Lee Mendelson
Lee Mendelson
Lee Mendelsonis an American television producer. He is best known as the executive producer of the many Peanuts animated specials...
brown charles charlie christmas classic grew midwest reason reflects values
I've always said that the reason 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' is a classic is because it reflects the Midwest values that Charles Schulz grew up with.
ahead beyond charlie couple growing learned picked youngest
Growing up in Minnesota, Schulz jumped ahead a couple of grades. When you're the youngest and the skinniest in your class, you're picked on. Like Charlie Brown, he learned to get beyond that.
people
So now it's a standard. Who knew? I tell people that I'm old and I'm lucky.
charlie christmas relevant today
Charlie Brown's message, decrying the commercialization of Christmas, is even more relevant today than it was in 1965.
choice felt music resonate segment slow
We felt the show was too slow and wouldn't resonate with any segment of the audience. Even our choice of music was questionable at the time.
charlie ruined
We thought that we had ruined Charlie Brown.
destroyed jazz network peanuts voices
We thought we had destroyed Peanuts . It just didn't work. And the network didn't like it. It was too slow; we had used kids' voices and that jazz music.
segments
There are so many segments that are appropriate today.