Today in History: The Last ‘Peanuts’ Comic Strip Appears in 2000

On the day after Charles M. Schultz died the comic strip “Peanuts” appeared in newspapers for the last time on this day in 2000. The characters of “Peanuts” included Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Peppermint Patty, Snoopy, Woodstock, and others.

Charles Schulz died at his home on February 12, 2000 at the age of 77, of colon cancer. He had predicted that the strip would outlive him because the strips were usually drawn weeks before their publication. Schulz was buried at Pleasant Hills Cemetery in Sebastopol, California.

As part of his contract with the syndicate, Schulz requested that no other artist be allowed to draw ‘Peanuts.’ United Features had legal ownership of the strip, but honored his wishes, instead syndicating reruns to newspapers. New television specials have also been produced since Schulz’s death, with the stories based on previous strips; Schulz always said the TV shows were entirely separate from the strip.

Schulz was honored on May 27, 2000, by cartoonists of more than 100 comic strips, who paid homage to him and ‘Peanuts’ by incorporating his characters into their strips that day.