DARK DAYS
Inside tragic life of Charlie Brown star Peter Robbins from addictions & bipolar disorder to prison time before suicide
EX child star Peter Robbins battled bipolar and suffered from drug addiction– years before his death at the age of 65.
The Peanuts actor, who was best known for voicing Charlie Brown, took his own life last week, his family confirmed.
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Robbins landed the iconic role in 1963 at just age nine and appeared in several Peanuts cartoons.
Robbins stopped voicing Charlie Brown when he was 14, but his love for the character was so strong that he later got a tattoo of the boy and Snoopy on his arm.
Decades after voicing Charlie Brown, he was treated for drug and alcohol addiction and suffered from bipolar.
Robbins was also embroiled in legal troubles.
In January 2013, he was charged with four felony counts of making a threat to cause death or great bodily injury and one felony count of stalking.
Cops arrested Robbins in San Ysidro, California when trying to re-enter the US.
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The actor allegedly threatened a San Diego police sergeant with bodily harm.
In the same year, Robbins pled guilty to threatening his ex-partner Shawna Kern.
Read our Peter Robbins live blog for the very latest news and updates...
Prosecutors said that he would call her dozens of times and threatened to kill her and her kid if she didn’t return his car and dog.
Prosecutors also claimed that Robbins threatened plastic surgeon Lori Saltz after she carried out breast enhancement surgery on Kern.
Robbins apparently paid for the surgery and he started stalking Saltz as he demanded a refund.
He was sentenced to serve one year in county jail. At the time of his sentencing, he had already been caged for around four months, according to .
He was also ordered to sign up for a drug treatment program and was sentenced to five years probation.
'DON'T BE A BLOCKHEAD'
The judge said: “If I can borrow a line from 'Peanuts,' sir, I'm going to grant [you] probation. If you adhere to those terms, you won’t go to prison. So, don’t be a blockhead.”
Charlie Brown was often called a “blockhead” in the cartoon by his friends.
The actor expressed remorse as he said he had "no ill will" toward Kern and Saltz
During his sentencing, Robbins vowed to “openly seek treatment” for his alcoholism.
He said at the time: “I realize this is just the first step toward becoming the fun-loving respectful person I was and hope to become again.”
In 2015, the Peanuts star pled guilty to making criminal threats.
He threatened to harm a mobile park manager and San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, offering $50,000 to have Gore killed, according to the
He also threatened other residents on the site, the reported.
The actor claimed that the threats stemmed from bipolar and paranoid schizophrenia.
The Peanuts star was given probation while attending a drug therapy program but was arrested after violating the terms. He served 80 percent of his term and was released in 2019.
Speaking following his release, Robbins told : “Well, I know I was certainly mentally ill. I wish I had gotten treatment earlier by professionals.”
He candidly admitted that his lowest point came while caged.
He was treated for drug and alcohol addiction, ordered not to take booze or drugs, and was required to take anger management classes.
Robbins added: “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,”
“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.”
Following his release from jail, he got his tattoo of Charlie Brown and Snoopy.
'THE GREATEST FANS'
Robbins regarded Charlie Brown as an important aspect of his life and his recovery; he was relentlessly thankful to the fans.
He said: “Charlie Brown fans are the greatest fans in the world. And everybody is willing, I hope, to give me a second chance.”
Robbins was perhaps best known for voicing Charlie Brown but appeared in episodes of the Munsters as Elmer.
The exact circumstances around his death are not clear.
Dozens of fans have paid tribute to the voice actor.
One said: “I'm heartbroken to have learned now that Peter Robbins, best known as the voice of Charlie Brown from A Charlie Brown Christmas, has died at the age of 65.
“Please remember to take mental health seriously.”
Another commented: “RIP to Peter Robbins, the first voice of Charlie Brown for A Charlie Brown Christmas.
“No matter how into animation you are, I think everyone on the planet has heard this voice.
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“A legendary voice from a legendary person, that will be dearly missed, thank you for everything.”
Others said that Robbins’ legacy would “live on” following his death.
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You're not alone
SUICIDE is the 10th leading cause of death in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Leading Causes of Death Report from 2018.
There were "more than two and half times as many suicides" in the US than there were homicides, according to the .
For people ages 10 and 34, suicide was the "second leading cause of death" and the fourth for individuals ages 35 to 54.
Suicide is a vital health concern in the U.S. It affects all genders, races and ages.
This is why The-Sun.com launched the You're Not Alone campaign.
The campaign calls on readers to discuss their mental health issues with their family, friends and health professionals. We can all pitch in to help out others who may be suffering and help save lives.
If you are struggling to cope, you are not alone. There are many free and confidential programs in the US aimed to help those who are struggling with their mental health.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health problems, these organizations are here to provide support:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, , 1-800-273-TALK
- Crisis Text Line, , Text HOME to 741741
- Veterans Crisis Hotline, , 1-800-273-8255
- Trevor Project, , 1-866-488-7386
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