"Annie" Ending Changed?

#1

"Annie" Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/26/05 at 6:46pm

I just saw the Carol Burnett version of "Annie" and I saw the Kathy Bates version a few years ago. I noticed the endings are different for Miss Hannigan. In the Carol Burnett version, she tries to stop her brother from harming Annie and ends up happily at the big party. In the Kathy Bates version, they take her "Little Girls" number to the extreme, create a reprise, and sign her off to the nut house.

Which of these versions is truest to the stage version? I've never seen it live.

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#2

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/26/05 at 6:50pm

Though it was still quite abridged, the TV movie with Kathy Bates was more true to the stage version, including the ending.

On edit - It's been a while since I've seen it on stage or either screen version. I believe Miss Hannigan is arrested at the end of the stage show.

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"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey

Updated On: 6/26/05 at 06:50 PM

#3

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/26/05 at 7:20pm

If I recall correctly, in the stage version, Miss Hannigan gets taken away to jail with Rooster & Lily... right????

Don't even get me started on all the things they changed for the Carol Burnett movie... it ticks me off....

#4

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/26/05 at 7:32pm

You're correct.

My middle school did Annie Jr 2 years ago when I was still in attendence and I was Mr. Bundles and the verison of her getting taken to jail is correct.

#5

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/26/05 at 7:35pm

I saw it at a community theatre, and they had her being taken away (strapped onto one of those roller thingies that UPS guys put boxes on) while singing a reprise of Little Girls.

#6

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/26/05 at 7:36pm

In the Kathy Bates version... it's Rooster and Miss Hannigan that pretend to be Annie's parents... Is this how it is in the stage version??? It's been YEARS since I've seen Annie done on stage. In the Carol Burnett movie, it's Rooster & Lily... and I thought thats how it was in the play... I mean how stupid could Annie have been not to recorgnize Miss Hannigan????

#7

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/26/05 at 7:38pm

i was 8 when i saw it on tour so i really dont remembe what happened in it haha it was my first proffessional like big time touring broadway play

#8

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/26/05 at 7:41pm

I played Miss Hannigan... gah...

But, yes, she gets arrested. Miss Hannigan is being arrested and goes to Annie and says, "Tell 'em how good and nice I always been to ya." and Annie says, "You told me 'never tell a lie' Miss Hannigan." and then Miss Hannigan gets carted off screaming about how she hates Annie.

Those lines aren't perfect... but it's the general idea.

#9

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/26/05 at 7:42pm

My mom forbid me from seeing Annie when it was on Broadway as she didn't want me to go around the house singing "Tomorrow" nonstop. Ah, good memories...

~Jessica

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"If you start from a place of joy and charm, you can get away with a lot in the second act. It may be that that's my life. I'm not sure." ~Roger Bart

#10

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 2:35am

as i recall doing the show a few months ago, rooster and lily pretend to be annie's parents, get arrested, as well as ms. hannigan, and they all live happily ever after. ha.

#11

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 9:25am

"In the Kathy Bates version... it's Rooster and Miss Hannigan that pretend to be Annie's parents..."

Yes, and in the Carol Burnett version I think it was Rooster (Tim Curry!!!) and Lily St. Regis (Bernadette Peters!!!) that were the parents.

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"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611

#12

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 11:06am

There was a very (surprisingly) controversial production at Trinity Rep in Providence, RI, a few years ago, played very naturalistically at the beginning, then Annie left this godawful orphanage to this incredible world. Then at the end the lights went down, then came back up, and Annie was waking up in the orphanage. People were furious.

I think it's clever in theory but not particularly appropriate.

#13

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 11:17am

Taht was what I thought this thread was originally about gwalke4. It was a big problem. Little kids were leaving in tears. In the end, Annie wakes up in bed and tearfully sings Tomorrow. I think the production was production was actually asked to stop.

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Keep the peace, take care of each other, and may you find your promised land. -TJST

#14

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 11:53am

The TV movie's idea of using Miss Hannigan as "Mrs. Mudge" (Annie's supposed Mother) was ridiculous. In addition to making Annie look incredibly stupid (how could she NOT recognize the woman who has raised her for 11 years?) it also made Grace look pretty dim, since Grace has had two whole scenes with Hannigan.

The original stage play has Rooster and Lily impersonating the parents. The most successful productions of the show have Rooster and Lily directed to be very believeable and not way over-the-top as the Mudges. Otherwise, there's no threat and Annie, Grace AND Warbucks are all fools.

#15

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 12:38pm

The reason the film version is different (Taking place at the 4th of July instead of Christmas) was that they couldn't use fake snow where they were filming. The folks that owned the property thought it would kill the vegitation. So, the film makers moved it to July.

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#16

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 12:41pm

I actually think the change of location to 4th of July was part of John Hustons' concept right from the beginning. He thought it would make the story more patriotic and appropriate for a summer release date. He talked a little about this in a doccumentary that was made in 1982 about the making of the film.

#17

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 1:05pm

I remember in a post about an ending change where Annie wakes up in the orphanage and finds out it was all a dream......

#18

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 1:56pm

Was the waking up to it all being a dream an ending that someone came up with later on? Or was that the true original ending? How depressing!

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"The theater is my life. I live it. I breathe it. I fondle it till it falls asleep." Jack (Will And Grace) http://feathah.blogspot.com

#19

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 2:00pm

No, the "waking up" ending was the director's concept. She invisioned the show as a dark, depression era fable. Charnin didn't agree...

EDIT -- here is a review of that production:


http://www.thecowl.com/media/paper493/news/2003/05/01/ArtsEntertainment/Trinity.Reps.New.And.Edgy.Annie-431069.shtml

Updated On: 6/27/05 at 02:00 PM

#20

re: 'Annie' Ending Changed?

Posted: 6/27/05 at 2:45pm

i remember watching the movie as a kid then finally seeing the stage show... and then being all upset that Punjab wasn't in the stage production... haha