# Is the Great Pumpkin off limits? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261 "2003-08-01T01:12:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sat\_on\_Cookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@Sat\_on\_Cookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sat_on_Cookie)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261/1 "2003-08-01T01:12:43Z")
I, or someone I know, is writing a story about the great pumpkin which could be on a website. Could the Schultz’s have a legal problem with this? ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261/2 "2003-08-01T01:52:21Z")
Schulz would NEVER have a problem with it. His estate just might have a thing or two to say about it. \ ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261/3 "2003-08-01T02:26:38Z")
It’s an interesting question. If Schultz trademarked Great Pumpkin, then you’re in trouble for using it. However, I don’t think that’s the case. If it’s merely a use of the Great Pumpkin in a story, it depends on a lot of factors: how it was used, how much the Schultz estate wanted to push the case, etc. The copyright does extend to characters, but the case law as to how non-trademarked characters can be used by other authors is not entirely clear. In short, you might have a chance to win the case, but if the estate does go after you, they could probably afford better lawyers, so the smart move would be to do what they request. ---
**Author:** ![Sat\_on\_Cookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@Sat\_on\_Cookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sat_on_Cookie)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261/4 "2003-08-01T02:45:35Z")
Well, I’d like to stay away from shackles and “winning the case.” I’d prefer not to have the case, I think. Can anyone direct me to a trademark site where I can research if it’s been done [trademarked?]? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261/5 "2003-08-01T03:03:28Z")
Can’t you find out who Schultz’s literary executor is, and just ask permission? I believe any will is a public document; didn’t Schultz live (and die) in La Jolla? ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261/6 "2003-08-01T03:43:11Z")
If you want to sell it for profit, then yes, it could be a problem. Otherwise, I see no difference from this and other ‘fanfic’ that you see all over the place, from _Star Trek_ and _Buffy_ to _Harry Potter_ fans ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261/7 "2003-08-01T05:28:01Z")
Virtually all fanfic violates the owners’ copyrights. It’s just that most authors turn a blind eye to the practice. If nothing else, attempting to suppress fanfic will alienate some of their paying customers. I’d say you’d be on strong ground if you avoided using any of the other Peanuts characters. As far as I know, the Great Pumpkin was never depicted in any of the comic strips or cartoons and never had any dialog. It could be argued that it was not really a character at all. ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261/8 "2003-08-01T06:03:33Z")
[A cautionary tale.](http://animatedtv.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lardlad.com%2Fassets%2Farticles%2Farticle12.html) ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261/9 "2003-08-01T08:08:28Z")
[Official: Getting permission to use Peanuts intellectual property.](http://www.peanuts.com/comics/peanuts/contact_us/index.html#q4) ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-great-pumpkin-off-limits/192261/10 "2003-08-01T08:14:58Z")
[Official: Getting permission to use Peanuts intellectual property.](http://www.peanuts.com/comics/peanuts/contact_us/index.html#q4)