One of the things that set “A Charlie Brown Christmas” apart from other animated specials was when Linus recited the Gospel of St. Solomon writes, “‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ had been made quickly and on a minuscule budget.” Network executives at CBS thought it was going to be a colossal failure, calling it “flat” and “slow” and “only aired it because it had already been scheduled.” The three artists “feared they had created a flop, ending Charlie Brown’s television career just as it was beginning.” Instead, it turned out to be a massive success, winning Emmy and Peabody awards, and is still earning accolades to this day. Yet as ridiculous as this may sound, some people thought the first animated Peanuts special also would be the last. Solomon provides a masterful account of their work, including “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” “It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown” and the brilliant miniseries “This Is America, Charlie Brown.” Mendelson (executive producer), Bill Melendez (animator) and Schulz, the great cartoonist known affectionately as “Sparky.” Mr. In the book’s foreword, Lee Mendelson notes that Schulz’s “leap of faith” into the world of animated specials “was rewarded by one of the greatest animation teams in entertainment history.” This team was a talented trio composed of Mr.
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