Character of the Week: Snoopy

Snoopy

Snoopy is one of the most recognizable characters in the world.  He is a beagle and the pet of Charlie Brown, a main character in the comic strip “Peanuts,” written by Charles Schultz.  Snoopy made his first appearance in October of 1950, two days after the premiere of the comic strip.

Snoopy received his name when Charles Schultz remembered his mother saying that if the family got a new dog, it should be named “Snoopi.”  Snoopy was a silent character until May of 1952, when a thought bubble conveyed his thoughts to the readers and other characters in the strip.  In the television specials, Snoopy’s thoughts and moods are made known by the noises and expressions he lets out.

In the early days, Snoopy walked on all four feet, and had a smaller snout.  His appearance changed gradually, until January of 1956, when Snoopy walked upright on his two hind legs for the first time. When Snoopy is happy, he does this cute little dance known as the “Snoopy Dance.”

At the beginning of the “Peanuts” strip, Snoopy slept inside his doghouse.  In December of 1958, for the first time, Snoopy slept on top of the doghouse and from then on he was rarely seen inside his house.

Snoopy loves to sit on his doghouse roof and nap, watch the world go by, or write on his typewriter.  He also likes to engage his imagination, and one of his favorite pretend personalities to be is a World War I Flying Ace.  He climbs atop his doghouse wearing goggles and a scarf, flies his Sopwith Camel plane (his house) and tries to shoot down Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron.  This usually ends up with the Red Baron escaping and Snoopy’s doghouse getting riddled with bullets.

Another one of Snoopy’s identities is “Joe Cool.”  As this personality, he wears dark sunglasses and leans against a wall, doing nothing.  Snoopy has other fantasy personalities such as an attorney, an Olympic figure skater, and an astronaut.

In his real life, Snoopy is very active.  He plays sports, like tennis, and has temper tantrums when he double faults on his serve.  He also plays shortstop on Charlie Brown’s Little League team.  In addition, Snoopy is a “Beagle Scout” and is a Scout leader for Woodstock and his friends.

Snoopy is capable of many things.  He has various abilities and talents, and every year the comic strip was published and the television specials were broadcast gave Snoopy more time to develop as a character.  For example, he can use his ears to fly like a helicopter.  He understands some foreign languages, and is able to hear people chewing his favorite snacks from far away.

Although he is very talented, Snoopy is not lucky in the love department.  More than once his heart has been broken, and he was even left at the altar in one storyline.  In his failure to find love, he is much like his owner, Charlie Brown, who is unlucky not just in love, but in many other ways as well.

Although Snoopy is Charlie Brown’s pet dog, he is so much more than that.  He is a special character in the “Peanuts” strip, and a favorite of many. In all of the television specials and daily comic strips, Snoopy is a prominent character.  His popularity rivals that of Charlie Brown.  He has his own adventures and lives life to the fullest, and does not listen to anyone telling him what to do.  He is independent and intelligent.  Snoopy has a rare quality that allows him to make readers think about the points he is trying to convey, while at the same time, he makes people laugh.

All of these characteristics were the brainchild of Charles Schulz, the writer of the “Peanuts” strip and the television specials.  For 50 years, the “Peanuts” gang entertained people and warmed their hearts.  After the death of Charles Schulz in 2000, the newspapers began printing older strips under the title “Classic Peanuts,” and they are still being reprinted today.

Generations have grown up reading the “Peanuts” comic strip and watching the television specials.  It is a tradition around the holidays to watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”  “Peanuts” has a special place in American culture, and its popularity continues to grow with each year, as new readers get introduced to the loveable characters.

Snoopy is a special character, whose funny antics and adventures make people smile, and “Peanuts” would not be the same without him.  He is one of America’s favorite characters, and his popularity has not decreased over the years.  In fact, Snoopy merchandise is still sought-after, and there are many collectibles available.  Check out our website for Snoopy and “Peanuts” mugs, trays, key chains and more and start your own Snoopy collection!