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Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Joel Leaver

Where is the cast of Annie now? From wedding singer to Broadway star as film turns 40

Next month marks the 40th anniversary since the release of the original Annie film, with the comedy musical having spawned remakes and a live adaption more recently.

The film, released in 1982, was based on the Broadway musical of the same name, which was itself inspired by the Little Orphan Annie comic strip created by Harold Gray.

It tells the story of red-headed orphan Annie who is invited to stay with billionaire Oliver Warbucks, though trouble later ensues as she attempts to find her biological parents.

The project, directed by John Huston, was led by child actress Aileen Quinn who was unknown to audiences, as she joined well-known faces for the musical hit.

Annie

Aileen Quinn played the titular role of Annie (Fotos International/REX/Shutterstock/Getty Images for TCM)

Aileen Quinn, now 50, landed the role of Annie when she was nine, with the youngster having previously been part of the swing for the stage production on Broadway.

The actress was later nominated for several awards for her performance in the film, including two Golden Globes, with the titular orphan having been her biggest role to date.

The same year as its release, she voiced Dorothy Gale in an anime version of the Wizard of Oz and later had a leading role in the Frog Prince (1986), alongside Helen Hunt, 58.

Quinn, pictured in 2014, has returned to acting in recent years (WireImage)

Quinn however decided to walk away from the acting when she became an adult, recalling to Fox News : "I wanted to get back to some normalcy[...] and explore my other options."

She reportedly graduated from Drew University in New Jersey in 1994, with her even ended up living abroad for a while and learning a new language during her break from acting.

The film is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year (Columbia Pictures/Getty Images)

The performer later ventured back into the industry, even playing Lily St. Regis in a production of Annie. Her acting credits include a role on Will & Grace a few years ago.

Quinn teased earlier this month she's "getting back into film and TV." She also fronts a band called Aileen Quinn and the Leapin' Lizards that performs together on weekends.

Molly

Toni Ann Gisondi, now 47, played the role of Molly, who is the surrogate younger sister of Annie. The character is an orphan just like the titular character, who's her best friend.

The actress explained during an interview on YouTube series Just Talkin' she was "offered other parts" after the film, but her parents relocated the family to New Jersey.

Gisondi said she went back to school to "be a normal kid again", though did local theatre productions during her youth. She's continued to perform during subject years.

She revealed in the interview that she now has two daughters, with the eldest called Molly - after her role in the film. Her children have shown an interest in performing.

And alongside performances in stage productions, Gisondi explained that she has continued to sing in another capacity - with her singing at weddings and funerals.

Oliver Warbucks

The late Albert Finney played Oliver 'Daddy' Warbucks (Getty Images/WireImage)

The late Albert Finney played billionaire businessman Oliver 'Daddy' Warbucks in the film. The character becomes a father figure to the titular orphan and later adopts her.

The actor was already an established talent before Annie, having appeared in a number of films including Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960) as well as Scrooge (1970).

His next role after the musical was in drama film The Dresser (1983), which earned him numerous awards nominations. He later appeared in Erin Brockovich (2000).

Finney, pictured with co-star Quinn on set, passed away in 2019 (Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)

Finney's other credits include playing Dr. Albert Hirsch in two films within the Bourne franchise and most recently appearing as Kincade in James Bond film Skyfall (2012).

The actor - who had played iconic literary character Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express (1974) - sadly passed away in 2019 at the age of 82. Skyfall was his last film.

Miss Hannigan

Carol Burnett played Miss Agatha Hannigan (Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock/Getty Images)

Carol Burnett, now 89, played the villainous Miss Agatha Hannigan in the original film. The character is the cruel and drunk manager of the orphanage where Annie begins the film.

Like her co-star Finney, she was already an established performer prior to working on Annie, with the Carol Burnett Show having aired on CBS from 1967 until 1978.

She later starred in other projects such as Noises Off (1992) as well as having voice roles in films such as Horton Hears a Who! (2008) and more recently Toy Story 4 (2019).

Burnett (centre) has continued to act in subsequent years (Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)

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Burnett's extensive screen credits include roles on TV shows such as Magnum, P.I., Fame, Desperate Housewives, Glee and Hawaii Five-0. She's won numerous awards.

The Golden Globes even announced the creation of the Carol Burnett Award in 2019, for achievements in television, with the performer herself it's first recipient.

Grace Farrell

The late Ann Reinking played Grace Farrell (Getty Images)

The late Ann Reinking is best known for playing the role of Grace Farrell in the film. The character is the personal secretary of Oliver Warbuck and invites Annie to stay with them.

Following the release of the film, she went on to work extensively in musical theatre, starring in Broadway productions including Coco (1969), Chicago (1977) and Chicago (1977).

The performer won a Tony Award for her choreography in the stage revival of Chicago in 1996 and won an Olivier Award in the same field for Fosse (2000) in the West End.

The mother-of-one sadly passed away in 2020, at the age of 71. Her last project had been choreographing a production of Chicago, which had ran at Théâtre Mogador in Paris.

Rooster

Tim Curry played Daniel 'Rooster' Hannigan (Columbia/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock/Getty Images)

Tim Curry, now 76, had played Daniel 'Rooster' Hannigan in the film. The character is introduced as the con-artist brother of Miss Hannigan, with him arrested in its final act.

He was already an established actor, best known as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - having originated the role in the West End in 1973.

His credits since Annie include playing Pennywise in the miniseries It (1990) and appearances in films such as Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) and Scary Movie 2 (2001).

Curry is best known for his role in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Movie Poster Image Art/Getty Images)

The actor's most recently role on screen was as the criminologist in The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again - a live televised adaption of his musical.

Curry - who has been nominated for awards such as a Tony and a Grammy over the years - is understood to have suffered a stroke in 2012, with him now using a wheelchair.

Lily St Regis

Bernadette Peters played Lily St. Regis (Columbia/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock/Getty Images)

Bernadette Peters, now 72, played the role of Lily St. Regis in the film. She is the thieving girlfriend of Rooser, who just like her boyfriend, is arrested at the film's conclusion.

Like many of her co-stars, she's best known for her work on stage, having appeared in productions on Broadway such as Into the Woods (1987), Gypsy (2003) and Hello, Dolly! (2018).

Peters (right), pictured with producer Ray Stark (left) and co-star Curry (centre), is an acclaimed stage performer (Columbia/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)

Some of most notable screen performances following the release of Annie include voicing Sophie in Anastasia (1997) and playing the stepmother in the live action Cinderella (1997).

The actor - who has won two Tony Awards and a Golden Globe over her career - most recently had a cameo appearance in the musical film Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021).

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