Charles Schulz

Who Was Charles Schulz?

Charles Schulz, an influential American cartoonist, created the iconic comic strip Peanuts, which debuted in 1950. Centered around the beloved character Charlie Brown, Peanuts became a cultural phenomenon, eventually appearing in over 2,000 newspapers worldwide and translated into numerous languages. The franchise expanded significantly beyond print, including television specials such as the Emmy-winning A Charlie Brown Christmas, various published works, and an extensive array of merchandise. Schulz’s remarkable contributions to the world of comics continued until his passing on February 12, 2000.

Early Life

Charles Monroe Schulz was born on November 26, 1922, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was the only child of Carl Schulz, a German immigrant and barber, and Dena, a waitress who later became a homemaker. Although he spent most of his childhood in the Twin Cities, his family briefly relocated to Needles, California, during the Great Depression.

From an early age, Schulz demonstrated a passion for cartooning, inspired by the Sunday comic strips he read with his father. He became an avid fan of E.C. Segar’s Thimble Theatre (which featured Popeye), Percy Crosby’s Skippy, and Al Capp’s L’il Abner. In 1937, Schulz experienced a significant milestone when his drawing of the family dog, Spike, was published in Robert Ripley’s renowned Believe It or Not! feature.

During his senior year at St. Paul’s Central High School, Schulz enrolled in a correspondence course at the Federal School of Applied Cartooning in Minneapolis. As he worked various odd jobs, he began submitting his cartoons to different publications. However, his career aspirations were temporarily interrupted when he was drafted into the U.S. Army in the fall of 1942. Tragically, shortly after he left for basic training, his mother passed away at the age of 50 due to cervical cancer.

War Service and Early Career

Charles M. Schulz was assigned to Company B in the Eighth Armored Battalion of the Twentieth Armored Infantry Division, where he trained as a machine gunner at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, eventually achieving the rank of staff sergeant. In February 1945, Schulz’s unit was deployed to Europe, playing a significant role in the assault on Munich and the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp. Following Germany’s surrender, he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge for his participation in active ground combat under hostile conditions. After the war, Schulz was stationed at Camp Cooke in California and officially discharged on January 6, 1946.

During his military service, Schulz nurtured his passion for cartooning, finding inspiration in Bill Mauldin’s characters, Willie and Joe, featured in the military publication Stars and Stripes. After returning from service, he began working as an instructor at his former cartooning school, which provided him with an opportunity to refine his craft. In early 1947, one of his pieces was published, and that same year marked the debut of his weekly panel in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, titled Li’l Folks. This strip, named after Schulz’s childhood nickname “Sparky,” included early versions of what would later become iconic characters like Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Recognition followed in 1948 when Schulz had his first of 17 cartoons published in The Saturday Evening Post. After several attempts to secure syndication for Li’l Folks, Schulz achieved a breakthrough in 1950 when United Feature Syndicate purchased his strip, which he reluctantly retitled Peanuts due to conflicts with similarly named comics.

Peanuts Characters

Peanuts made its official debut on October 2, 1950, appearing in seven newspapers. The first four-panel comic featured a boy lamenting his disdain for “Good ol’ Charlie Brown,” effectively setting the tone for the bald-headed protagonist. Audiences quickly grew fond of the quirky and philosophical cast, including the perpetually unlucky Charlie Brown, the assertive Lucy, her security blanket-wielding brother Linus, the music-loving Schroeder, and Snoopy, the imaginative pet who often fancied himself in aerial dogfights with the Red Baron.

Schulz infused the strip with elements drawn from his own life experiences: Snoopy was inspired by his childhood dog Spike, Lucy’s habit of pulling the football away from Charlie Brown mirrored childhood pranks, and the elusive Little Red-Haired Girl, who caused Charlie Brown much romantic distress, was based on an old girlfriend who had rejected Schulz’s marriage proposal.

Peanuts earned Schulz the Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year in 1955 (and again in 1964) and developed a widespread appeal beyond the comic strips. Exhibitions of original Peanuts artwork were held at institutions such as the Rhode Island School of Design and the University of Minnesota, and Schulz was honored as Yale University’s Humorist of the Year. By 1960, the beloved characters began appearing on Hallmark greeting cards and in advertisements for Ford vehicles.

In the early 1960s, Schulz was approached by television producer Lee Mendelson to create a documentary, which, although never aired, initiated a long-standing partnership. Together, they produced the classic television special A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), featuring Bill Melendez’s animation and a memorable score by jazz musician Vince Guaraldi. This special won both an Emmy and a Peabody Award in 1966. Following this success, other specials such as Charlie Brown’s All-Stars and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown were aired later that same year. The Peanuts characters further solidified their status as pop culture icons, appearing on the cover of Time magazine and inspiring a hit song by The Royal Guardsmen. The stage production You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown premiered in New York City in 1967, and two years later, the feature-length film A Boy Named Charlie Brown debuted at Radio City Music Hall.

Later Works, Death, and Legacy

With the introduction of characters like Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Franklin—the first African American character in Peanuts—Schulz and his team continued to produce award-winning television specials alongside the comic strip. Feature films such as Snoopy Come Home (1972) and Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don’t Come Back!!) (1980) further expanded the franchise.

Despite undergoing quadruple-bypass surgery in 1981, Schulz persevered in creating his comic strip independently, even as he faced a hand tremor in later years. However, upon receiving a colon cancer diagnosis following abdominal surgery in late 1999, Schulz announced his retirement.

On February 12, 2000, the night before the final Peanuts cartoon was published, Schulz passed away in his sleep. At the time of his death, Peanuts reached readers in 21 languages across approximately 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries, with Schulz having created over 18,000 strips during his nearly five-decade career.

Posthumously, Schulz received numerous honors, including the Congressional Gold Medal. In 2002, the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center opened in Santa Rosa, showcasing original artwork, letters, photographs, and memorabilia. The Peanuts legacy continues to thrive, with characters still featured in daily newspapers, anniversary books, television specials, and commercials. To commemorate the 65th anniversary of the strip’s debut on October 2, 2015, Schulz was inducted into the California Hall of Fame, coinciding with the release of a new Peanuts 3D movie in November 2015.

Personal Life

Schulz married Joyce Halverson in 1951, adopting her young daughter, Meredith. The couple later had four children: Charles Jr. (known as Monte), Craig, Amy, and Jill, all welcomed by 1958.

After spending several years in Colorado Springs, Schulz relocated to a 28-acre property in Sonoma County, California, where the family renovated the grounds to include a swimming pool, a miniature golf course, and horse stables. In 1969, Schulz opened the Redwood Empire Ice Arena in nearby Santa Rosa, famously known as “Snoopy’s Home Ice,” which began hosting an annual hockey tournament in 1975. Schulz and Joyce divorced in 1972, and the following year, he married his second wife, Jeannie Clyde.