Lee Mendelson Film Productions

Name

Lee Mendelson Film Productions

Legal name

Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Inc.

Website

https://mendelsonproductions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Music Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Record Production and Distribution (51225)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Production Music Libraries (Library Music, Trailer Music, Stock Cues) (MPAIABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming) (MPADACAG), Animated Feature Film Production (MPADACAH), Custom Music & Original Score/Composition (MPAIALAD)

Keywords

• Animated television production
• Soundtrack album publishing
• Music catalog licensing
• Children's entertainment production
• Documentary film production

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlingame

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Music Licensing: Licensing fees for the Vince Guaraldi Peanuts music catalog to broadcasters, networks, and media companies. CBS paid licensing fee for use of 'Linus and Lucy' on Stephen Colbert's final show, with proceeds donated to World Central Kitchen.
2. Soundtrack Album Sales: Sales of vinyl, CD, and digital soundtrack albums featuring Vince Guaraldi's music for Peanuts animated specials. Includes special edition releases for Record Store Day, Barnes & Noble, Urban Outfitters, and Target exclusives.
3. Copyright Enforcement: Filing copyright infringement complaints and pursuing licensing agreements with entities using Guaraldi's compositions without authorization. Filed lawsuits against CBS, GameMill Entertainment, U.S. Department of the Interior, collectibles auction house, and apparel accessories manufacturer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lee Mendelson Film Productions produces animated television specials (Peanuts and Garfield), documentary films, and Peanuts feature films, while also serving as the exclusive publisher of the complete Vince Guaraldi Peanuts music catalog. The company releases soundtrack albums on vinyl, CD, and digital formats through direct-to-consumer and retail channels, and licenses Guaraldi's music to broadcasters and streaming platforms.

Product overview

Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) operates as a producer of documentaries, children's entertainment, and music publisher with a focus on Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts catalog. The company\'s core offerings include: (1) Vince Guaraldi Soundtrack Albums - complete and first-ever releases of Guaraldi\'s original scores for Peanuts specials across vinyl, CD, and digital formats with eco-friendly BioVinyl production; (2) Peanuts Television Specials - over 50 prime time specials and 4 feature films; (3) Garfield and Friends - a 121-episode animated series distributed across streaming platforms; (4) Documentary Productions - award-winning documentaries including Peabody and Emmy winners; and (5) Music Licensing - publishing and licensing services for the Vince Guaraldi music catalog. The product portfolio spans physical media (vinyl, CD), digital distribution, streaming content, and licensing services, unified by the Guaraldi music catalog and Peanuts brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vince Guaraldi Soundtrack Albums First-ever and complete commercial releases of Vince Guaraldi's original scores for Peanuts animated specials, available on vinyl (including BioVinyl sustainable variants), CD, and digital formats across multiple anniversary editions (50th, 55th, 75th). Includes exclusive variants through Barnes & Noble, Urban Outfitters, Target, and Record Store Day, plus Zoetrope picture disc and shape-specific vinyl formats. Targeted at Peanuts fans, vinyl collectors, and jazz enthusiasts.
• Peanuts Television Specials Over 50 prime-time network Peanuts animated specials produced by LMFP in partnership with Charles Schulz and Bill Melendez since 1965, including iconic titles such as 'A Charlie Brown Christmas', 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown', and 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving'. Originally broadcast on CBS and currently distributed through streaming platforms including Apple TV+, Tubi, YouTube, and Pluto TV.
• Garfield and Friends 121-episode, 7-season Saturday morning animated cartoon series produced by LMFP, available for streaming on Tubi, YouTube, Pluto TV, Peacock, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video. Originally broadcast as Saturday morning programming and later earning multiple Emmy Awards for Outstanding Animated Program.
• Peanuts Feature Films Four animated feature films produced by LMFP in collaboration with Bill Melendez, expanding the Peanuts franchise from television specials into theatrical releases. Includes the Oscar-nominated 'A Boy Named Charlie Brown' (1969).
• Documentary Productions Award-winning documentary television productions including 'A Man Named Mays' (NBC, 1963), 'A Boy Named Charlie Brown' (1963), 'San Francisco Pageant' (Peabody Award winner for KPIX-TV), 'John Steinbeck's America and Americans' (NBC, Emmy winner), and 'Hot Dog' 13-week series (NBC, Peabody Award winner). Produced for major broadcast networks.
• Vince Guaraldi Music Catalog Licensing Music publishing and licensing service for the Vince Guaraldi Library of Charlie Brown music, handling copyright enforcement and licensing for commercial uses of Guaraldi's compositions including 'Linus and Lucy'. Managed through Hogan Media, LLC (Ms. Shelly Hogan) for licensing inquiries. Includes active copyright enforcement against unauthorized commercial users including lawsuits against CBS, GameMill Entertainment, U.S. Department of the Interior, and other entities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% CO2 savings in BioVinyl S-PVC production compared to traditional vinyl manufacturing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• World Central KitchenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026LMFP donates licensing fee proceeds from CBS agreement to World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit humanitarian organization founded by Chef José Andrés. The agreement resulted from CBS paying licensing fees for use of Vince Guaraldi's 'Linus and Lucy' on Stephen Colbert's final Late Show episode.
• Arbor Day FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2025Five-year partnership to plant trees, having planted over 141,000 trees together. For every physical copy of LMFP's sustainable album purchased in 2026, one tree is planted in a forest of need with a minimum annual support of 12,000 trees planted. Joint lighting of Empire State Building on Earth Day 2025 to celebrate 50th anniversary of 'It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown.'
• Barnes & NoblecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive vinyl variants and CD releases distributed through Barnes & Noble retail stores and website. Barnes & Noble exclusives include Mystifying Teal BioVinyl LP for 'It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown' and picture disc variants for other releases.
• Urban OutfitterscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive vinyl variants distributed through Urban Outfitters retail stores and website, including Mysterious Magenta BioVinyl LP for 'It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown.'
• Record Store DaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive limited edition releases available at participating independent Record Store Day stores worldwide. LMFP has released exclusive variants including egg-shaped vinyl, baseball-shaped LP, and glove-shaped LP.
• TargetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTarget exclusive Turkey Tan vinyl variant for 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' soundtrack release.
• Warner Bros. DiscoveryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHome video, DVD, and internet distributor for Peanuts content.
• Apple TV+coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStreaming platform for Peanuts animated specials including 'It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown' and 'Charlie Brown's All Stars!' Also streams classic Peanuts holiday specials.
• Bill Melendez ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership with animator Bill Melendez as co-producer on over 70 Peanuts Television Specials and four Peanuts Feature Films.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Primary Wave Music Publishing: Independent music publishing and rights management company acquiring and exploiting legendary songwriter and artist catalogs. Comparable to LMFP's role managing and licensing the Guaraldi catalog, though operating at significantly greater scale across multiple high-profile catalogs.
• Concord Music Publishing: Major independent music publisher with extensive catalog of film, TV, and theatrical music rights. Comparable to LMFP in administering and licensing historic music catalogs to media and platforms, though operating across a much broader portfolio.
• Walt Disney Records: Major soundtrack label and music publisher for Disney's animated properties, including classic holiday specials. Comparable to LMFP in publishing and distributing soundtracks for legacy family animation franchises, though at vastly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Craft Recordings: Concord-owned reissue label specializing in vinyl and CD reissues of classic jazz, blues, and soundtrack recordings. Directly comparable to LMFP's Guaraldi soundtrack reissue program, particularly in bringing historic catalog recordings to modern collectors through premium formats.
• Waxwork Records: Vinyl-first soundtrack label known for deluxe packaging, colored variants, and horror/genre reissues. Directly comparable to LMFP's collectible RSD exclusives, color variants at Target/B&N/Urban Outfitters, and emphasis on premium physical product rather than mass-market digital sales.
• La-La Land Records: Boutique soundtrack reissue label producing expanded CD and vinyl editions of film and television scores from classic Hollywood and TV. Comparable to LMFP's Guaraldi reissue program in scope, collector focus, and exploitation of underrepresented catalog material.
• Mondo: Collectible soundtrack and pop culture vinyl label producing limited-edition scores for films and television with artist-driven packaging. Comparable to LMFP's premium physical format strategy and shared distribution through RSD independent stores and specialty retail.
• Varèse Sarabande: Long-running independent film and TV soundtrack label specializing in CD reissues and limited-edition vinyl releases of classic scores. Directly comparable to LMFP because both monetize legacy film/TV music catalogs through collectible physical editions aimed at soundtrack enthusiasts.
• Intrada: Independent soundtrack specialty label offering expanded CD reissues and limited vinyl editions of classic film/TV scores. Directly comparable to LMFP's catalog-driven reissue model and shared collector audience.

Others

• Peanuts Worldwide: Joint venture between WildBrain and Sony Music that manages the global Peanuts brand across consumer products, content, and entertainment. Related to LMFP rather than a direct competitor—LMFP holds music publishing rights while Peanuts Worldwide controls broader brand and character rights.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@LeeMendelsonFilm
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61552105305449
• Instagraminstagram.com/leemendelsonfilmproductions?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0B2HsubFcLQIFHzbOavuOo6rn-AvHP0gZfpEj7YpFUuQCb0bh9mFP974E_aem_Kf4vCBx9knFvpdrLvQplcQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lee-mendelson-film-productions-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lee Mendelson Film Productions