Sep 4 2008'Peanuts' Animator Bill Melendez Dies

Oh, man. Bill Melendez, the animator responsible for turning the world of Peanuts into a living, breathing thing I continue to watch on every applicable holiday, died Tuesday at the age of 91. From THR:

Melendez, the only animator permitted by Charles M. Schulz to work with the Peanuts characters, earned eight Emmy Awards, 17 Emmy nominations, one Oscar nomination and two Peabody Awards. He began his career at Disney and Warner Bros., working on classic characters at those studios, and spent more than 70 years in the entertainment industry.

Here's the Charlie Brown Christmas scene where everyone dances to "Linus & Lucy", because you know you want it:

Sorry it's not the "Hey Ya" version.

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