A Charlie Brown Christmas/Trivia

• Executive Meddling: CBS executives had some issues with the special as it was originally put together. They objected to:
  • The scripture quotation that Linus reads to explain the meaning of Christmas.
  • Using the voices of actual children to voice the Peanuts characters.
  • The absence of a Laugh Track.
  • The Vince Guaraldi jazz score for the program.
  • In other words, they objected to nearly everything that makes this program a timeless classic. Fortunately, Schulz and Melendez stuck by their guns (and there wasn't time to change anything) and were vindicated the moment it pre-screened for the press.
• Network to the Rescue: CBS made some cuts to the special in the '90s because shows made more room for commercials by then (see Edited for Syndication in the Main tab). When ABC acquired the rights in 2001, they blocked out a full hour for the special so that it could run uncut, commissioning Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales to fill the extra time. (They do air cut half-hour versions some years, but the full version will be shown at some point during the season.)

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