"Annie" is cursed

The original Broadway show remains a classic.

Every other later attempt to bring Annie to the screen OR stage has failed miserably.

This movie and the subsequent television productions obviously speak for themselves.

But, more significantly, when the team of the original Broadway hit "Annie" tried to capitalize on their own theatrical success by announcing a Broadway sequel, it was no less a disaster than the 1982 movie fiasco.

When Martin Charnin et al announced they would do a sequel, the New York theater community was all agog. There was a big publicity push about the search for the child actress to play Annie. Who could possibly match Andrea McArdle in a new "Annie" musical. They finally - with more hoopla - announced that they had found her (I can't remember her name). The rehearsals began, there were articles in the "New York Times", more publicity about the new "Annie" actress. Then the rumors started flying: creative differences, etc. There were numerous delays - so many and for so long that the original actress chosen to play "Annie" had outgrown the part! So much for all that hype about auditioning thousands of girls to choose just the right one.

Eventually the show opened - quietly - somewhere in New Jersey and then never made it to Broadway. Even the "New York Times" took note in an article entitled "About Annie..." - reporting the details of what had become a big (almost legendary) Broadway financial disaster.

Some "classics" you just shouldn't mess with.

"Don't call me 'honey', mac."
"Don't call me 'mac'... HONEY!"