Owner of ‘Peanuts’ music sues Trump administration for using scores without permission
The owner of the music used in “Peanuts” television specials has filed lawsuits against several defendants, including the Trump administration, alleging that it illegally used the tunes in social media posts and a game.
Lee Mendelson Film Productions, which owns the copyright to “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and other shows, filed the suits in federal courts in New York and Washington, D.C., Wednesday.
One lawsuit argues the Interior Department did not have permission to use pianist Vince Guaraldi's arrangement of "O Tannenbaum" from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" in a digital holiday card posted to social media.
A spokesperson for the Interior Department told The Independent that it does not comment on litigation.
Lee Mendelson Film Productions, which is based in California, was founded by and is named for the producer who collaborated with “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz and director Bill Melendez to create the TV specials based on Schulz’s iconic comic strip, beginning with “A Charlie Brown Christmas” in 1965.
open image in galleryMendelson, who died in 2019, hired the jazz pianist Guaraldi to provide the mellow, often melancholy music, including “Christmas Time Is Here” and “Linus and Lucy.”
According to the company’s lawyers, the suits were filed in response to persistent unfair overuse of the music online.
In a statement shared with The Associated Press, attorney Marc Jacobson said that Lee Mendelson Film Productions “will no longer tolerate companies using their property without a license, especially in this era of instant digital sharing.”
Jacobson added that “the rights of creators and the protection of iconic cultural assets must be vigorously enforced.”
Another of the lawsuits alleges Heritage Auctions illegally used “Linus and Lucy” — the non-Christmas song the kids dance to in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” that has become known globally as the “Peanuts” theme — in posts on Facebook and Instagram promoting an auction of collectibles.
open image in galleryChristina Rees, a representative of Heritage Auctions, told The Associated Press: “At this time, Heritage has not been served with or reviewed the complaint. If and when we receive it, we will review the allegations and respond as appropriate.”
Similar claims of social media misuse come in another suit against Buckle-Down Inc., a belt company that makes “Peanuts” themed products.
The fourth lawsuit alleges video game publisher GameMill Entertainment violated copyright by using new music compositions meant to invoke Guaraldi’s pieces including “Linus and Lucy” and “Skating” in its 2025 “Peanuts” video game Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club.
The plaintiffs said no permission was sought for the music, and the copycat versions are too close to the originals not to require it.
Peanuts Worldwide LLC, which owns the rights to Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the other characters, is not a party in any of the lawsuits.
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