holiday special for kids where the title character is a boy going through holiday depression. Okay, a bit of a downer isn’t it? And this depression stems from people’s greed and the over commercialism of the holiday. Yeah, kinda hard to sell commercial time when you alienate the potential sponsor who is also counting on that consumer greed. See a good Christmas story has to have someone saving the holiday by helping Santa make his flight. In your story the day is saved thanks to a Bible reading. I don’t get it. How does the birth of the baby Jesus inspire kids to save a tree? The tree was cut down, it’s already dead. Sorry this is not for us, but the guys at PAX will love it".
Stay Tuned
Tony Figueroa
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Article comments
1 - Darren
To me, nothing brings home the holidays with more force than "A Charlie Brown Christmas". I'm pretty much a lapsed Christian who's been using the "I'm spiritual, not religious" cop-out for twenty years, and yet... When Linus hits the stage, the spotlight comes on, and he starts reading, I tear up like a grade-schooler who's just skinned his knee. I don't know if it's just the nostalgia factor, but the Vince Guaraldi soundtrack has the same effect. That music just knocks me out.
To call it a "classic" is almost too lightweight a word. ACBC *defines* Christmas, both the feeling and the message, to me. Gotta buy it on DVD this year!
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
In other words, the 39th anniversary of a rerun.
3 - Darren
Yeah, that's it. Sure. Ter-rific. I guess it's not *cool* to become attached to anything in pop culture for reasons of nostalgia; or display any sentimentality. At least you've gotta find the poor animation and bad dancing amusing - ?
4 - Mark Sahm
There was a parody of ACBC on South Park where you see Snoopy beating Charlie Brown with a 2x4. Now that was timeless!
5 - Victor Lana
Great post, Tony! My daughter (4 years old) watched it the other night and LOVED it. It is universal in its appeal and doesn't grow old (even with Lucy and her aluminum tree).
I still can recite every word because in third grade I played Charlie Brown in the school Christmas play. As far as I'm concerned, it wouldn't be Christmas without Chuck, Lucy, and the gang.
6 - Eric Olsen
beautiful job Tony, thanks! It's on tonight!