'Peanuts' music owner sues US government, 3 companies alleging illegal use of its tunes

NEW YORK - The owner and steward of the "Peanuts" television and film music catalog since 1963, announced a series of legal actions Wednesday against defendants, including the U.S. Department of the Interior, alleging they illegally used the jazzy compositions and arrangements of pianist Vince Guaraldi in social media posts and a video game.

Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) filed four lawsuits in federal courts in New York and Washington, D.C. The defendants also include a video game company, an auction house and a belt-maker.

‘Peanuts’ music owner files lawsuits alleging illegal use of music

Big picture view:

One lawsuit argues the Interior Department did not have permission to use Guaraldi's arrangement of "O Tannenbaum" from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" in a digital holiday card posted to social media.

Another lawsuit alleges Heritage Auctions illegally used "Linus and Lucy" – the beloved non-Christmas song the kids dance to in "A Charlie Brown Christmas" — in posts on Facebook and Instagram promoting an auction of collectibles. 

Similar claims of social media misuse come in another suit against Buckle-Down Inc., a belt company that makes "Peanuts" themed products.

The fourth suit alleges video game publisher GameMill Entertainment, in its 2025 "Peanuts" video game Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club, violated copyright by using new music compositions meant to invoke Guaraldi's pieces including, "Linus and Lucy" and "Skating." The plaintiffs said no permission was sought for the music, and the copycat versions are too close to the originals not to require it.

What they're saying:

"Unauthorized use doesn't just violate the law, it erodes the exclusivity and artistic integrity that make these compositions meaningful to generations of fans," Marc Jacobson, lead attorney for LMFP, said in a statement. "These legal actions convey that LMFP will no longer tolerate companies using their property without a license, especially in this era of instant digital sharing, and that the rights of creators and the protection of iconic cultural assets must be vigorously enforced. Each of the law firms representing LMFP are among the finest in the country for music copyright related matters."

Lee Mendelson Film Productions seeks financial damages

Dig deeper:

LMFP is the publisher of the Vince Guaraldi musical catalog associated with "Peanuts." The production company is also the producer of the classic "Peanuts" television specials, including "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown," and "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving," along with the Hollywood animation studio Bill Melendez Productions. LMFP also produced over 50 other network "Peanuts" specials.

Lee Mendelson Film Productions of Burlingame, 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 comic strip, starting with 1965's "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Mendelson, 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."

Peanuts Worldwide LLC, which owns the rights to Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the other characters, is not a party in any of the lawsuits.

What's next:

Lee Mendelson Film Productions said it is seeking varying financial damages from the different defendants, including at least $300,000 from GameMill. And in every case, the plaintiff is seeking a judge's injunction that the alleged copyright violations immediately stop and not be repeated.