Peter Robbins, the original voice of Charlie Brown, has died aged 65.
The voice actor committed suicide last week, his family confirmed on Tuesday.
Robbins began his career as a child actor at age nine and voiced the beloved character Peanuts in holiday classics including 1965’s A Charlie Brown Christmas and 1966’s It’s A Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
The actor was a huge fan of his character and even got tattoos of Charlie Brown and his trusty sidekick Snoopy.
Peter Robbins (pictured in 2008), who played famous Peanuts character Charlie Brown, died by suicide last week, his family have revealed
The star started his career playing Brown aged nine (pictured)
Robbins, second from right, is pictured with his Charlie Brown colleagues in the 1960s
Unfortunately, the former child actor, who suffered from bipolar disorder, was troubled later in life.
In 2015, he was sentenced to five years in prison for making criminal threats against several people.
He pleaded guilty to sending threatening letters to the media offering money to kill San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore and sent a threatening letter to a property manager at the mobile home park where he lived.
He allegedly sent drawings and letters to the property manager and threatened other residents of the site.
He was initially sentenced to probation while on an in-house drug therapy program, but was later taken to jail after violating his probation.
In jail, he made threats against the sheriff and offered $50,000 to have him killed.
The actor came out in 2019.
The star, who also appeared on The Munsters, managed to turn her life around and started promoting getting ‘professional help’ for mental health issues and was treated for drug addictions, alcohol and sex.
But the actor said it was his mental health that had him transferred to a state mental hospital in Atascadero, California.
The actor – who was released in 2019 and ordered not to drink or take drugs and had to take anger management classes – was released to a North County sober living house and began to advocating taking bipolar disorder “seriously”.
“I would recommend anyone with bipolar disorder to take it seriously because your life can change in a month like it did for me. I got out of jail and am a better person. for that. I’m much more humbled, thankful and thankful to have had this experience,” he said at the time.
The actor was sentenced to five years in prison for uttering threats against the property manager of the mobile home park he lived in and San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore in 2015. He was released in 2019.
Many fans also paid tribute to the actor, saying he “made the world brighter” and remembered the classic childhood shows they “loved” so much.
“I came out of prison and I’m a better person for it,” Robbins told Fox 5 in 2019. “I’m much more humbled and grateful and thankful to have had this experience.”
Robbins said he was going through a “manic phase” when he bought “a motorhome, a mobile home, two German sports cars and a Pitbull named Snoopy”.
After being released from prison, the actor got a Charlie Brown tattoo – located on his right bicep – and said it was a symbol of him “renovating my life”.
His friend Brian Billeck posted a tribute on Twitter in honor of the actor, writing: “I last spoke to him in mid-December. He wanted people to watch ‘The Charlie Brown Christmas Special’. He said that with everything going on – the world could use a message from Little Bit of Charlie Brown & Linus.
Many fans also paid tribute to the actor, saying he “made the world brighter” and remembered the classic childhood shows they “loved” so much.
His family are now requesting confidentiality and said they will hold a memorial service for him at a later date.
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
