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CBS Nearly Pulled the Plug on A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS Because They Thought It Would Flop
GeekTyrantStory by Joey Paur
scrn logline
CBS execs nearly axed the beloved Peanuts holiday special, fearing it wouldn't connect with audiences - until it became a runaway hit that's now a cherished classic.
beat sheet
- According to producer Lee Mendelson, CBS network brass thought the special's slow pacing and lack of a laugh track would be a turn-off for viewers, nearly pulling the plug before its 1965 debut.
- But the special ended up being a ratings juggernaut, drawing over 50% of the TV audience and kickstarting a tradition of annual Peanuts holiday specials that persist to this day.
call sheet
Lee Mendelson, A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS