Peter Robbins, the actor who voiced Charlie Brown in the 1960s, reportedly committed suicide last week. He was 65.
Robbins was the revered voice behind the beloved character in holiday hits like “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” as The New York Post noted.
He started voicing Charlie Brown when he was just 9 years old and did so until around age 14. His legacy has persisted alongside the popularity of the character and the films in which he appeared.
Tragically, Robbins reportedly struggled with addiction, mental illness, legal problems, and other related issues throughout his adult years.
“I made a bunch of stupid, criminal threats in 2012,” Robbins told The Providence Journal.
He waged one of those threats against a sheriff’s deputy in 2013, and it landed him in a great deal of legal trouble, though that was just one chapter in his story.
Robbins openly spoke about his struggles, which landed him seeking treatment and even behind bars.
“My five years in prison were a true trip through hell,” Robbins told the Journal. “At the end, I was successfully paroled into the hospital, where for the first time in my life I received treatment.”
The actor also spoke about the importance of addressing mental health issues, appealing to his own experience and problems; Robbins urged people to take their mental health diagnoses seriously.
“I would recommend to anybody that has bipolar disorder to take it seriously because your life can turn around in the span of a month, like it did to me,” Robbins told KSWB-TV in 2019. “I came out of prison, and I’m a better person for it. I’m much more humble and grateful and thankful that I lived through the experience.”
TMZ reported that Robbins checked himself out of a mental health facility before his death. The outlet spoke with his agent, Dylan Novak, who said he was not in a good place before his suicide.
“I really need your prayers,” Robbins reportedly told Novak prior to Robbins’ death.
Family members told KSWB-TV Robbins took his own life and are asking for privacy at this time. Please pray for his friends and loved ones who are currently mourning his death.
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