'Peanuts' just turned 65 — here's how Charlie Brown became a successful franchise

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Good ol' Charlie Brown is turning 65 this year, and his legacy is still going strong, with a new "Peanuts" film out this weekend.

Charles M. Schulz created the comic strip in 1950 and continued producing the daily strips until shortly before his death in February 2000. "Peanuts" was first published in only seven newspapers, but it quickly became a global phenomenon. The comic is now published in 2,600 countries and has more than 700 licensing agreements spread across the globe.

Charlie Brown's bad luck and misadventures have been documented in animated series since 1965's "A Charlie Brown Christmas," and today's release of "The Peanuts Movie" marks the first such film in 35 years.

Charlie Brown and Co. were owned by the E.W. Scripps' United Feature Syndicate until Iconix Brand Group purchased the brand for $175 million in 2010. Throughout the years, "Peanuts'" annual revenue has ranged from $80 million to upward of $1 billion.

Here's a look back at where the "Peanuts" legacy started and how far it's come.

All adjusted rates calculated via the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

1950: E.W. Scripps published "Peanuts" for the first time.

Source: USA Today

That same year, seven newspapers bought the cartoon, and Charles Schulz, the comic's creator, earned $90 a week in royalties, about $889 adjusted for inflation.

Source: New York Times

 

1953: Schulz, who created all of the comic strips himself, was earning $30,000 a year, about $267,354 today.

Source: New York Times

1955: Kodak was the first company to use the "Peanuts" characters in its marketing campaign, for a camera handbook.

Source: Advertising Age

1965: "A Charlie Brown Christmas," the first "Peanuts" TV special, aired.

1989: Forbes named Schulz one of the 10 wealthiest entertainers. He was earning $32 million a year. He earned between $30 million and $40 million each year until his death.

Source: New York Times

2000: The final "Peanuts" strip was published just hours after Schulz died from colon cancer at 77. The comic was published in 75 countries, 2,600 newspapers, and 21 languages a day. Those comics, along with merchandise and endorsement deals, raked in $1.1 billion a year.

Source: New York Times

2010: Iconix Brand Group purchased the "Peanuts" brand, including licensing and rights, for $175 million from E.W. Scripps and United Feature Syndicate. The company holds 80% ownership, while the Schulz family holds 20%. When it was sold, the brand was generating more than $2 billion in annual sales.

Source: CNN

2013: Following Iconix's purchase of "Peanuts," the brand went through a turnaround period and revenue sat at $80 million a year.

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Source: Forbes

2014: "Peanuts" now has more than 700 licensing agreements and is licensed in more than 100 countries.

Michael Sohn/Associated Press

Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

2015: "The Peanuts Movie," written by Brian and Craig Schulz and Cornelius Uliano, is being released 65 years after the comic strip debuted and 50 years after the successful "A Charlie Brown Christmas" premiered.

This year, Schulz was named one of Forbes' top-earning dead celebrities, a list he has been on since 2001. For the third year in a row, he ranks at No. 3, having earned $40 million over the past year.

AP

 

Source: Forbes