Charles M. Schulz - The Man Behind Snoopy

Charles Monroe Shulz, or Sparky to his friends was regarded as one of the most influential cartoonists of all time.  

I fondly remember the short but fun strips in the newspaper when I was growing up. 

From his single panel jokes entitled 'Lil Folks' from 1947, lasting 3 years in the St Paul Pioneer Press to publications in the Saturday Evening Post, a total of 17 drawings published in the Post over this 2 year period, you could say that it was somewhat humble begginings for Shulz.

With Peanuts making its debut in 1950, seven newspapers took on the comic strip, Shulz began to see his creations gaining momentum striking a particular chord with the public. Peanuts was to eventually go on to become one of the most successful comic strips of all time!  

At its height, Peanuts was published in 2,600 papers in 75 countries in 21 languages and over the next 50 years, with Shulz drawing over 18,000 strips in total. 

With massive sales from the strips themselves as well as merchadise and product endorsements, his cartoons would bag him over 30 million dollars annually.

Shulz was a hard working man, only taking one holiday in during the life of the Peanuts strip upon his 75th birthday. 

For me there was something very nastalgic about Peanuts. Snoopy and his pals are available to buy from Character Toy Store