RIP: Lee Mendelson, executive producer of Peanuts TV specials, dies. “Mendelson, 86, died on Christmas Day after a long battle with lung cancer. Mendelson’s sons, Jason and Glenn, said that their father always talked about the serendipitous nature of the iconic Peanuts Christmas special and his career path. ‘It wasn’t great for us, but to have him pass on Christmas really ties into his history and legacy,’ Jason Mendelson said.”

Earlier: How Charles Schulz Got The Gospel Past CBS Execs In A Charlie Brown Christmas.