- The WrapThe Wrap1h
- IndiewireIndiewire1h
- IndiewireIndiewire4h
- VarietyVariety6h
- IndiewireIndiewire6h
- AV ClubAV Club1d
- ComingSoon.netComingSoon.net2d
- SlashFilmSlashFilm2d
- Hollywood ReporterHollywood Reporter2d
- ScreenCrushScreenCrush2d
- The Rolling StoneThe Rolling Stone2d
- Consequence of SoundConsequence of Sound3d
- The WrapThe Wrap3d
- VarietyVariety3d
- IndiewireIndiewire3d
- DeadlineDeadline3d
- ComingSoon.netComingSoon.net3d
- AV ClubAV Club3d
- The WrapThe Wrap3d
- CinemaBlendCinemaBlend3d
- RogerEbert.comRogerEbert.com4d
- Hollywood ReporterHollywood Reporter4d
- ComingSoon.netComingSoon.net4d
- Hollywood ReporterHollywood Reporter4d
- MovieWebMovieWeb4d
- Hollywood ReporterHollywood Reporter5d
- VarietyVariety5d
- DeadlineDeadline6d
- ComicBook.comComicBook.com6d
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