charlie brown – Prattling before the Pratfall

Schulz brothers have their say

Since losing her husband to colon cancer, Katie Couric has urged people over 50 to have a colonoscopy. Monte Schulz lost his father to colon cancer, and he made this PSA for the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance.

Since the death of Charles M. Schulz, Monte has been writing novels and his brother Craig has been in charge of their father’s studio, Creative Associates. Craig talks about the studio’s new DVD, Happiness is a Warm Blanket with Geek To Me at this link. Check the AAUGH Blog for a review and more information.

The Beeb on Sparky

It’s hard to believe it’s already been three years since the controversial biography Schulz and Peanuts, by David Michaelis. You have until next Tuesday to listen to a BBC Radio 4 feature on Charles M. Schulz.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/vrvdm/

I’m a bit surprised to hear Jeannie say, “David did a marvelous job…” Russell T. Davies, who brought Doctor Who back from hiatus, chimes in with the factoid that long before the Tardis, Snoopy’s doghouse was much bigger inside than it appeared outside.

Charlie Brown no longer United, he’s Universal

Less than a month before the 60th anniversary of the introduction of Peanuts by United Feature Syndicate, there is the announcement that the strip will leave United Media for Universal Press Syndicate, now called UClick.

ABC for Peanuts

The Daily Cartoonist reports that ABC-TV has signed a five-year contract to continue airing the Peanuts holiday specials. Which is good, because ten years after moving from CBS, I still need more time to get used to them being on ABC!

Three deceased Greats

The 2010 San Diego Comic-Con is coming up soon. Over on Comic-Convention Memories, there are batches of photos taken at the San Diego con in 1974.

Here’s a pic of MAD cartoonist Sergio Aragonés. No! Wait! That’s not Sergio, it’s Peanuts animator Bill Melendez.

And here’s his de facto boss, Sparky Schulz, when he was — yikes! — a couple of years younger than I am now!

With special guest star, director Frank Capra! Frank Capra?? He attended a comic-book convention in 1974??? That was several years after his autobiography, The Name Above the Title, and ten years before She’s a Wonderful Wife — er, I mean It’s a Wonderful Life — was rescued from public domain abuse and rightly hailed as one of the all-time great movies.