Gray developed the characters of Sandy, Annie’s
loyal canine companion, and Oliver “Daddy”
Warbucks, the wealthy man with a deep fatherly
love for Annie. The comic strip opens in the
orphanage where Annie suffers mistreatment under
the mean spirited and sarcastic matron of the home
for girls, Miss Asthma (who eventually became Miss
Agatha “Aggie” Hannigan). Annie is adopted on
a trial basis by the cruel and nasty Mrs. Warbucks
(that's right, Daddy Warbucks had a wife), who
makes it clear from the beginning that she does not
like Annie. A major theme of the comic strip was
Annie getting kicked out of the Warbucks home
by Mrs. Warbucks. But Mr. Warbucks meets her
and instantly develops a paternal devotion to the
youngster. So despite Mrs. Warbuck’s efforts to get
rid of Annie, by the end of each strip she would end
up back in the Warbucks mansion.
Early on in the strip, stories centered around gangs
of criminals and corruption both political and
institutional, all of which Annie would stand up
against. In the 1930s, changes were made to reflect
what was happening with The Great Depression.
In 1930, a 15-minute radio adaptation of "Little
Orphan Annie" opened in Chicago. It went national
in April of 1931. On the air until 1942, it was one of
the first comic strips to be written for the radio. In the
1930s, two films were also produced based on the
popular comic.
Gray passed away in 1968, but “Little Orphan
Annie” continued to run in papers under different
writers and artists. Gray’s original strips also ran in
syndication for a time. The strip’s final installment ran
in 2010.
In 1972, director and lyricist Martin Charnin
approached Thomas Meehan to write the book of
a musical based on “Little Orphan Annie”. Meehan,
who would go on to write stage adaptations of The
Producers and Hairspray, could not find a story in
the original comic strips he liked, so he decided
to write his own for the young heroine. According
6
to the article “Remembering Thomas Meehan” by
Peter Filichia, Meehan liked the idea of this little
girl breaking down the tough exterior of Oliver
Warbucks who grows to love her. It was Meehan’s
idea to have Annie decline Warbucks’ offer to adopt
her in favor of holding out for the return of her birth
parents, demonstrating that the little girl needed
more than money to find happiness. This made the
eventual adoption of Annie and Warbucks and their
relationship seem more genuine and heartfelt.
The rest of the creative team was rounded out by
Charles Strouse who wrote the music and Charnin
who penned the lyrics. On April 21, 1977, Annie
made its Broadway debut at the Alvin Theatre. Seven
Tony Awards and 2,377 performances later, it closed
on January 2, 1983. Since its highly successful first
run on Broadway, Annie has spawned several
national tours, professional productions around the
world, countless mountings by schools and community
theatres, and a Broadway revival in 1997. It has also
been adapted for the screen three times — in 1982,
1999, and 2014.
One of the most beautiful things about Little Orphan
Annie is her multigenerational appeal. For so many,
she was a part of childhood. From the generations
who grew up reading the comic and listening in on
her adventures on the radio, to those who played the
Broadway soundtrack on repeat or wore out their
VHS copies of the first film. And now, with new films
and productions continuously being mounted, the
musical Annie is delighting a brand new generation.
While winning over Daddy Warbucks, Annie has
warmed the hearts of readers, listeners, audience
members, and viewers the world over. And with
her enduring message that the sun will come out
tomorrow, she will continue to charm us for many
generations to come.
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