The longevity of the Peanuts comic strip is due in large part to the strength and distinctiveness of the characters Charles Schulz created and continued to develop over the years.

Casting a comic strip is “like casting a drama company…,” Schulz said, “you must have actors who can play whatever roles are called for [by the artist].” He observed that as the characters became more developed and defined over time, “humor began to flow from [their] personalities.”