Connie Boucher

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Connie Boucher
Born15 July 1923
Died20 December 1995
San Francisco, California
Occupations
  • Merchandising
  • Business

Connie Boucher (15 July 1923 – 20 December 1995) was an American businesswoman and pioneer in character merchandising, known for her work with the Peanuts comic strip. She also inspired the best-selling book Happiness Is a Warm Puppy (1962). Boucher founded Determined Productions, a company focused on character merchandising.[1][2][3][4]

Early life

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Born on 15 July 1923 in Seattle, Washington, D.C. and attended the Chouinard Art School in Los Angeles. In 1961, she established Determined Productions in San Francisco.[5][6]

Career

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Boucher founded Determined Productions, a company focused on character merchandising, in the mid-20th century. She collaborated with Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz, suggesting the concept for Happiness Is a Warm Puppy after seeing a strip where Charlie Brown says, “Happiness is a warm puppy.[7][8]

Her company facilitated the licensing of Peanuts characters for toys, gifts, and other products, revolutionising character merchandising.[6]

In 1990, Determined Productions underwrote a Louvre exhibition celebrating 40 years of Snoopy, highlighting Boucher's influence in elevating Peanuts to a global brand.[7]

Personal life

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Boucher was married to Jim Young and had two sons, Douglas Boucher of Belvedere and Theodore Boucher of Davis, as well as a sister, June Dutton of Sausalito.[5]

Death

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Connie Boucher died on 20 December 1995 in San Francisco, California, at the age of 72, due to complications following heart surgery.[5][7]

References

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  1. ^ "1962". Charles M. Schulz Museum. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  2. ^ "When Snoopy meets fashion, a coat that's doggone cute". 2025-03-24. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  3. ^ "Private Properties - WSJ". Wall Street Journal. 1996-06-14. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  4. ^ "Snoopy the fashion icon celebrated in Paris exhibition". The Straits Times. 2025-03-23. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  5. ^ a b c "OBITUARY -- Connie Boucher". Sfgate.com. 23 December 1995.
  6. ^ a b Baron, Eva (2025-04-11). "Peanuts Celebrates Its 75th Anniversary With a Snoopy Haute Couture Makeover". My Modern Met. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  7. ^ a b c "Connie Boucher, 72, a Pioneer In Licensing Cartoon Characters (Published 1995)". The New York Times. 1995-12-27. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  8. ^ "Snoopy turns 75: How did Snoopy become a fashion icon?". The Times of India. 2025-03-24. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-08-22.