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Lee Mendelson Film Productions

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Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is an American production company based in Burlingame, California. Founded by Lee Mendelson in 1963, the company is best known for producing animated television specials and feature films based on Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts comic strip, including A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966), and A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969).

Lee Mendelson Film Productions
IndustryFilm production, television production, animation, music publishing
Founded1963; 63 years ago (1963)
FounderLee Mendelson
HeadquartersBurlingame, California, United States,
Key people
Products
Websitemendelsonproductions.com

In addition to its work on Peanuts, the company has produced Garfield television specials and series, documentaries, live-action specials, music-related programming, and other television productions. Its work has been recognized by major entertainment and broadcasting organizations, including the Emmy Awards, Peabody Awards, Academy Awards, and Grammy Awards, with much of that recognition connected to children's television, animation, and music-related recordings.[1]

Background

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A scene from A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), which established Lee Mendelson Film Productions' long-running association with the Peanuts franchise.

Lee Mendelson began his television career producing documentary and public affairs programming in the San Francisco Bay Area. His early work included San Francisco Pageant, a KPIX-TV documentary series that received a Peabody Award in 1962.[2]

Mendelson's association with the Peanuts franchise began in 1963 when he approached Charles M. Schulz about producing a documentary on the comic strip entitled A Boy Named Charlie Brown. That project led to a collaboration with animator Bill Melendez and ultimately to A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), which received both a Peabody and Emmy Award.[3][4] The success of the special launched a decades-long partnership with Schulz and Melendez spanning television specials, feature films, and music recordings.

In the 1980s, the company expanded into the Garfield franchise, producing a series of television specials and series that earned several Emmy Awards and nominations.[5]

Awards and recognition

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LMFP has received awards and nominations from several major awards organizations, mainly for its television productions. The company's Peabody Award-winning programs include San Francisco Pageant, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Hot Dog (1970), and What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown? (1983).[6][7][8][9]

The company also received Emmy recognition for animated and children's programming, including Peanuts productions, Garfield specials, and retrospective programs. Its Emmy-recognized productions include Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown, Garfield on the Town, Garfield in the Rough, Garfield's Halloween Adventure, Cathy, Garfield's Babes and Bullets, Here's to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years, and It's Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown!.[5]

The company's theatrical work includes a 1970 Academy Award nomination for A Boy Named Charlie Brown for Best Original Song Score, losing to The Beatles' Let It Be.[10] Its music-related recognition includes Grammy Award nominations for Flashbeagle (1984) and a book-and-record adaption of You're in Love, Charlie Brown (1979), both in children's recording categories.[11][12]

Filmography

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Television

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Animated specials

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Peanuts

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AirdateTitleNetworkNotes
December 9, 1965A Charlie Brown ChristmasCBS
June 8, 1966Charlie Brown's All Stars!
October 27, 1966It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
June 12, 1967You're in Love, Charlie Brown
February 14, 1968He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown
September 27, 1969It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown
March 28, 1971Play It Again, Charlie Brown
October 29, 1972You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown
March 11, 1973There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown
November 20, 1973A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
February 1, 1974It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown
April 9, 1974It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown
January 28, 1975Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown
October 28, 1975You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown
March 16, 1976It's Arbor Day, Charlie BrownFinal special scored by Vince Guaraldi
October 24, 1977It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown
February 23, 1978What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown!
March 19, 1979You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown
February 25, 1980She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown
October 24, 1980Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown
April 28, 1981It's Magic, Charlie Brown
October 30, 1981Someday You'll Find Her, Charlie Brown
May 24, 1982A Charlie Brown Celebration
February 21, 1983Is This Goodbye, Charlie Brown?
May 30, 1983What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown?
April 16, 1984It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown
March 20, 1985Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown
January 1, 1986Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!
March 16, 1990Why, Charlie Brown, Why?
May 1, 1991Snoopy's Reunion
May 28, 1992It's Spring Training, Charlie Brown
November 27, 1992It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown
January 18, 1994You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie BrownNBC
February 14, 2002A Charlie Brown ValentineABC
December 8, 2002Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales
August 29, 2003Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown
December 9, 2003I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown
November 20, 2006He's a Bully, Charlie Brown

Garfield

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AirdateTitleNetwork
October 25, 1982Here Comes GarfieldCBS
September 14, 1983Garfield on the Town
October 26, 1984Garfield in the Rough
October 30, 1985Garfield's Halloween Adventure
May 27, 1986Garfield in Paradise
May 8, 1987Garfield Goes Hollywood
December 21, 1987A Garfield Christmas Special
November 22, 1988Garfield: His 9 Lives
May 23, 1989Garfield's Babes and Bullets
November 22, 1989Garfield's Thanksgiving
May 18, 1990Garfield's Feline Fantasies
May 8, 1991Garfield Gets a Life

Other

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AirdateTitleNetworkNotes
October 21, 1968The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant[13]NBCBabar adaptation
Narrator: Peter Ustinov
September 7, 1971Babar the Elephant Comes to America[14]
November 23, 1981No Man's ValleyCBS
March 20, 1985The Romance of Betty BoopBetty Boop special
May 15, 1987CathyCathy adaptation
November 11, 1988Cathy's Last Resort
February 10, 1989Cathy's Valentine

Animated television series

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Live-action and hybrid television specials

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Airdate Title Network Host Notes
February 16, 1969Children's Letters to God NBC Gene KellyBased on book compiled by Stoo Hample
March 18, 1969Wonderful World of PizzazzCarl Reiner, Michele Lee
May 10, 1969Rod McKuen, The LonerConcert
April 2, 1970It Couldn't Be DoneLee MarvinMusic score: The 5th Dimension
April 3, 1970The UnexplainedRod SerlingEncyclopedia Britannica television special
May 23, 1970The New Communicators Pt. 1Peter Fonda
June 12, 1970The New Communicators Pt. 2Peter Fonda
April 2, 1971The Record MakersFlip Wilson
1975Bill Russell Raps — Bill Russell
October 13, 1975Travels with Flip NBC Flip Wilson
March 19, 1976More Travels with FlipFlip Wilson
April 3, 1976The Sport of the Century CBS William Conrad
December 19, 1976Christmas Around the World NBC Dick Van Dyke, Marilyn McCoo, Jonathan Winters, Gene Kelly
May 15, 1977The Billion Dollar MoviesDavid Niven
April 24, 1978The National Collegiate Cheerleading Championships CBS Cheryl Ladd
May 19, 1979Family Fun Time, U.S.A.: Marine WorldHarvey Korman, Joey Heatherton
February 8, 1981The Big Stuffed Dog NBC Peanuts live-action special
1981The New You Asked for ItRich Little, Jack SmithPilot
May 24, 1983Movie Blockbusters: The 15 Greatest Hits of All Time CBS Christopher Plummer
May 7, 1984John Ritter, Mr. T, Jacqueline Bisset... Going Back Home ABC
September 27, 1988It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown CBS Peanuts live-action/animated hybrid

Documentaries

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Airdate Title Network Host Notes
October 6, 1963A Man Named MaysNBC
1963A Boy Named Charlie Brown—Unaired Peanuts documentary (released in 2005); score by Vince Guaraldi
May 1, 1966The Magic of BroadcastingCBSBing Crosby, Lucille Ball, Arthur Godfrey, Sheldon Leonard, Rod SerlingScore by John Scott Trotter
December 3, 1967John Steinbeck's America and Americans NBC Henry Fonda
February 11, 1968The Fabulous FunniesCarl Reiner
March 17, 1968Travels with CharleyHenry FondaBased on 1962 travelogue by John Steinbeck[15]
October 17, 1968The Fabulous ShortsJim Backus
May 24, 1969Charlie Brown and Charles SchulzCBSPeanuts documentary; score by Vince Guaraldi
April 11, 1972From Yellowstone to TomorrowNBCGeorge C. Scott
1972Close but Free—Feature-length docufiction exploring global views on marriage
April 26, 1974Wild ScienceNBCPeter Falk
July 17, 1974A New Ballgame for Willie Mays—Jack Klugman
December 2, 1974Wild PlacesNBCPaul Newman, Joanne Woodward
January 9, 1976Happy Anniversary, Charlie BrownCBSCarl ReinerPeanuts anniversary special
April 17, 1976The Olympic Champions and ChallengersABCTelly Savalas
January 5, 1979Happy Birthday, Charlie Brown CBS Phyllis GeorgePeanuts anniversary special
May 15, 1980The Fantastic FunniesLoni Anderson
October 8, 1980To Remember...PBSCharles M. Schulz reflects on childhood, parenthood, and Snoopy's real-life inspiration, Spike; partially filmed in France
May 14, 1985It's Your 20th Television Anniversary, Charlie Brown CBS Charles M. SchulzPeanuts anniversary special
May 17, 1988Happy Birthday, GarfieldJim DavisGarfield anniversary special
February 2, 1990You Don't Look 40, Charlie BrownMichele LeePeanuts anniversary special
1997The Fantastic Funnies: The First 100 YearsUnaired
May 10, 2000Here's to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great YearsWhoopi GoldbergPeanuts anniversary special
July 17, 2001The Making of "A Charlie Brown Christmas"ABCWhoopi GoldbergPeanuts documentary
2002Common Men/Uncommon Valor—
November 30, 2015It's Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown!ABCKristen BellPeanuts anniversary special

Direct-to-video/special format releases

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Peanuts

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Release dateTitleFormat
1978Tooth BrushingEducational short
1979It's Dental Flossophy, Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown Clears the Air
1986It's Three Strikes, Charlie BrownVideo compilation
August 5, 1997It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie BrownDirect-to-video
September 12, 2000It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown

Other

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Release dateTitleFormatNotes
1966An Adventure with Spice Islands[16]Industrial filmScore by Vince Guaraldi
Granny Goose Potato ChipsTelevision commercial
Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company: SusanTelevision commercial
1967Tips on Baseball from Willie MaysEducational film
'67 WestIndustrial filmScore by Vince Guaraldi
1970Come to Your SensesExperimental film
1974Willie Mays Talks BaseballEducational film
Bicycles Are BeautifulIndustrial filmHosted by Bill Cosby; score by Vince Guaraldi
December 16, 1986Wrinkles: In Need of CuddlesDirect-to-video

Music

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DateTitleNetworkNotes
October 24, 1971Snoopy at the Ice FolliesNBCBroadcast presentation of stage performance
November 12, 1972Snoopy's International Ice FolliesBroadcast presentation of stage performance
February 9, 1973You're a Good Man, Charlie BrownLive-action television film adaptation of the 1967 musical; presented as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame series
November 13, 1973Snoopy Directs the Ice FolliesFollow-up broadcast special of stage performance
May 24, 1978Snoopy's Musical on IceCBSBroadcast adaptation of Interstate Brands ice show; performance
Hosts: Peggy Fleming, Charles M. Schulz
November 6, 1985You're a Good Man, Charlie BrownAnimated adaptation of 1967 musical
January 29, 1988Snoopy! The MusicalAnimated adaptation of 1975 musical

Peanuts soundtrack discography

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After Lee Mendelson's death in December 2019, his sons Jason and Sean Mendelson began reviewing the company's music archives, including materials related to Vince Guaraldi's scores for the Peanuts television specials. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, they located a cache of long-unavailable Guaraldi session tapes, which became the basis for a continuing series of archival soundtrack releases issued by LMFP (owner of the music publishing since 1990), occasionally in association with Craft Recordings.[17] The series has included expanded or premiere soundtrack albums for several Peanuts specials, including A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, It Was a Short Summer..., You're Not Elected..., Be My Valentine..., It's the Easter Beagle..., You're a Good Sport..., and a combined release of It's Arbor Day... and Charlie Brown's All Stars!.

These releases marked the first time many of Guaraldi's original television recordings had been made commercially available as standalone soundtrack albums. In addition to standard digital and physical releases, the series has included limited vinyl editions and compilation formats, such as Record Store Day selections and the CD box set The Peanuts Collection, Vol. 1.[18][19]

Release date Title Notes
August 26, 2022It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording (reissue)[20]Distributed in conjunction with Craft Recordings
October 20, 2023A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: Original Soundtrack Recording 50th Anniversary Special Edition[21]
July 5, 2024It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording 55th Anniversary Edition[22]
September 6, 2024You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording[23]
January 17, 2025Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording 50th Anniversary Extended Edition[24]
March 21, 2025It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording Peanuts 75th Anniversary Edition[25]
April 12, 2025Selections from the Original Soundtrack: It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown[26]
July 11, 2025You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording 50th Anniversary Extended Edition[27]
October 17, 2025The Peanuts Collection, Vol. 1[28]CD limited edition box set containing six previously released Peanuts soundtracks
January 23, 2026Selections from the Original Soundtrack: Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown[29]
March 20, 2026It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (50th Anniversary Extended Edition) / Charlie Brown's All Stars! (60th Anniversary Edition): Original Soundtrack Recordings (2026)[30]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Awards". Lee Mendelson Film Productions. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  2. ↑ "San Francisco Pageant". Peabody Awards. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  3. ↑ "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Peabody Awards. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  4. ↑ "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Television Academy. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Lee Mendelson". Television Academy. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  6. ↑ "San Francisco Pageant". Peabody Awards. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  7. ↑ "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Peabody Awards. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Hot Dog". Peabody Awards. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  9. ↑ "What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown?". Peabody Awards. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  10. ↑ "The 43rd Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Lee Mendelson". Recording Academy. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  12. ↑ Ehrbar, Greg (February 13, 2018). "You're in Love, Charlie Brown on Records". Cartoon Research. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  13. ↑ Woolery, George W. (1989). Animated TV Specials: The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987. Scarecrow Press. pp. 397–398. ISBN 0-8108-2198-2. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  14. ↑ "Babar Comes to America". www.imdb.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  15. ↑ Mibach, Emily (December 27, 2019). "Lee Mendelson, executive producer of Peanuts TV specials, dies". Palo Alto Daily Post. Archived from the original on January 18, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  16. ↑ Bang, Derrick (January 25, 2014). "Missing in Action". Impressions of Vince. Derrick Bang. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  17. ↑ Ginell, Richard S. "Finally, Vince Guaraldi Gets His Due". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Record Store Day exclusive egg-shaped mystery color 'Selections from It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown' press release". DL Media Music. February 6, 2025. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  19. ↑ "What a Box Set, Charlie Brown! Rare 'Peanuts' Soundtracks Join Together in New CD Collection". The Second Disc. October 17, 2025. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
  20. ↑ Sullivan, Mark (November 25, 2022). "Review: Vince Guaraldi - It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Music From The Soundtrack". All About Jazz. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  21. ↑ Mendelson, Sean (2023). A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (liner notes). Vince Guaraldi. Burlingame, California: Lee Mendelson Film Productions. p. 1–4.
  22. ↑ Mendelson, Jason (2024). A Long Wait for a Short Summer (liner notes). Vince Guaraldi. Burlingame, California: Lee Mendelson Film Productions.
  23. ↑ You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown soundtrack press release
  24. ↑ Vince Guaraldi's "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (Original Soundtrack Recording 50th Anniversary Extended Edition)" press release
  25. ↑ "'It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!' Soundtrack Album Announced". Film Music Reporter. January 8, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Record Store Day exclusive egg-shaped mystery color 'Selections from It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown' press release". DL Media Music. February 6, 2025. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Vince Guaraldi's "You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown" Celebrating 75 years of Peanuts and the 50th Anniversary of the beloved Emmy winning Special press release" (PDF). Lee Mendelson Film Productions. May 5, 2025. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  28. ↑ "What a Box Set, Charlie Brown! Rare 'Peanuts' Soundtracks Join Together in New CD Collection". The Second Disc. October 17, 2025. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown(Selections From The Original Soundtrack)". RSD Essentials. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Lee Mendelson Film Productions Celebrates 75 Years of Vince Guaraldi Music with the Premiere Release of the Soundtrack to the Classic Peanuts Specials "It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown" and "Charlie Brown's All-Stars!"" (PDF). Lee Mendelson Film Productions. January 30, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
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