![]() ![]() Mendelson, Schulz, and Bill Melendez, the longtime animator who had worked with Schulz on several “Peanuts”-themed Ford commercials, had five days to outline a Christmas special. ![]() He had committed to a “Peanuts” Christmas special without letting the creator know, but Schulz was game. When the executive asked to have the pitch by the following Monday, Mendelson replied, “No problem.” Remembering the documentary pitch, he asked if Mendelson and Schulz had considered creating a “Peanuts” Christmas show. Two years later, as “Peanuts” continued to grow in popularity, an executive for Coca-Cola came calling. Music of the Vince Guaraldi Trio is featured in “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” (Lee Mendelson Film Productions) While Mendelson was driving to meet with Schulz, he heard a jazz band on the radio that he thought would be perfect for the documentary’s soundtrack. Schulz agreed to Mendelson’s idea of the documentary. Mendelson’s characteristic of jumping the gun often worked in his favor, even when at first it didn’t. Schulz was the creator of the comic strip “Peanuts,” known for its classic characters Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, and Snoopy. In just six months “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was produced as a 20-minute Christmas special. Soon he decided to shoot a documentary on another California legend: Charles Schulz. The Californian had run into success as a local documentarian, winning a Peabody Award and producing a documentary on Willie Mays. Lee Mendelson (1933–2019) was the man behind the scenes. ![]()
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