Editor’s note: This story was originally published on Dec. 8, 2024.

A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives .

On Dec. 9, 1965, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the first animated TV special featuring characters from the “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, premiered on CBS.

Per historical accounts, before it aired in 1965, nearly everyone, including its producers and the network, predicted “A Charlie Brown Christmas” would be a complete and total disaster that could forever ruin the Peanuts brand.

The project came together on a shoestring budget and in six months. Schulz insisted on writing the script himself, and he used the opportunity to touch on themes he felt were missing from a lot of entertainment in the 1960s.

According to many sources

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