Named after the iconic Charlie Brown catchphrase, Good Grief Day celebrates the life and work of the immovable Charles M. Schulz. Schulz was born on November 26, 1922, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His interest in the arts was evident during his upbringing, as he would spend his days taking in the works of Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper, and Andrew Wyeth, while also developing a penchant for cartoons. As a child, he would draw dozens upon dozens of cartoons, inspired by either the cartoons he admired or the world around him.
Growing up, he aspired to be a cartoonist, and at the age of 15, he sent one of his drawings to the “Ripley’s Believe it or Not!” weekly column, which became his first published cartoon — he knew from then on that this was his life.
After returning from military service in Europe in 1945, he would further develop his career as a cartoonist, scoring his weekly series in 1947. That cartoon was “Li’l Folks,” which would be the predecessor of his magnum opus. “Li’l Folks” would later draw the attention of mega publishers United Features Syndicate in 1950, who asked him to develop a new weekly comic strip. Thus, on October 2, 1950, “Peanuts” was born. The iconic series would later become the longest-running comic strip in history — running until Schulz died in 2000.
“Peanuts” is considered to be one of the greatest cartoon series in history, lauded for its simple yet complex humor, and its philosophical and psychological social commentary. Multiple “Peanuts” television and film iterations were made, the most notable being the 1965 T.V. special “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” which continues to be run in syndication today.
From the eccentric beagle, Snoopy, and his worrywart owner Charlie Brown to the colorful range of supporting characters such as the logical Woodstock, the antagonistic Lucy van Pelt, and the spunky Peppermint Patty, Schulz’s creations have brought laughter and joy to millions around the world.
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