The creator & artist for the Peanuts strip for 50 years, Charles Schulz recently announced his retirement.
Here is his official statement.
December 14, 1999 Dear Readers, Colleagues, Fellow Cartoonists and Friends near and far:
I have always wanted to be a cartoonist, and I feel very blessed to have been able to do what I love for almost 50 years. That all of you have embraced Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy and Linus and all the other PEANUTS characters has been a constant motivation for me.
It is important for me to tell you personally that I have decided to retire from drawing the PEANUTS comic strip, effective with the daily release of Monday, January 3th, 2000, (and Sunday release of February 13th), in order to concentrate on my treatment for and recuperation from colon cancer. Although I feel better following my recent surgery, I want to focus on my health and my family without the worry of a daily deadline.
Thank you for your kindness and support over the years and for the outpouring of good wishes since my surgery.
Sincerely,
Charles M. Schulz
FEB.12, 2000
CHARLES SCHULZ DIES FROM THE CANCER HE WAS BATTLING FOR THE PAST 3 MONTHS.
THIS SITE IS NOW DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF CHARLES M. SCHULZ.
Mr. Schulz died on the eve of the day his last strip will appear in Sunday comics. I will miss you Mr.Schulz. I wish your family the best to get through this tragedy. You will always be remembered.
I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank you Mr. Schulz. Thank you for the many years of joy & happiness you have given me with your creation.
Back in 1975, I was a 6 year old kid sitting in my classroom at school. It was art class & the teacher handed out blank sheets of paper to everyone. She told us to draw whatever we wanted. While sitting there, thinking of what to draw, I was glancing around the room. On the wall in front of me was a poster of Snoopy, sitting on his doghouse, dressed as the WWI flying ace. I decided to try to draw a copy of the poster. When I was done, the teacher walked around the room. When she stopped at my desk, she was stunned. There was a perfect copy of the poster. At first she didn't believe me & told me to do it again while she watched. I proved her wrong by copying it again. She hung my picture on the wall. I guess I was kind of famous in my school after that, being asked to draw signs & pictures for the hallways. I even got a chance to teach my art class the next year at the age of 7! From that time on, I had found my talent & have gone on even doing drawings for an advertisement agency. Well, It's 24 years after that day & I still draw Snoopy from time to time. I'll always remember that day & your drawing that inspired me to open my eyes & my heart to a whole new world. Sure I'll miss Peanuts, but like a dear old friend, I'll always keep the original memories of Charlie, Linus, Snoopy & the rest of the gang close to my heart.
THE LAST STRIP
