Good Grief, Charlie Brown! Your Creator was a Complex Man

It would be hard to find a more beloved cartoonist than Charles Schulz. The famed comic strip creator’s career began in 1947 with the publication of his “Li’l Folks” cartoon panel in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Several years later, the strip was purchased by United Features Syndicate, and the name was changed to “Peanuts.

At the time of Schulz’s death, on February 12, 2000, is strip was appearing in more than 2,600 newspapers worldwide. It’s estimated there were over 300 million readers.

Schultz received many honors including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, several Emmy and Peabody awards, induction into the Cartoonist Hall of Fame, and the honor of serving as the grand marshal of the Rose Bowl Parade. He was posthumously awarded a Congressional Gold Medal.

Most of us grew up with his gang of “Peanuts” characters. We shared Charlie Brown’s hope that he would receive a Valentine’s Day card from the little redheaded girl. We identified with Linus’ anxiety when Lucy snatched the scrutiny blanket from his hands, sending him into a tailspin. And we felt Snoopy’s indignation at being forgotten as he stood at the front door with his food bowl in his mouth.

Although Schulz’s characters were recognized worldwide, little was known about their creator.

Insight into Schulz’s complex personality was revealed in the biography, “Schulz and Peanuts,” written by David Michaelis. When the book was published in October 2007, many readers felt the author ‘s portrayal was unsympathetic and dwelled too heavily on the cartoonist’s negative personality traits.

After seven years of research, Michaelis concluded that Schulz was, for the most part, a terribly unhappy man.

Michaelis demonstrated how, in the panels of the comic strip, Schulz revealed his personal acts of unkindness, infidelity, aggressiveness and depression. According to the author, Schulz used Charlie Brown to symbolize his feelings of self-doubt; Snoopy to express his feelings neglect; and Lucy to show his feelings of anger.

On the other hand, the cartoonist’s complex personality is further revealed by use of the characters of Linus to demonstrate his feelings of self-worth and of Schroeder to show his love for art.

Parts of the book are extremely touching. The author states that Schulz was a lonely child and prone to panic attacks. Extreme shyness forced him to enroll in correspondence courses rather than attend art school.

The author also points out that, until gaining confidence after serving in the Army, Schulz didn’t have the courage to ask a girl on a date. When he finally began dating, rather than taking flowers or candy, he often presented the girls with Bibles.

Michaelis characterizes Schulz as a man who knew how to hold a grudge. Examples of those who were never forgiven include his cold, uncaring mother, a girl who rejected him in high school, and the first wife who didn’t appreciate him. The biggest grudge was reserved for the executives at United Features Syndicate. Schulz never forgave them for changing the name of his comic strip to “Peanuts.”

A more flattering view of the cartoonist, is presented at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California.

Fans can both discover the sources of the cartoonist’s inspiration and understand how he was able to produce intriguing and amusing strips for 50 years. A visit to the museum will remind everyone why Schulz and his “Peanuts” gang were so special.

Plans for the Charles M. Schulz Museum almost didn’t make it off the drawing board. The humble cartoonist didn’t understand why anyone would be interested in him. At the urging of family and friends, Schulz finally relented and approved plans for the museum before his death.

The 27,000-square-foot facility is dedicated to celebrating and exploring the life and art of the most influential cartoon artist of the 20th Century. Since opening in August 2002, the museum has drawn fans from around the world.

Large panels of Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, and Snoopy greet visitors inside the front entrance.

Schulz’s longtime friend, Japanese artist Yoshiteru Otari, designed two impressive pieces exhibited on the first floor. One wall is covered with an image of Charlie Brown running to kick a football held by Lucy. Measuring 17-by-22-feet, the mural is comprised of 3,588 individual images on ceramic tiles.

Visitors can also view Otari’s sculpture, “Morphing Snoopy.” Weighing over 7,000 pounds, the wood bas-relief sculpture of Snoopy shows how the dog’s appearance evolved through the years. The timeline begins with a likeness of Spike, Schulz’s childhood pet that was the inspiration for Snoopy. The sculpture’s 43 layers show various phases of the beagle’s development including Snoopy’s transformation into a World War I flying ace pursuing the Red Baron.

The second floor of the facility features an 8-by-12-foot section of wall removed from the cartoonist’s home in Colorado. Painted by Schulz when he and his young family lived in the house in 1951, the wall features early images of Snoopy and Charlie Brown.

Other highlights in the museum include two galleries with permanent and changing exhibitions of original strips and memorabilia, a re-creation of Schulz’s studio work area, a 100-seat auditorium, a research library with archives, and a museum store.

Schulz’s playful nature is on display in the outdoor gardens. A holographic kite stuck high up in a tree and a labyrinth in the shape of Snoopy’s head entice visitors to dwell a little longer in the sweet, childlike world of Charles Schulz.

It’s almost impossible to leave the museum without having “warm and fuzzy” feelings for Charles Schulz.

After reading the book and touring the museum, have we discovered the real Charles Schulz? Many of us refuse to accept him as the tortured genius portrayed in the book. In our hearts, he will always reign as the world’s most beloved cartoonist.