Seventy-five years ago this month, a modest four-panel comic strip about a “lovable loser” named Charlie Brown debuted in nine American newspapers. That launch marked the beginning of Peanuts, a cultural phenomenon that would become the most widely syndicated comic strip in history and an enduring part of global pop culture.
Created by Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts quickly grew from its humble beginnings into a worldwide empire. Within its first 25 years, the strip was appearing daily in 1,655 newspapers around the globe. Alongside the comics came a booming business of books, greeting cards, television specials, films, and stage productions. The musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown became a theater staple, while animated specials like A Charlie Brown Christmas became annual holiday traditions.
Schulz, born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, modeled Charlie Brown on himself. He viewed his lead character as his alter ego, reflecting his own experiences with melancholy, anxiety, and a sense of being on the margins. Other beloved characters emerged from his life as well: Linus introduced the concept of the “security blanket” into popular vocabulary, while the Little Red-Haired Girl was inspired by Schulz’s unrequited first love, Donna Johnson.
Television initially hesitated to embrace the strip, but by the mid-1960s, Peanuts specials became ratings powerhouses. A Boy Named Charlie Brown became a box-office hit, and Snoopy emerged as an international icon—even appearing on soldiers’ helmets during the Vietnam War.
In January 2000, at age 77 and facing colon cancer, Schulz announced his retirement. His final Sunday strip ran on February 13 of that year—one day after his death. The timing underscored his lifelong devotion to the work that had defined his life.
Today, Peanuts continues to thrive under Peanuts Worldwide, co-owned by Schulz’s family and WildBrain, with Apple TV+ holding the streaming and new-content rights. As the strip reaches its 75th anniversary, Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, and the rest of the gang remain fixtures of both nostalgia and new storytelling—proof that Schulz’s simple, human vision still resonates across generations.
Source: People