Charles M. Schulz
Overview
Charles Monroe "Sparky" Schulz (November 26, 1922 – February 12, 2000) was an American
cartoonist
, whose comic strip
Peanuts
proved one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium, and is still widely reprinted on a daily basis.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, Schulz grew up in Saint Paul
. He was the only child of Carl Schulz, who was born in Germany, and Dena Halverson, who was Norwegian
. His uncle nicknamed him "Sparky" after the horse Spark Plug in the Barney Google
comic strip.
Schulz loved drawing and sometimes drew his family dog, Spike, who ate unusual things, such as pins and tacks.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
, whose comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
proved one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium, and is still widely reprinted on a daily basis.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, Schulz grew up in Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
. He was the only child of Carl Schulz, who was born in Germany, and Dena Halverson, who was Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. His uncle nicknamed him "Sparky" after the horse Spark Plug in the Barney Google
Barney Google
Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, originally Barney Google, is a long-running American comic strip created by cartoonist Billy DeBeck . Since its debut on June 17, 1919, the strip has gained a huge international readership, appearing in 900 newspapers in 21 countries...
comic strip.
Schulz loved drawing and sometimes drew his family dog, Spike, who ate unusual things, such as pins and tacks.
Quotations
A cartoonist is someone who has to draw the same thing day after day without repeating himself.
In his book You Don't Look 35, Charlie Brown! (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1985; ISBN 0030056241)
I just draw what I think is funny, and I hope other people think it is funny, too.
Address to the Sonoma County Press Club as quoted in the Sonoma County Press Democrat (2000-02-13)
The only thing I really ever wanted to be was a cartoonist. That's my life. Drawing.
ibid.