'Peanuts' timeline
Oct. 2, 1950: Peanuts makes its debut featuring "Good ol' Charlie Brown"
Dec. 21, 1950: Charlie Brown makes a zigzag fashion statement.
Nov. 16, 1952: Lucy first holds a football for Charlie Brown, giving children across the nation a new way to torment each other.
June 1, 1954: Linus' blanket appears, making him the hero of insecure tykes everywhere.
Jan. 5, 1956: Snoopy walks on two legs, continuing a pattern of most undoglike behavior.
Dec. 12, 1958: Snoopy's first try at sleeping on top of the doghouse; not a rousing success.
Aug. 23, 1959: The infant Sally debuts.
Aug. 23, 1960: Sally falls madly in love with Linus.
Nov. 19, 1961: Charlie Brown first sets his heart on the little red-haired girl.
Aug. 22, 1966: Peppermint Patty makes her debut.
April 4, 1967: A bird somewhat resembling Woodstock debuts.
June 28, 1979: Snoopy, aka The WWI Flying Ace, visits with the "cute little French girl" (Marcie).
Nov. 4, 1985: Sally starts searching for Halley's comet.
Jan. 24, 1989: Olaf, Snoopy's chubby littermate, appears. Other siblings include mustachioed Spike, sister Belle, smart Marbles and fuzzy-furred Andy.
1990 to 1991: There's hope for everyone — Charlie Brown gets a girlfriend, Peggy Jean.
March 30, 1993: Even more unbelievable, Charlie Brown hits his first home run.
Dec. 14, 1999: Charles Schulz officially retires.
Feb. 12, 2002: Charles Schulz dies at his home in Santa Rosa, Calif., one day before his final "Peanuts" strip appears.
Source: Snoopy.com, a property of UFS Inc. Images United Features Syndicate.