Little Orphan Annie (1938)

Synopsis of Little Orphan Annie

Harold Gray's long-running comic strip Little Orphan Annie was first brought to the screen in 1932, with Mitzi Green as Annie. This 1938 version was produced by Paramount, with Ann Gillis (best known for her performance as Becky Thatcher in Selznick's Adventures of Tom Sawyer) as Gray's resourceful, saucer-eyed heroine. Surprisingly, there's no "Daddy Warbucks" in this story of Annie's efforts to help the impoverished residents of a tenement neighborhood. Befriending would-be boxer Johnny Adams (Robert Kent), Annie persuades the tenement dwellers to subsidize Johnny's pugilistic career, with the promise that they'll be compensated with his championship prize money. Unfortunately, the loan sharks who've been terrorizing the neighborhood get wind of Annie's scheme, and it looks bad for both Annie and Johnny until a group of angry housewives come a-marching to the rescue! Needless to say, this Little Orphan Annie bears zero resemblance to the hit Broadway musical of the 1970s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Director(s):

Ben Holmes

Writer(s):

Samuel Ornitz, Budd Schulberg

Producer(s):

John Speaks

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