Why you might not see Charlie Brown and Snoopy this Christmas
When “A Charlie Brown Christmas” premiered on Dec. 9, 1965, nearly half the country watched Charles M. Schulz’s low- key protest against holiday materialism and shoutout to scrawny little trees.
The special went on to become a beloved staple of family traditions, as millions have gathered in their living rooms to see it on network television — first CBS, then ABC — for more than 50 years.
Until now.
In yet another example of changing viewing habits, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” along with other “Peanuts” specials, have gravitated to the streaming world. In October, Apple TV+ announced an exclusive deal with Peanuts Worldwide,
WildBrain Studios and Bay Area-based Lee Mendelson Film Productions to become the home of all things “Peanuts.”
That’s why you didn’t see Linus’ annual Great Pumpkin vigil on ABC in October, and why you won’t see “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” on broadcast television this month.
The good news is that Apple is making the specials available for free to nonsubscribers during limited windows. For “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” that window is Nov. 25-27. ( It debuts on the service Nov. 18.)
For “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the free window runs Dec. 11-13. (It debuts Dec. 4.)
One might think that the TV audience for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” wouldn’t be all that substantial these days, given that many people probably have it stashed in their DVRs, or available on DVD. But ABC’s airing of the program on Nov. 27 last year still drew 6.2 million viewers. A second airing on Dec. 5 attracted 5.8 million.
Apple, looking to bolster the library for its year- old streaming platform, obviously liked those numbers.
The Emmy-winning special has strong roots in the Bay Area. It was directed and executive produced by San Mateo native and Stanford graduate Lee Mendelson. Its famous score was composed by San Francisco jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, and Schulz, the mastermind behind it all, was living in Santa Rosa.
In 2019, Mendelson, the last surviving member of the trio, died in Hillsborough at the age of 86 — perhaps fittingly, on Christmas.