Today in Television History (December 9, 1965): "A Charlie Brown Christmas" Premieres on CBS!

On December 9, 1965, Charles Schultz's "A Charlie Brown Christmas" premiered on CBS. It was the first TV special based on Peanuts, and was sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company! The special had a small budget of only $96,000, and ran for 25 minutes. The film received an Emmy and a Peabody Award, and aired annually on American television for 56 years until it was moved to Streaming. Its jazz soundtrack was a successful album, selling over 5 million copies in the United States.