With no offence to his owner – Charlie Brown – it’s a fair bet that amidst the multitude of Peanuts characters created by Charles Schultz – Snoopy is probably the legendary comic strip’s most famous and beloved.
The ubiquitous beagle – who despite being able to walk on two legs can only communicate his thoughts through thought speech balloons not only encapsulates the essence of the late 60’s but also spawned his own sub-genre family.
With Joe Cool (aka Snoopy’s sunglass wearing alter ego), the WWI Flying Ace –(another alter ego of the pretentious pooch), plus his brothers Andy, Marbles, Spike, Olaf and sister Belle and of course the ever present Woodstock.
Most of us would be well aware of Snoopy’s signature tune – and his presence in many of the television specials signalled almost a story-line within a story-line as we found temporary escapism in his escapism – either atop his kennel battling his nemesis the Red Baron or otherwise engaged in other heroic or grandiose feats.
Constantly trying to read (be it one word at a time) the novel War and Peace – Snoopy Trivia is almost a business in itself with gems such as:
Which alter ego duelled Lucy at wrist wrestling ?
How do most of Snoopy’s novels start?
What plane does Snoopy fly in pursuit of the Red Baron?
So how did our hero manage to find not only fame but favour?
What was it that endeared him to millions?
Why is it that to this day, sales of Snoopy merchandise outstrip all the Peanuts characters combined?
Sometimes I guess it’s not what you do – but how you do it – and doesn’t he do it well.
I had a Flying Ace Snoopy when I was a kid and I loved him to bits. He went everywhere with me. A few years ago my mother was cleaning out some old furniture we had stored and found my old desk from when I was very young and scratched in the surface was Cheryl herat Snoopy. I think I had a crush
Think you had a crush . . .
At least it wasn’t ‘pigpen’ – then I’d know you had a problem