TMC
05-22-2026, 02:02 AM
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/peanuts-music-owner-sues-us-government-others-tunes
Lee Mendelson Film Productions, which owns the music to A Charlie Brown Christmas and other Peanuts specials, sued the U.S. Department of the Interior, alleging they illegally used the jazzy ditties of pianist Vince Guaraldi in social media posts and a video game. The U.S. Department of the Interior declined comment. Lee Mendelson Film Productions also sued three private companies. Marc Jacobson, a lawyer for Lee Mendelson Film Productions, told The New York Times that the company had been plagued by unauthorized use of its music and decided to “make a statement and file all four lawsuits on the same day.” “We’ve written demand letters to people over and over again, and these four companies either didn’t respond to us or they responded in a way that indicated they really didn’t care that they were using the music without permission,” he said.
Lee Mendelson Film Productions, which owns the music to A Charlie Brown Christmas and other Peanuts specials, sued the U.S. Department of the Interior, alleging they illegally used the jazzy ditties of pianist Vince Guaraldi in social media posts and a video game. The U.S. Department of the Interior declined comment. Lee Mendelson Film Productions also sued three private companies. Marc Jacobson, a lawyer for Lee Mendelson Film Productions, told The New York Times that the company had been plagued by unauthorized use of its music and decided to “make a statement and file all four lawsuits on the same day.” “We’ve written demand letters to people over and over again, and these four companies either didn’t respond to us or they responded in a way that indicated they really didn’t care that they were using the music without permission,” he said.