Like a lot of people, it is an annual tradition in my house to watch
A Charlie Brown Christmas every December. But, while watching the documentary included on the blu-ray, I learned many things I did not know about this holiday classic.
Did you know:
-You can thank
Coca-Cola for making it happen. They wanted to sponsor a Christmas special, the network contacted
Charles Schulz and in six months they whipped it together.
-It was the first
Charlie Brown special, previously the comic had been animated for a car commercial.
-The music was just a semi-random choice they hoped would work.
Vince Guaraldi took the job and the first thing he presented was the now classic "Linus and Lucy" theme.
-The producers and the network thought it was a near miss, try again next time. The network did not like the amateur child voice actors, the lack of a laugh track or the jazzy soundtrack.
-More than 50% of America tuned in to that first broadcast in Dec 1965. (Today, a "big" number would be 8-12%) It won an Emmy and a
Peabody award and grew so popular, it has played EVERY year since.
And, started a 15 year relationship between
Schulz and the producers to create more specials.
So, thank you Coca-Cola for this yearly treat!
May your holidays be bright!
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