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Charlie Brown's Christmas Miracle
- The Inspiring, Untold Story of the Making of a Holiday Classic
- Narrated by: Allan Robertson
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
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Charlie Brown's Christmas Miracle
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Publisher's Summary
Discover the inspiring, unknown, against-all-odds story of how the classic animated holiday special A Charlie Brown Christmas almost never made it on to television.
Professor and cultural historian Michael Keane reveals much in this nostalgia-inducing book packed with original research and interviews. Keane compellingly shows that the ultimate broadcast of the Christmas special—given its incredibly tight five-month production schedule and the decidedly unfavorable reception it received by the skeptical network executives who first screened it—was nothing short of a miracle. Keane explains why the show, despite its technical shortcomings, has become an uplifting and enduring triumph embraced by millions of families every Christmas season, even more than fifty years after its premiere.
This gripping and joyful behind-the-scenes story of how the creators of A Charlie Brown Christmas struggled to bring the program to life will also help readers (and loyal fans) understand how America’s favorite Christmas special changed our popular culture forever. Keane masterfully weaves the momentous events of 1965 (the turbulent year of the program’s production) into his story, providing critical context for a profound new understanding of the program’s famous climactic scene, Linus’s spot-lit soliloquy answering the question repeatedly posed by Charlie Brown—"Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
What the critics say
"Fans of the Peanuts comics included many occupants of the White House including my father, President Ronald Reagan, who had a decades-long friendship with “Sparky” Schulz that began during his days as Governor of California. This book weaves together a marvelous tapestry of personal stories, including my family’s, alongside those of the creators of A Charlie Brown Christmas. A captivating tale of the making of an American classic!"—Mike Reagan, President, Reagan Legacy Foundation
"The idea that CBS executives thought the Charlie Brown Christmas Special would never engage family audiences around the globe is laughable today. It was and continues to be a must see attraction at Christmas for millions of families including mine! I grew up with it and then 30 years later I was in charge of CBS Primetime Specials and had the honor and privilege to schedule the special to #1 ratings every airing! It's the real National Treasure and Keane’s book is a fascinating tale on how it almost never came to be."—Charles Segars, Creator and Executive Producer of National Treasure and CEO, Ovation TV
"Set against the background of America in 1965, Michael Keane’s masterful account of the making of A Charlie Brown Christmas provides a vast insight into the circumstance and cast of characters that produced this enduring cultural miracle."—Michael Garland, New York Times best-selling author and illustrator