Two deaths

Word is going around that Peter Robbins, who provided the voice of Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Christmas and other early specials, died from suicide last week. Robbins had a history of mental struggles, which had played itself out in drug use and earning some time in prison. He was involved in Peanuts projects even in his adult years – he narrated a digital storybook version of the Christmas special a decade back, among other things. After his release from prison a couple years ago, he was working on a memoir about what got him there, with the working title Confessions of a Blockhead.  I have no idea whether that was finished or will ever be seen.

The other death I mention not because it’s on-topic for this blog, but because it relates to the near-term future of it: my father passed yesterday. I am fine; his death released him from the ever-deepening struggles with dementia that had pained him so. But don’t be surprised if I post a bit less for a while… or if I post a bit more. We’ll see how I process things.

But if you’re thinking that Dad’s the one who got me into Peanuts: well, no. But here’s a picture of him circa 1942:

That’s right, Dad was Dennis the Menace before Dennis the Menace was!

Take care of yourselves, and give everyone who wants one an extra hug.

Animated Peanuts
Free Snoopy Weekend

Apple just announced that this weekend, you can watch all of their original programming for free (you will have to sign in for an account, but not a subscription.) This means The Snoopy Show, Snoopy in Space, Camp Snoopy, and the new Peanuts specials that were created for Apple should all be …

Administrative
Well, that was a reaction

Yesterday’s post about socialism accusations being aimed at Peanuts and drawing a parallel to today’s attacks on libraries actually didn’t get much response. Even when I shared a version on social media, I got a mere handful of “likes”. But the one email I got was a doozy. I mean, …

Animated Peanuts
RIP Willie Mays

Willie Mays has died. The baseball great lived until the age of 1993. “Why is that relevant to a Peanuts blog?” I hear of a few of you cry (though many of you know better.) Before Lee Mendelson had any connection to Peanuts, he made a documentary about Mays… and …