Remembering Charles M. Schulz, beloved “Peanuts” creator

CAIRO – 27, November 2017: In honor of international renowned “Peanuts” cartoon strip creator Charles M. Schulz birthday, November 26, Egypt Today looks at his life and his beloved characters.

Born in the United States in 1922, Schulz's passion for cartooning started at the age of six, his father nicknamed him “Sparky,” a character in “Barney Google” comic strip.

After serving in World War II, Schulz returned home and began working at St. Paul Pioneer Press and Saturday Evening Post. He went on to develop his most celebrated cartoon strip, “Peanuts,” originally named “Li’l Folks,” published by the United Feature Syndicate of New York in 1950.


Peanuts, the cartoon [Photo Courtesy: Pinterest]

“Peanuts” would appear in more than 35 newspapers, in addition to being adapted for TV and theater. It has also translated into numerous languages and is known the world over.

Reflecting the universal themes of loneliness and frustrations, “Peanuts” beloved antihero, Charlie Brown, serves as a satirical commentary on the struggles of our daily lives.

The strip was originally centered around four main characters, due to its huge success more characters were added later.

“A Charlie Brown Christmas,” animated TV special based on the cartoon strip was released in 1965 and went on to win a Peabody and Emmy Award.

Schulz received several prestigious awards for his cartoon, including the Yale Humor Award in 1956 and National Education Association Award in 1960.

In honor of the man who brought happiness to the world’s children, “Charles M. Schulz Award" was established in 1980 by the United Feature Syndicate and a museum and research center opened in 2002 both carry the beloved cartoonist name.