Extra, Extra! Read all about it! Camp Snoopy to open this summer! Join the Peanuts gang back in 1983 when Mrs. Knott’s chicken dinners were just $6.25 and Snoopy Fan Club membership was $3. The Beagle Bugle is the Snoopy Fan Club Quarterly Newsletter and this was its very first issue. There’s info on the new Saturday Morning Peanuts cartoon show, letters to the editor, Snoopy’s Pet Advice and even Charles Schulz’s biography of Snoopy. Plus, David Garrison shares his views on playing Snoopy in the stage musical “SNOOPY!!!” in New York City.
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Video Summary
I recently had the chance to flip through the very first issue of the Beagle Bugle, the official Snoopy Fan Club newsletter, from February 1983. A big thank you to Karen for sending it my way. This issue is packed with fun Peanuts history, including an early look at Camp Snoopy and Beagle Scout Park at Knott’s Berry Farm. There are photos of the park models, references to the Montezooma’s Revenge roller coaster, and even a feature with Bill Melendez discussing the upcoming debut of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show. The newsletter also notes that 1983 marked the nineteenth year that A Charlie Brown Christmas had been broadcast, which is a reminder of just how established the Peanuts specials already were at that point.
One of the highlights is the centerfold featuring printed autographs from both Snoopy and Charles Schulz. The newsletter also offers a fascinating glimpse into how the Snoopy Fan Club operated, listing its Santa Rosa, California address and introducing some of the people behind the publication. There are letters to the editor, a humorous pet advice column, and plenty of vintage fan club charm throughout. I also enjoyed seeing photos from Japan, including Snoopy dolls distributed overseas, along with an article about the stage musical Snoopy and actor David Garrison’s thoughts on why the character connects so well with audiences.
The issue wraps up with even more interesting reading, including an article by Charles Schulz titled “Snoopy, the Official Biography” and a look back at Knott’s Berry Farm’s famous chicken dinners. What once cost just 65 cents in 1934 had climbed to $6.25 by 1983, though the menu remained unchanged. There was even a Peanuts word puzzle tucked inside the newsletter. Overall, this first Beagle Bugle is a fun time capsule for Peanuts collectors and Snoopy fans, offering a snapshot of the fan club, Camp Snoopy, Charles Schulz, and the world of Peanuts in the early 1980s. If you enjoy vintage Peanuts memorabilia, there is plenty here to appreciate.
