Little Orphan Annie

Little Orphan Annie's portrait, hanging over a dozing Brewster.

Baby Scooter as Little Orphan Annie.

Mr. Snuffleupagus ordering an Annie ring in Episode 0962.

Sesame Place poster

Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet

Little Orphan Annie is a comic strip character created by Harold Gray in 1924, and since adapted for radio, animation, film, television, and most notably, the 1977 Broadway musical Annie. Gray's trademark was the pupil-less eyes of his characters.

References

• In the July 27, 1963 issue of TV Guide, Billy and Sue appear. Billy has deliberately blanked out eyes, accompanied by the caption "Sue and Billy: He loves Little Orphan Annie" (the "blanked eyes" joke had previously been used by Walt Kelly in Pogo.)

• In The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, Annie's is one of several rotating portraits seen in a corner of the control room (along with Mona Lisa and Big Bird).

• Mr. Snuffleupagus places an order for a Little Orphan Annie ring (extra large) in Episode 0962 of Sesame Street.

• The song "Tomorrow" from the musical Annie was performed on The Muppet Show and A Special Sesame Street Christmas.

• A stylized version of Annie appears in a Sesame Street cartoon by Bruce Cayard about carrots, illustrating people referred to as "carrot tops" because of their red hair. (First: Episode 1132)

• Fozzie Bear listens to a version of "Tomorrow" from the Annie musical in the November 6, 1982 edition of The Muppets comic strip.

• In the sixth season Muppet Babies episode "Comic Capers," Baby Fozzie manipulates Baby Scooter in a computer drawing program, at one point turning him into Annie.

• Baby Piggy imagines herself as Annie in "This Little Piggy Went to Hollywood" with Baby Rowlf as Sandy, singing a parody of "Tomorrow." Their eyes are blanked out, as in the original comic strip.

• In the waiting area for the Sesame Place stage show Elmo the Musical Live, a poster for "Abby" is used on the wall. The tagline reads, "The Sun Will Twinkle Tomorrow!"

• In Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet, an allusion is made to "Lil' Orphaned Piggy" a Broadway play that Miss Piggy starred in, a spoof of the Annie musical.

• Uncle Deadly tweeted in 2017, "Seems no matter how many times I audition, I never ever get the lead in the musical "Annie." #CastMeNow!"

• At Sesame Street at SeaWorld, the backstage theater area has a rack of costumes used for the Sesame Street Community Theater. Among them is Annie's iconic red dress.

Connections

• Tituss Burgess played Rooster Hannigan in Annie Live!
• Carol Burnett played Miss Hannigan in the 1982 film
• Rose Byrne played Grace Farrell in the 2014 film
• Nell Carter played Miss Hannigan in the 1997 Broadway revival
• Kristin Chenoweth played Lily St. Regis in the 1999 TV movie
• Joan Collins played Lady Edwina Hogbottom in the 1995 TV movie Annie: A Royal Adventure!
• Harry Connick, Jr. played Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks in Annie Live!
• Alan Cumming played Rooster Hannigan in the 1999 TV movie
• Tim Curry played Rooster Hannigan in the 1982 film
• Cameron Diaz plays Miss Hannigan in the 2014 film
• Sutton Foster played the "Star to Be," Ronnie Boylan, Cecille, a dogcatcher, and ensemble roles in the 1997 revival
• Jamie Foxx plays William Stacks in the 2014 film
• Victor Garber played Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks in the 1999 TV movie
• Fred Garbo played a background juggler in the 1982 film version
• I. M. Hobson played Drake in the 1982 film version
• Geoffrey Holder played Punjab in the 1982 film version
• Jane Lynch played Miss Hannigan during the second Broadway revival (May to July 2013)
• Audra McDonald played Grace Farrell in the in the 1999 TV movie
• Peter Marshall played Bert Healy in the 1982 film version
• Rob Marshall directed the 1999 television adaptation
• Michael Moschen played a background juggler in the 1982 film version
• Sarah Jessica Parker played July (an orphan) and then took over as Annie on Broadway (ca. 1979-1980)
• Bernadette Peters played Lily St. Regis in the 1982 film
• Vic Polizos played the beat cop in the 1999 TV movie
• Jon Richards played Frack in the 1982 film version
• Allison Smith played Annie during the Broadway run, ca. 1980-1981
• Olan Soule played Aha the cook in the 1930s Little Orphan Annie radio serial
• Sally Struthers played Miss Hannigan in the 1998 20th Anniversary National Tour
• Raquel Welch played Little Orphan Annie in a comedy skit in the 1972 special The Funny Papers
• Anneliese van der Pol played July in the 2012 Broadway revival

External links

• Toonopedia