26 Years Later, Charles Schulz' Final Comic Strip Is Still an All-Time Peanuts Classic

Charles Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts began in 1950, evolving from an earlier work called Li’l Folks, which ran in the St. Paul Pioneer Press from 1947 to 1950. Schulz left Li’l Folks after his editor refused a raise from $10 per comic, later rebranding it as Peanuts to avoid confusion with an existing strip. The new name was inspired by the ‘Peanut gallery’ from The Howdy Doody Show. Peanuts debuted in seven newspapers and eventually reached over 2,600 publications worldwide.

Peanuts ran daily for 50 years until Schulz’s health declined in late 1999, when he suffered strokes and was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. His worsening vision and chemotherapy made it impossible to continue drawing the strip. On Dec. 14, 1999, Schulz announced his retirement, stating his inability to maintain the schedule rather than a voluntary choice.

The last weekday Peanuts strip ran on Jan. 3, 2000, featuring Snoopy at his typewriter with a farewell message beginning ‘Dear Friends…’ Schulz acknowledged his gratitude to editors and fans but noted his family’s wish that Peanuts not continue without him. The final daily strip reflected his declining ability to draw, with notably shaky lines.

The official final Peanuts comic aired on Feb. 13, 2000, a Sunday strip that repeated the farewell message with added artwork. Schulz died of a heart attack the day before, making the timing of the strip’s release eerily coincidental. The last panel included a collage of memorable Peanuts images, concluding the series after nearly five decades.