Annie (1999 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Annie |
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| Based on | Annie by Charles Strouse Martin Charnin Thomas Meehan and Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray |
| Written by | Irene Mecchi Musical: Charles Strouse Martin Charnin Thomas Meehan |
| Directed by | Rob Marshall |
| Starring | Kathy Bates Alan Cumming Audra McDonald Kristin Chenoweth Victor Garber Andrea McArdle Alicia Morton Lalaine |
| Composer(s) | Score: Danny Troob Songs: Charles Strouse (music) Martin Charnin (lyrics) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | John Whitman Craig Zadan Neil Meron Chris Montan |
| Cinematography | Ralf Bode |
| Editor(s) | Scott Vickrey |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Walt Disney Television Columbia TriStar Television Storyline Entertainment Chris Montan Productions |
| Distributor | Disney-ABC Domestic Television Sony Pictures Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | November 7, 1999 |
Annie is a popular 1999 American TV movie musical. It's a comedy-drama film from The Wonderful World of Disney. The movie is based on the famous 1977 Broadway musical of the same name. That musical was created by Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin, and Thomas Meehan.
The story of Annie originally came from the 1924 Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray. This film was directed by Rob Marshall and written by Irene Mecchi. It was a special project because it was the first time The Walt Disney Company and Columbia Pictures worked together on a film in many years. The movie stars Kathy Bates, Alan Cumming, Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Victor Garber, Andrea McArdle, and introduced Alicia Morton as Annie. Lalaine also stars as Kate.
Annie first aired on ABC on November 7, 1999. It was very popular, with about 26.3 million people watching it. This made it one of the most-watched Disney films ever shown on ABC. The movie won two Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award.
Contents
The Story of Annie
Annie's Life at the Orphanage
The story begins in 1933, during the Great Depression. This was a time when many people in America were struggling financially. Annie Bennett, an 11-year-old orphan, lives at the Hudson Street Home For Girls. She was left there as a baby. All she has from her parents is half of a heart-shaped locket and a note. The note says they would come back for her someday.
The orphanage is run by the very strict Miss Hannigan. She is not kind to the orphans. She makes them work hard and treats them poorly. One night, Annie tries to escape to find her parents. Miss Hannigan catches her, but Annie manages to hide and finally gets away.
Annie Meets Sandy and Daddy Warbucks
While on her own, Annie finds a friendly dog and names him Sandy. A policeman soon finds Annie and takes her back to the orphanage. Meanwhile, a very rich businessman named Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks decides he wants to invite an orphan to his home for Christmas. His kind secretary, Grace Farrell, chooses Annie.
Annie and Sandy are brought to Daddy Warbucks' huge and fancy estate. They get to experience a life of luxury. At first, Daddy Warbucks isn't sure about having a child around. But Annie's cheerful spirit quickly wins him over.
The Search for Annie's Parents
Daddy Warbucks really wants to adopt Annie. However, Annie still hopes to find her birth parents. So, Daddy Warbucks announces on the radio that he will give $50,000 to anyone who can prove they are Annie's biological parents.
The orphans accidentally tell Miss Hannigan about the reward. Miss Hannigan's tricky younger brother, Rooster, and his not-so-smart girlfriend, Lily St. Regis, come up with a plan. They decide to pretend to be Annie's parents, Ralph and Shirley Mudge, to get the money.
The Big Reveal and Happy Ending
Lily is left with the orphans while Miss Hannigan and Rooster go to meet Daddy Warbucks. Lily accidentally spills the secret to the orphans. They make her tell them everything. Lily realizes Rooster might leave her out of the money, as he has done before.
So, Lily and the orphans rush to Warbucks' mansion. Lily demands her share of the money, and the orphans reveal the whole trick. As Miss Hannigan and Rooster try to run away, they are stopped. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his Secret Service have just arrived! The President has papers that show Miss Hannigan, Rooster, and Lily are criminals.
Miss Hannigan gets very angry and yells at Annie for ruining her plan. She is then taken away to a hospital for mistreating children. Rooster and Lily are arrested and sent to jail.
President Roosevelt then shares some sad news with Annie. Her real parents, David and Margaret Bennett, had passed away years ago. This is why they never came back for her. Annie is sad, but she cheers up when Daddy Warbucks officially adopts her. President Roosevelt promises that all the other orphans will also find loving families. Daddy Warbucks and Grace get engaged, and Annie lives happily ever after with her new parents and Sandy.
Meet the Cast
Main Characters
- Victor Garber as Mr. Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks: A very rich businessman who was lonely. He opens his heart to Annie and becomes her loving adoptive father.
- Alicia Morton as Annie Bennett-Warbucks: An optimistic 11-year-old orphan. She dreams of finding her birth parents but eventually finds a new family with Oliver and Grace.
- Audra McDonald as Miss Grace Farrell: Daddy Warbucks' kind and smart personal secretary. She falls in love with Daddy Warbucks and becomes Annie's adoptive mother.
- Kathy Bates as Miss Agatha Hannigan: The mean owner of the orphanage. She makes the orphans' lives very difficult.
- Alan Cumming as Daniel Francis "Rooster" Hannigan: Agatha's sneaky younger brother. He is a con-artist who tries to trick Daddy Warbucks.
- Kristin Chenoweth as Lily St. Regis: Rooster's girlfriend. She helps him with his tricky plans.
The Orphans
- Erin Adams as Tessie: An orphan who often worries and says, "Oh my goodness!"
- Sarah Hyland as Molly: The youngest orphan. She is often picked on by Pepper.
- Lalaine as Katherine "Kate": A tomboyish and shy Mexican American orphan who is good friends with Annie.
- Nanea Miyata as July: The second oldest orphan, who is 13 years old and acts like a mother figure to the others.
- Marissa Rago as Pepper: The oldest orphan, who is 14 years old. She is bossy and thinks she's too old to be adopted.
- Danelle Wilson as Duffy: An African American orphan who loves to sing. She is loud, confident, and dreams of being famous.
Other Important Characters
- Andrea McArdle as Star-To-Be: Andrea McArdle was the original actress who played Annie in the Broadway musical!
- Dennis Howard as Franklin D. Roosevelt: The President of the United States. He helps Annie and her new family.
- Chester and Chip as Sandy: Annie's loyal stray dog.
Musical Songs
The movie Annie is a musical, so it's full of great songs! The soundtrack was released on November 2, 1999. The songs in the movie are mostly the same as those from the original 1977 Broadway show. However, a few songs from the stage show were not included in this film.
Here are some of the songs you'll hear in the movie:
- "Overture"
- "Maybe" - Sung by Annie
- "It's the Hard Knock Life" - Sung by Annie and the Orphans
- "It's the Hard Knock Life" (Reprise) - Sung by the Orphans
- "Tomorrow" - Sung by Annie
- "Little Girls" - Sung by Miss Hannigan
- "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" - Sung by Grace, Annie, and Warbucks' Staff
- "N.Y.C." - Sung by Warbucks, Grace, Annie, and Star-to-Be
- "Easy Street" - Sung by Rooster, Miss Hannigan, and Lily
- "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" - Sung by Bert Healy and the Boylan Sisters
- "Something Was Missing" - Sung by Warbucks
- "I Don't Need Anything But You" - Sung by Warbucks and Annie
Awards and Recognition
Annie was a very successful TV movie and received many awards and nominations!
Awards Won
- American Choreography Award for Rob Marshall (the director)
- American Comedy Award for Kathy Bates (who played Miss Hannigan)
- Costume Designers Guild Awards for great costume design
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for Rob Marshall
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction for Paul Bogaev
- Young Star Award for Best Young Actress/Performance in a TV Film for Alicia Morton (Annie)
- TV Guide Award for Favorite TV Movie or Miniseries
- Peabody Award (a very respected award for excellence in broadcasting)
Award Nominations
The movie was also nominated for many other awards, including:
- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for Kathy Bates
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie for Kathy Bates
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Kathy Bates)
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Rob Marshall)
- Several other Emmy nominations for its casting, costumes, art direction, cinematography, hairstyling, and sound mixing.
