Annie (1982) Cast and Crew
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An eccentric rebel of epic proportions, this Hollywood titan reigned supreme as director, screenwriter and character actor in a career that endured over five decades. The ten-time Oscar-nominated legend was born John Marcellus Huston in Nevada, Missouri, on August 5, 1906. His ancestry was English, Scottish, Scots-Irish, distant German and very remote Portuguese. The age-old story goes that the small town of his birth was won by John's grandfather in a poker game. John's father was the equally magnanimous character actor Walter Huston, and his mother, Rhea Gore, was a newspaperwoman who traveled around the country looking for stories. The only child of the couple, John began performing on stage with his vaudevillian father at age 3. Upon his parents' divorce at age 7, the young boy would take turns traveling around the vaudeville circuit with his father and the country with his mother on reporting excursions. A frail and sickly child, he was once placed in a sanitarium due to both an enlarged heart and kidney ailment. Making a miraculous recovery, he quit school at age 14 to become a full-fledged boxer and eventually won the Amateur Lightweight Boxing Championship of California, winning 22 of 25 bouts. His trademark broken nose was the result of that robust activity.
John married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Harvey, and also took his first professional stage bow with a leading role off-Broadway entitled "The Triumph of the Egg." He made his Broadway debut that same year with "Ruint" on April 7, 1925, and followed that with another Broadway show "Adam Solitaire" the following November. John soon grew restless with the confines of both his marriage and acting and abandoned both, taking a sojourn to Mexico where he became an officer in the cavalry and expert horseman while writing plays on the sly. Trying to control his wanderlust urges, he subsequently returned to America and attempted newspaper and magazine reporting work in New York by submitting short stories. He was even hired at one point by mogul Samuel Goldwyn Jr. as a screenwriter, but again he grew restless. During this time he also appeared unbilled in a few obligatory films. By 1932 John was on the move again and left for London and Paris where he studied painting and sketching. The promising artist became a homeless beggar during one harrowing point.
Returning again to America in 1933, he played the title role in a production of "Abraham Lincoln," only a few years after father Walter portrayed the part on film for D.W. Griffith. John made a new resolve to hone in on his obvious writing skills and began collaborating on a few scripts for Warner Brothers. He also married again. Warners was so impressed with his talents that he was signed on as both screenwriter and director for the Dashiell Hammett mystery yarn The Maltese Falcon (1941). The movie classic made a superstar out of Humphrey Bogart and is considered by critics and audiences alike--- 65 years after the fact--- to be the greatest detective film ever made. In the meantime John wrote/staged a couple of Broadway plays, and in the aftermath of his mammoth screen success directed bad-girl 'Bette Davis (I)' and good girl Olivia de Havilland in the film melodrama In This Our Life (1942), and three of his "Falcon" stars (Bogart, Mary Astor and Sydney Greenstreet) in the romantic war picture Across the Pacific (1942). During WWII John served as a Signal Corps lieutenant and went on to helm a number of film documentaries for the U.S. government including the controversial Let There Be Light (1980), which father Walter narrated. The end of WWII also saw the end of his second marriage. He married third wife Evelyn Keyes, of "Gone With the Wind" fame, in 1946 but it too lasted a relatively short time. That same year the impulsive and always unpredictable Huston directed Jean-Paul Sartre's experimental play "No Exit" on Broadway. The show was a box-office bust (running less than a month) but nevertheless earned the New York Drama Critics Award as "best foreign play."
Hollywood glory came to him again in association with Bogart and Warner Brothers'. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), a classic tale of gold, greed and man's inhumanity to man set in Mexico, won John Oscars for both director and screenplay and his father nabbed the "Best Supporting Actor" trophy. John can be glimpsed at the beginning of the movie in a cameo playing a tourist, but he wouldn't act again on film for a decade and a half. With the momentum in his favor, John hung around in Hollywood this time to write and/or direct some of the finest American cinema made including Key Largo (1948) and The African Queen (1951) (both with Bogart), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), The Red Badge of Courage (1951) and Moulin Rouge (1952). Later films, including Moby Dick (1956), The Unforgiven (1960), The Misfits (1961), Freud (1962), The Night of the Iguana (1964) and The Bible in the Beginning... (1966) were, for the most part, well-regarded but certainly not close to the level of his earlier revered work. He also experimented behind-the-camera with color effects and approached topics that most others would not even broach, including homosexuality and psychoanalysis.
An ardent supporter of human rights, he, along with director William Wyler and others, dared to form the Committee for the First Amendment in 1947, which strove to undermine the House Un-American Activities Committee. Disgusted by the Hollywood blacklisting that was killing the careers of many talented folk, he moved to St. Clerans in Ireland and became a citizen there along with his fourth wife, ballet dancer Enrica (Ricki) Soma. The couple had two children, including daughter Anjelica Huston who went on to have an enviable Hollywood career of her own. Huston and wife Ricki split after a son (director Danny Huston) was born to another actress in 1962. They did not divorce, however, and remained estranged until her sudden death in 1969 in a car accident. John subsequently adopted his late wife's child from another union. The ever-impulsive Huston would move yet again to Mexico where he married (1972) and divorced (1977) his fifth and final wife, Celeste Shane.
Huston returned to acting auspiciously with a major role in Otto Preminger's epic film The Cardinal (1963) for which Huston received an Oscar nomination at age 57. From that time forward, he would be glimpsed here and there in a number of colorful, baggy-eyed character roles in both good and bad (some positively abysmal) films that, at the very least, helped finance his passion projects. The former list included outstanding roles in Chinatown (1974) and The Wind and the Lion (1975), while the latter comprised of hammy parts in such awful drek as Candy (1968) and Myra Breckinridge (1970).
Directing daughter Angelica in her inauspicious movie debut, the thoroughly mediocre A Walk with Love and Death (1969), John made up for it 15 years later by directing her to Oscar glory in the mob tale Prizzi's Honor (1985). In the 1970s Huston resurged as a director of quality films with Fat City (1972), The Man Who Would Be King (1975) and Wise Blood (1979). He ended his career on a high note with Under the Volcano (1984), the afore-mentioned Prizzi's Honor (1985) and The Dead (1987). His only certifiable misfire during that era was the elephantine musical version of Annie (1982), though it later became somewhat of a cult favorite among children.
Huston lived the macho, outdoors life, unencumbered by convention or restrictions, and is often compared in style or flamboyancy to an Ernest Hemingway or Orson Welles. He was, in fact, the source of inspiration for Clint Eastwood in the helming of the film White Hunter Black Heart (1990) which chronicled the making of "The African Queen." Illness robbed Huston of a good portion of his twilight years with chronic emphysema the main culprit. As always, however, he continued to work tirelessly while hooked up to an oxygen machine if need be. At the end, the living legend was shooting an acting cameo in the film Mr. North (1988) for his son Danny, making his directorial bow at the time. John became seriously ill with pneumonia and died while on location at the age of 81. This maverick of a man's man who was once called "the eccentric's eccentric" by Paul Newman, left an incredibly rich legacy of work to be enjoyed by film lovers for centuries to come.- Producer
- Additional Crew
Soon after World War II he started selling Red Ryder radio scripts written by his Shakespeare professor at Rutgers university. He was soon handling literary talent such as Raymond Chandler and Ben Hecht. He later joined Famous Artists Agency representing Lana Turner, Kirk Douglas, Richard Burton and many others. He resigned in '57 to form Seven Arts Productions with Elliot Hyman and supervised over 50 films including 'Night of the Iguana'and 'Reflections in a Golden Eye'.In 1966 he formed Rastar Productions to produce film versions of Broadway plays such as 'Funny Girl', winning an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, 'The Way We Were', 'Sunshine Boys', 'California Suite' and 'Robin and Marion'.- Writer
- Producer
Carol Sobieski was born on 16 March 1939 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was a writer and producer, known for Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Annie (1982) and The Bourne Identity (1988). She died on 4 November 1990 in Santa Monica, California, USA.- Music Department
- Composer
- Actor
Charles Strouse was born on 7 June 1928 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Annie (1982) and Deadpool 2 (2018). He has been married to Barbara Siman since 1962. They have four children.- Music Department
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Songwriter ("Early Autumn", "Bijou"), bandleader, composer, conductor, arranger and pianist, educated at the New England Conservatory. He studied piano with Marion Deviney. He was a pianist and arranger for the Charlie Barnet orchestra, and later with Woody Herman for seven years. He arranged for Broadway musicals, including "No Strings", "Little Me", "Funny Girl", and "Golden Boy". He conducted the orchestras for many records. Joining ASCAP in 1947, he collaborated musically with Woody Herman and Johnny Mercer. His song compositions also include "Summer Sequence", "Lady McGowan's Dream", "Rhapsody in Wood", "Northwest Passage", "Panacea", and "Keen and Peachy".- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Director
After graduating from U.S.C. in Cinema, Moore spent several years shooting documentaries and travelogues, in addition to being Western U.S. rep (with Conrad Hall) of Arriflex cameras. He then joined Robert Gottschalk as co-founder and Exec. V.P. of Panavision Inc., in charge of design and development. Moving from manufacturing cameras into using them, Moore launched his career as DP on a TV series, followed by a string of feature films, interspersed with numerous TV commercials; shot, directed and often produced by his own production company.- Editor
- Editorial Department
Michael A. Stevenson, the son of a film editor, began his career at MGM, and eventually became an assistant editor. He has worked on a variety of feature films for The Walt Disney Company, including "Jungle 2 Jungle", "Three Men and a Baby", "Three Men and a Little Lady", "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids", and "Honey, I Blew Up the Baby."- Actress
- Soundtrack
Aileen was introduced to show business by her mother, Helenann, who was doing theatre when Aileen was growing up. Aileen begged to audition too, and she began to get parts near her home of Yardley, Pennsylvania. Her first show being, ironically "Annie Get Your Gun."
Aileen's first movie part was one line in Paternity (1981), starring Burt Reynolds. At the time Aileen was picked for the movie, she was in the Broadway show, "Annie" as the "swing orphan." The Swing essentially understudied various Orphan roles in the show and knew all their parts and had to go on stage at a moment's notice if one of the actors was sick and couldn't perform, averaging 2 or 3 times a week.
A year later, she was chosen to be Annie in the film version from over 8,000 girls throughout the world. The announcement was made in January 1981 by director John Huston, who introduced Aileen as his Annie to the world on nationwide TV. Annie (1982) was filmed from April to September 1981. Aileen was under contract for 6 years to make "Annie 2," and possibly "Annie 3," but those projects never materialized. When the contract expired, Aileen was then approached to star in a new film version of - The Frog Prince (1986) - which they aired on The Disney Channel often. While Aileen was under contract, she continued to perform and went back to her theatre roots. She starred in a variety of productions in Fort Bragg, North Carolina including Dorothy in 'The Wizard Of Oz', Kim in "Bye Bye Birdie," Jenny in "Shenandoah," and Annie in "Annie," opposite Harve Presnell as Daddy Warbucks. She also starred in "A Day In Hollywood, A Night In The Ukraine" in Bristol, Pennsylvania as Harpo Marx.
Aileen decided to take a break from show business and attended Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. She received a B.A. with honors in Spanish and minored in Political Science. She spent 6 months living with a family in Chile as part of an exchange program at La Universidad Católica with all of her classes in Spanish. She considers it one of her life's most rewarding experiences.
After graduation from Drew, Aileen once again took to the stage playing Bette in "Oliver!" at the famous Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. She then begin a 5 year stint doing Broadway National Tours including "Fiddler On The Roof," "Peter Pan," and "Saturday Night Fever." In between touring, Aileen starred in two off-Broadway shows, "Dreamstuff," and "Yiddle With a Fiddle."
Starting in 2007, Aileen returned to film getting roles in various projects, including independent and studio backed. So, she decided to leave her East Coast roots, and moved to Los Angeles in the Fall of 2011, where she resides, but keeps a home in New York. The following year she formed a Rockabilly, Swing, Blues Band appropriately named "Aileen Quinn and the Leapin' Lizards." The band released their debut album in 2015, "Spin Me," which includes 10 tracks of all original material. Aileen has gone back into the recording studio as she did when she was 9 years old, recording the double platinum "Annie" soundtrack as well as her solo album, "Bobby's Girl," and is enjoying it as much now, as she did then. Her current band performs all over California in hopes to tour throughout the US and the world.
In addition to performing, Aileen teaches Master Classes all over the US in drama and musical theatre, and has directed and co-directed various children's theatre productions.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
The son of a Lancashire bookmaker, Albert Finney came to motion pictures via the theatre. In 1956, he won a scholarship to RADA where his fellow alumni included Peter O'Toole and Alan Bates. He joined the Birmingham Repertory where he excelled in plays by William Shakespeare. A member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Finney understudied Laurence Olivier at Stratford-upon-Avon, eventually acquiring a reputation as 'the new Olivier'. He first came to critical attention by creating the title role in Keith Waterhouse's "Billy Liar" on the London stage. His film debut soon followed with The Entertainer (1960) by Tony Richardson with whom had earlier worked in the theatre. With the changing emphasis in 60s British cinema towards gritty realism and working-class milieus, Finney's typical screen personae became good-looking, often brooding proletarian types and rebellious anti-heroes as personified by his Arthur Seaton in Karel Reisz's Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960). His exuberant defining role, however, was in the bawdy period romp Tom Jones (1963) in which Finney revealed a substantial talent for comedy. In the same vein, he scored another hit opposite Audrey Hepburn in the charming marital comedy Two for the Road (1967).
By 1965, Finney had branched out into production, setting up Memorial Enterprises in conjunction with Michael Medwin. In 1968, he directed himself in Charlie Bubbles (1968) and three years later produced the Chandleresque homage Gumshoe (1971), in which he also starred as Eddie Ginley, a bingo-caller with delusions of becoming a private eye. From 1972 to 1975, Finney served as artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre. His intermittent forays to the screen confirmed him as a versatile international actor of note, though not what one might describe as a mainstream star. His roles have ranged from Ebenezer Scrooge in the musical version of Scrooge (1970) to Daddy Warbucks in Annie (1982) and (in flamboyant over-the-top make-up) Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express (1974). He appeared as Minister of Police Joseph Fouché in Ridley Scott's superb period drama The Duellists (1977) and as a grandiloquent Shakespearean actor in The Dresser (1983) for which he received an Oscar nomination. For the small screen Finney essayed Pope John Paul II (1984) and was a totally believable Winston Churchill in the acclaimed The Gathering Storm (2002). His final movie credit was in the James Bond thriller Skyfall (2012).
Finney was five-times nominated for Academy Awards in 1964, 1975, 1984, 1985 and 2001. He won two BAFTA Awards in 1961 and 2004. True to his working-class roots, he spurned a CBE in 1980 and a knighthood in 2000, later explaining his decision by stating that the 'Sir thing' "slightly perpetuates one of our diseases in England, which is snobbery". Albert Finney was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2011. He died on February 7 2019 at a London hospital from a chest infection at the age of 82. Upon his death, John Cleese described him as "the best" and "our greatest actor".- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
The entertainment world has enjoyed a six-decade love affair with comedienne/singer Carol Burnett. A peerless sketch performer and delightful, self-effacing personality who rightfully succeeded Lucille Ball as the carrot-topped "Queen of Television Comedy," it was Burnett's traumatic childhood that set the stage for her comedy.
Carol's rags-to-riches story started out in San Antonio, Texas, on April 26, 1933, where she was born to Ina Louise (Creighton) and Joseph Thomas "Jodie" Burnett, both of whom suffered from acute alcoholism. As a child, she was left in the care of a beloved grandmother, who shuttled the two of them off to Hollywood, California, where they lived in a boarding house and shared a great passion for the Golden Age of movies. The plaintive, loose-limbed, highly sensitive Carol survived her wallflower insecurities by grabbing attention as a cut-up at Hollywood High School. A natural talent, she attended the University of California and switched majors from journalism to theater. Scouting out comedy parts on TV and in the theater, she first had them rolling in the aisles in the mid-1950s performing a lovelorn novelty song called "I Made a Fool of Myself Over John Foster Dulles" (then Secretary of State) in a nightclub act. This led to night-time variety show appearances with Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan and where the career ball really started rolling.
Carol's first big TV breaks came at age 22 and 23 as a foil to a ventriloquist's dummy on the already-established The Paul Winchell Show (1950) in 1955, and as Buddy Hackett's gawky girlfriend on the short-lived sitcom Stanley (1956). She also developed an affinity for game shows and appeared as a regular on one of TV earliest, Stump the Stars (1947) in 1958. While TV would bring Carol fans by the millions, it was Broadway that set her on the road to stardom. She began as the woebegone Princess Winnifred in the 1959 Broadway musical "Once Upon a Mattress" which earned her first Tony Award nomination. [She would later appear in three TV adaptations - Once Upon a Mattress (1964), Once Upon a Mattress (1972) and Once Upon a Mattress (2005).] This, in turn, led to the first of an armful of Emmy Awards as a repertoire player on the popular variety series The Garry Moore Show (1958) in 1959. Burnett invented a number of scene-stealing characters during this time, most notably her charwoman character. With the phenomenal household success of the Moore show, she moved up quickly from second banana to headliner and appeared in a 1962 Emmy-winning special Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall (1962) co-starring close friend Julie Andrews. She earned the Outer Critics Circle Award for the short-lived musical "Fade Out, Fade In" (1964); and made her official film debut opposite Bewitched (1964) star Elizabeth Montgomery and Dean Martin in the lightweight comedy Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963).
Not surprisingly, fellow redhead Lucille Ball, who had been Carol's treasured idol growing up, subsequently became a friend and mentor to the rising funny girl. Hilarious as a guest star on The Lucy Show (1962), Carol appeared as a painfully shy (natch) wallflower type who suddenly blooms in jaw-dropping fashion. Ms. Ball was so convinced of Carol's talent that she offered Carol her own Desilu-produced sitcom, but Burnett had her heart set on fronting a variety show. With her own team of second bananas, including character crony Harvey Korman, handsome foil Lyle Waggoner, and lookalike "kid sister" type Vicki Lawrence, the The Carol Burnett Show (1967) became an instant sensation, and earned 22 Emmy Awards during its 11-year run. It allowed Carol to fire off her wide range of comedy and musical ammunition--whether running amok in broad sketch comedy, parodying movie icons such as Gloria Swanson, Shirley Temple, Vivien Leigh or Joan Crawford, or singing/gushing alongside favorite vocalists Jim Nabors, Steve Lawrence, Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Tormé. She managed to bring in huge stars not known at all for slapstick comedy, including Rock Hudson and even then-Governor Ronald Reagan while providing a platform for such up-and-coming talent as Bernadette Peters and The Pointer Sisters In between, Carol branched out with supporting turns in the films Pete 'n' Tillie (1972), The Front Page (1974) and Robert Altman's A Wedding (1978).
Her program, whose last episode aired in March of 1978, was the last truly successful major network variety show to date. Carol took on new challenges to display her unseen dramatic mettle, and accomplished this amazingly in TV-movie showcases. She earned an Emmy nomination for her gripping portrayal of anti-Vietnam War activist Peg Mullen in Friendly Fire (1979), and convincingly played a woman coming to terms with her alcoholism in Life of the Party: The Story of Beatrice (1982). Neither character bore any traces of the usual Burnett comedy shtick. Though she proved she could contain herself for films, Carol was never able to acquire crossover success into movies, despite trouper work in The Four Seasons (1981), Annie (1982) (as the hammy villainess Miss Hannigan), and Noises Off... (1992). The last two roles had been created onstage by Broadway's Dorothy Loudon.
Carol would return from time to time to the stage and concert forums with productions of "Plaza Suite", "I Do! I Do", "Follies", "Company" and "Putting It Together". A second Tony nomination came for her comedy work in "Moon Over Buffalo" in 1995. Carol has made frequent appearances on her own favorite TV shows too, such as Password (1961) (along with Elizabeth Montgomery, Carol was considered one of the show's best players) and the daytime soaper, All My Children (1970).
During the early 1990s, Carol attempted a TV comeback of sorts, with a couple of new variety formats in Carol & Company (1990) and The Carol Burnett Show (1991), but neither could recreate the magic of the original. She has appeared, sporadically, on various established shows such as "Magnum, P.I.," "Touched by an Angel," "Mad About You" (for which she won an Emmy), "Desperate Housewives," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Emmy nomination), "Hawaii Five-0," "Glee" and "Hot in Cleveland." Befitting such a classy clown, she has received a multitude of awards over time, including the 2003 Kennedy Center Honors and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. She was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1985. Her personal life has been valiant--tears in between the laughs. Married three times, her second union with jazz-musician-turned-variety-show-producer Joe Hamilton produced three daughters. Eldest girl, Carrie Hamilton, an actress and former teen substance abuser, tragically died of lung and brain cancer at age 38. Shortly before Carrie's death, mother and daughter managed to write a play, together, entitled "Hollywood Arms", based on Carol's 1986 memoir, "One More Time". The show subsequently made it to Broadway.
Today, at age 80 plus, Carol has been seen less frequently but still continues to make appearances, especially on TV. Most recently she has guested on the shows "Glee," "Hot in Cleveland" and the revivals of "Hawaii Five-0" and "Mad About You." As always she signs off a live appearance with her signature ear tug (acknowledging her late grandmother), reminding us all, between the wisecracks and the songs, how glad and lucky we all are to still have some of "this time together".- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Timothy James Curry was born on April 19, 1946 in Grappenhall, Cheshire, England. His mother, Maura Patricia (Langmead), was a school secretary, and his father, James Curry, was a Methodist Royal Navy chaplain. Curry studied Drama and English at Birmingham University, from which he graduated with Combined Honors. His first professional success was in the London production of "Hair", followed by more work in the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Glasgow Citizens Repertory Company, and the Royal Court Theatre where he created the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in "The Rocky Horror Show". He recreated the role in the Los Angeles and Broadway productions and starred in the screen version entitled The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Curry continued his career on the New York and London stages with starring roles in "Travesties", "Amadeus", "The Pirates of Penzance", "The Rivals", "Love for Love", "Dalliance", "The Threepenny Opera", "The Art of Success" and "My Favorite Year". He also starred in the United States tour of "Me and My Girl". He has received two Tony Award nominations for best actor and won the Royal Variety Club Award as "Stage Actor of the Year".
A composer and a singer, Tim Curry toured the United States and Europe with his own band and released four albums on A&M Records. In addition to an active movie and television career, he is a sought-after actor for CD-ROM productions. His distinctive voice can be heard on more than a dozen audio books, and in countless animated television series and videos. He lives in Los Angeles, California.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Throughout her illustrious career, Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences and critics with her performances on stage and television, in concert, and on recordings. She is one of the most critically-acclaimed Broadway performers, having received nominations for seven Tony Awards, winning two, and eight Drama Desk Awards, winning three. Four of the Broadway cast albums on which she has starred have won Grammy Awards. Recently, she has been starring on Broadway as Dolly Gallagher Levi in the hit musical, Hello, Dolly!
Bernadette was born Bernadette Lazzara on February 28, 1948 in Queens, New York City, to Marguerite (Maltese) and Peter Lazzara, a bread delivery truck driver. She is of Sicilian descent.
Bernadette first performed on the stage as a child and then a teenage actor in the 1960s, and in film and television in the 1970s. She was praised for this early work and for appearances on The Muppet Show (1976), The Carol Burnett Show (1991) and in other television work, and for her roles in films like Silent Movie (1976), The Jerk (1979), Pennies from Heaven (1981) and Annie (1982). In the 1980s, she returned to the theatre, where she became one of the best-known Broadway stars over the next three decades. She also has recorded six solo albums and several singles, as well as many cast albums, and performs regularly in her own solo concert act. Peters is particularly noted for her starring roles in stage musicals, including "Song and Dance", "Sunday in the Park with George", "Into the Woods", "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Gypsy", becoming closely associated with composer Stephen Sondheim.
Peters continues to act in films and on television, where she has been nominated for three Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards, winning once. Her career boasts an impressive list of television credits, which includes Amazon Prime's highly popular, Mozart in the Jungle, which won the 2016 Golden Globe for Best TV Comedy or Musical series. She also co-stars in the new CBS All Access series, The Good Fight, a spin-off of the network's popular series, The Good Wife. One of Broadway's most critically acclaimed performers, Peters has won numerous accolades including being the recipient of three Tony Awards, a Golden Globe, three Grammy nominations, three Emmy nominations and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Peters' albums include the Grammy nominated I'll Be Your Baby Tonight, Sondheim, Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall, and Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers & Hammerstein, in addition to numerous Grammy Award winning Broadway Cast recordings. Peters devotes her time and talents to numerous events that benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Her "pet project" Broadway Barks, co-founded with Mary Tyler Moore, is an annual, star-studded dog and cat adoption event that benefits shelter animals throughout the New York City area. She is a New York Times bestselling author who has penned three children's books, Broadway Barks, Stella Is a Star and Stella and Charlie: Friends Forever. All of her proceeds from the sale of these books benefit Broadway Barks.
She had a four-year romantic relationship with comedian Steve Martin and was married to investment adviser Michael Wittenberg for over nine years until he was killed in a helicopter crash on September 26, 2005. Peters is known for her charitable work, including as a founder of the Broadway Barks animal charity. Peters resides in New York with her rescue dogs, Charlie and Rosalia.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Ann Reinking was born on November 10, 1949, in Seattle, Washington. Renowned more for her dancing than acting, Reinking has danced in many Broadway shows. She made her film debut in Movie Movie (1978) and the following year starred opposite Roy Scheider and Jessica Lange in the Bob Fosse biopic All That Jazz (1979), which won many Oscar nominations -- including a nod for Best Picture of 1979. Reinking was charming as Grace Farrell, the sympathetic and devoted secretary to grouchy Daddy Warbucks (Albert Finney) in John Huston's Annie (1982), in which she sang the songs "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here", "We Got Annie" and "Let's Go To The Movies." Her best performance was also in her last film to date in Blake Edwards' brilliant 1984 comedy Micki + Maude (1984), in which Dudley Moore plays a bigamist with two pregnant wives -- workaholic attorney Micki (Reinking) and laid-back cellist Maude (Amy Irving). After that, Ann Reinking never acted in another motion picture. She was married to financier Herbert Allen for a time, and only popped up sporadically on television and on the stage. Her big Broadway comeback occurred in the early 1990s with Chicago, which won her a well-deserved Tony Award for Best Choreography.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Edward Herrmann was born on 21 July 1943 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He was an actor, known for Overboard (1987), The Lost Boys (1987) and Nixon (1995). He was married to Star Herrmann and Leigh Curran. He died on 31 December 2014 in New York City, New York, USA.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Composer
Dancer, choreographer and actor Geoffrey Holder was born on August 1, 1930, in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, into a middle-class family. One of four children, he was taught painting and dancing by his older brother Boscoe Holder, whose dance troupe, the Holder Dance Company, the young Geoffrey joined when he was seven years old. Geoffrey assumed direction of the company in the late 1940s after Boscoe moved to London.
Holder moved to the US in 1954, two years after being "discovered" by Agnes de Mille, the choreographer daughter of director-producer Cecil B. DeMille, after she saw the Holder Dance Company perform in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Holder, a talented painter, sold a score of his paintings to raise the funds to bring the Holder Dance Company to New York City in 1954 (in 1957 Holder won a Guggenheim Fellowship to study painting). He would appear with his dance company, now titled Geoffrey Holder and Company, in New York through 1960.
On December 30, 1954, Holder made his Broadway debut (as did Diahann Carroll) at the Alvin Theatre in the Caribbean-themed original musical "House of Flowers", with music by Harold Arlen, who also co-wrote the book with Truman Capote. The cast included Pearl Bailey and Alvin Ailey, and the show was directed by Peter Brook. Herbert Ross did the choreography but the "Banda Dance" was choreographed by Holder. The show ran for 165 total performances but, more importantly, Holder met and married fellow cast member 'Carmen DeLavallade', a dancer, and the two had a son together. From 1955 through 1956 Holder was a principal dancer with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet.
Holder played the role of Lucky in a revival of Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" directed by Herbert Berghof on Broadway in January 1957. The all-black cast also included Geoff Searle as Vladimir, Rex Ingram as Pozzo and Mantan Moreland as Estragon. The show only lasted six performances, but it established Holder as an actor, and he made his film debut four years later in All Night Long (1962), a modern gloss on William Shakespeare's "Othello". His most famous role was as the heavy "Baron Samedi" in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die (1973), Roger Moore's first turn as 007.
Holder won the 1975 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for his staging of the Broadway musical "The Wiz" (1975), the all-African American retelling of "The Wizard of Oz." He also won the Tony for best costume design (he would be nominated again for a Tony for best costume design for the original 1978 Broadway musical "Timbuktu!", which he also directed and choreographed). As a choreographer he has created dance pieces for many companies, including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Holder has written two books, one on folklore and one on Caribbean cuisine. In the 1970s and 1980s, he put his striking 6'6" presence and bass voice to good use hawking various products in TV commercials, including soft drinks.- Actor
- Additional Crew
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Artist Roger Minami is now in his third career. He was a renowned dancer/entertainer who was featured in the film "Annie" as The Asp; featured on Broadway with Liza Minnelli in "The Act" and was producer/director on his 14 award winning productions for Merv Griffin at Resorts International Casino in Atlantic City.
Roger was winner of the Best Male Performer in Las Vegas for three consecutive years and winner of the Atlantic City Entertainment Awards on 7 different occasions for his productions at Resorts.
Roger was a featured performer on Dick Clark's daily television show "Where The Action Is" for two years before going to Las Vegas to be the star of "Bare Touch Of Vegas" which ran for a record 8 years. Minami toured the world with Liza Minnelli for two years, performing in all the capitals of Europe and South America.
Minami has also produced 3 production shows for Sun City in South Africa and 3 production shows for various venues in Japan. His show for Paradise Island Casino in the Bahamas ran for four years.
In 1996, Minami decided to give up the hectic pace of show business and took up residence in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he has embarked on his third career... painter.
With homes in Santa Monica, California, Vancouver, and Puerto Vallarta, he has a varied source of inspiration for his work. His paintings reflect the color of Mexico combined with the flair of show business and has provided yet another creative outlet for this multi-talented man.- Actress
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Toni Ann Gisondi was born on 1 January 1975 in Scullville, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress, known for Annie (1982), Called to Duty (2023) and Wing's of the Wasp (2019). She has been married to Theodore Pugliese since July 1999. They have two children.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Rosanne Sorrentino was born on January 15, 1968, in Oceanside, Long Island, New York. She made her professional stage debut in the 3rd National Tour of Annie in 1980-81, playing the title role of Annie.[1][2]
Sorrentino was "bitten by the acting bug" in 1976, when she played a schoolgirl in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts's summer workshop production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. The play was written by Jay Presson Allen, the wife of Lewis Allen, one of Annie's producers. Rosanne was also a member of her school chorus at Lindenhurst Senior High School and it was under the direction of her school music teacher, Liz Costa, that she developed her love for singing. She was also involved with the Charles Street Players in Lindenhurst High School. Her greatest role being that of Grizabella in their rendition of Cats.
Although Sorrentino received critical acclaim for her stage portrayal of Annie, she was considered too old - at the age of 13 - to be cast as Annie in the film version. Instead, after auditioning, she was offered, and accepted, the role of Pepper - the oldest, and bossiest, orphan.[1][2]- Actress
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Lara Berk was born in 1972 in Short Hills, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress, known for Annie (1982), Preppies (1984) and Young People's Specials (1984). She is married to Mathew Glazier. They have one child.- Actress
- Soundtrack
April Michelle Lerman was born on February 6, 1969 in Chicago, Illinois. She was cast as Tessie in the 1st National Tour of "Annie" on her ninth birthday. She was picked for the movie version of the musical in 1982 where she played a different character named Kate. She then went on to become a regular cast member of the sitcom "Charles in Charge" (1984), where she played the boy crazy Lila Pembroke. After the first season, the series underwent a massive cast change, and April was replaced. She continued to work as a guest star in other television shows, such as "Kate and Allie," "Growing Pains," and "Parker Lewis Can't Lose." April's mother Phyllis was the driving force behind her, making sure that she received her education, while she continued to act. April graduated Magna Cum Laude from University of California Los Angeles with a Bachelor's degree in English. She also appeared in an embarrassing film titled Rock and Roll Fantasy (1992), in which she had some nude scenes. Disenchanted with her acting career, she left show business and attended Pepperdine University School of Law and received her Juris Doctorate Degree. She was admitted to the California Bar in 1995, but April opted not to pursue the legal profession believing that it would have been too stressful for her. Instead, she married attorney William Pearson Haney III and started using her married name April Haney. She became a stay-at-home mother to their son Sean William Haney. She had a wonderful time being at home with him. However, when her son turned seven years old, April went back to school and earned her Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from University of Santa Monica. April worked as a school counselor with children and adolescents in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. She also worked at California Graduate Institute Counseling Center in Los Angeles. In 2006, she appeared in the documentary "Life After Tomorrow," where she and other former child actresses, including Sarah Jessica Parker talk about their experiences working in the musical Annie. In 2009, April worked as a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern at Community Counseling Group, Westlake Village, California. She also works as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at Vantage Point in Thousand Oaks, California. Her husband filed for divorce from her in 2012, which was finalized in 2015.- Actress
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Robin Ignico was born on 20 August 1970 in Clearwater, Florida, USA. She is an actress, known for Annie (1982), Voyagers! (1982) and The Woman in Red (1984).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Lucie Stewart was born on 14 December 1971 in England, UK. She is an actress, known for Annie (1982) and No 73 (1982).- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Lois De Banzie was born on 4 May 1930 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. She was an actress, known for Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994), Addams Family Values (1993) and Arachnophobia (1990). She died on 3 April 2021 in Greenbrae, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Peter Marshall was born on 30 March 1926 in Huntington, West Virginia, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1965), Annie (1982) and Harold Robbins' 79 Park Avenue (1977). He has been married to Laurie Marshall since 19 August 1989. He was previously married to Sally Carter-Ihnat and Nadene Rita Teaford.- Irving Metzman was born on 28 March 1946 in New York, USA. He is an actor, known for WarGames (1983), Annie (1982) and The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985).
- Actor
- Soundtrack
I.M. Hobson was born on 11 August 1935 in Clifton, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992), The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). He died on 29 December 2003 in Evanston, Wyoming, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Colleen Zenk was born on 20 January 1953 in Barrington, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for As the World Turns (1956), Annie (1982) and The Comedian (2016). She was previously married to Mark Pinter and Michael Crouch.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mavis Ray had a significant impact on students and faculty alike as teacher, choreographer, and dancer at East Carolina University. One of the founding members of its School of Theatre and Dance, Ray joined ECU's faculty as teacher and choreographer for the drama department in 1964, after having been assistant to famed dancer and choreographer Agnes de Mille in New York City, New York. During her twenty-five years at the School, Mavis choreographed more than seventy-five musicals, several operas, and numerous dance performances. She was named professor emeritus upon her retirement in 1989. Her training included but is not limited to the Royal Academy of Dance in London, the School of American Ballet under George Balanchine, the Imperial School, and the Robert Joffrey Ballet. She founded the New Jersey School of Ballet, taught at Carnegie Hall, the Joffrey Ballet, "The Lost Colony," where she also played Queen Elizabeth, and was ballet mistress at Ballet De Caracas in Venezuela. Mavis was also a stage performer on Broadway and toured the United States in a number of musicals, operas, and ballets. In the early 1980s, Ray took hiatus from ECU to appear in the film version of Annie as Mrs. Greer. Ray also acted in several television shows. She was a member of the Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors' Guild, American Federation of TV and Radio Artists, and the North Carolina Dance Alliance. She received ECU's Outstanding Teacher Award and was recognized as a Tarheel of the Week by the News and Observer for her outstanding service to eastern North Carolina as a choreographer and performer. Mavis passed away in 2009 at age eighty-seven.- Actress
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Pamela Blair was born on 5 December 1949 in Bennington, Vermont, USA. She was an actress, known for Annie (1982), Mighty Aphrodite (1995) and Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996). She was married to Don Scardino and Alfred Anthony Feola. She died on 23 July 2023 in Mesa, Arizona, USA.- Actress
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Singer/comedy actress Lu Leonard was a plus-sized talent, especially notable in offbeat comedy, who took advantage of her plus-sized girth to create some memorable and formidable characters on stage, film and TV. She would go on to play atmospheric roles from wardens, waitresses and clerks to nuns, nannies and sperm bank nurses!
Born Mary Lou Price in Long Beach, California on June 5, 1926, to vaudevillian parents, Lu, as she was called almost from birth, went on the road with her mom and dad as an infant. Named after her father's sister Lulu, her actress/mother, Amy Goodrich died in July of 1939, when Lou was only 13. Her actor/comedian father, "Happy" Hal Price, settled comfortably into Hollywood movies as a character player, finding hundreds of small roles in Republic and Monogram westerns.
As a young singer and entertainer, Lu stuck with show business into adulthood. A short-lived marriage to another actor gave her the impetus to switch her stage moniker to "Lu Leonard", keeping the name even after their divorce. She eventually spent two decades in New York and brightened up Broadway. She made her musical Broadway debut as a Mrs. Peacham replacement in "The Threepenny Opera" and continued with "The Happiest Girl in the World" (1961), "The Gay Life" (1961), "Bravo Giovanni" (1962) and "Drat! The Cat" (1965). She also toured in such musical shows as "The Pajama Game," "Plain and Fancy," "The Music Man," "Oliver!" and "Man of La Mancha."
On-camera performances began in the early 1950's with appearances on such programs as "My Little Margie," "The Life of Riley," "The Red Skelton Hour" and "December Bride," along with a bit part in the bucolic comedy film The Kettles in the Ozarks (1956). She also played the wife of Larry in The Three Stooges comedy short Husbands Beware (1956). The following decades led to frequent TV work in both the comedic and dramatic vein -- "Route 66," "Car 54, Where Are You?," "The Patty Duke Show," "The San Pedro Beach Bums," "Police Woman" and "Mork & Mindy." In 1976, Lu returned to Broadway in a production of "Something's Afoot" as a standby.
Lu eventually settled back in the Southern California area after much touring. As the years went on, Hollywood played off of Lu's harsh-looking features and large girth. A good sport despite the fact that the parts were usually minor and the lowbrow laughs often came at her own expense, she was a lively, cheerful and fun-loving presence offstage -- in marked contrast to her somewhat imposing character typecast. There were ups-and-downs and some lean years, but she made the most of whatever roles she was given.
In the 1980s, Lu was handed a recurring role as William Conrad's wry, wise-cracking secretary in Jake and the Fatman (1987). TV guest parts, primarily comedy, included "Laverne & Shirley," "Buffalo Bill", "The Fall Guy," "Knight Rider," "Cagney & Lacey," "Night Court," "Webster," "Married...with Children." On the larger screen, she played the small part of the Warbuck cook, Mrs. Pugh, in the musical film Annie (1982), and went on to play a greasy spoon waitress in Starman (1984), a nurse in Micki + Maude (1984), Mrs. Whitehead in Stand Alone (1985) and Miss Frigget in You Can't Hurry Love (1988).
Lu's strongest fan base came from her offbeat L.A. stage performances. She earned a devoted cult audience for her hatchet-faced prison matron in the 1983 revival of "Women Behind Bars," a campy musical spoof of 1950's women's prison movies also starring Adrienne Barbeau and Sharon Barr. Lu became a steady fixture in a variety of local theater revues, musicals and comedy shows thereafter.
The veteran actress moved steadily into 90's films with Circuitry Man (1990), A Climate for Killing (1991), Kuffs (1992), Made in America (1993) and Blank Check (1994). Frequent TV offers also came in with "Growing Pains," "Amen," "Uncle Buck," "Daddy Dearest," "The Nanny" and the revised "Get Smart").
Health problems, including diabetes, eventually took their toll in the mid-1990s, however, and she was forced to retire after filming a part in the movie Man of the Year (1995). Residing primarily in Oregon, Lu eventually needed full care and moved to the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills, California, where she spent her remaining years. She died of a heart attack on May 14, 2004 at age 77, and a bench in the Roddy McDowall garden at the Motion Picture Home was dedicated in her memory.- Additional Crew
- Actor
Griffin appeared in several Broadway productions, including the 1971 original Broadway production of "Follies," in which he played Vincent; and the 1978 production of "Ballroom," in which he played Harry the Noodle. Also on Broadway, he appeared in the 1941 musical "High Kickers" and the 1942 revue "Count Me In," as well as the "Ziegfeld Follies of 1943" and in "Amadeus" in 1983. He also served as assistant choreographer on 1958's "Oh Captain!"- Jerome Collamore was born on 25 September 1891 in Somerville, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for Annie (1982), Arthur (1981) and Five Corners (1987). He died on 18 July 1987 in Flushing, New York, USA.
- Jon Richards was born on 13 February 1904 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Annie (1982), I Never Sang for My Father (1970) and Shaft (1971). He died on 1 February 1988 in New York, New York, USA.
- Production Manager
- Producer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Angela Lee's two decades in the entertainment industry include extensive experience in both television and film. She served as a Sr. VP of Production for Paramount Domestic Television for over ten years during which time she also started a successful publishing company to distribute books by authors featured on the Paramount branded, Emmy Award winning Montel Show. Her TV work includes talk, reality and prime time drama. In addition Ms. Lee has produced feature films ranging from an award winning Sundance festival title to documentaries to a cult theatrical hit with Sony Pictures. Her past employers range from big studios like Lionsgate and Viacom to the White House, where her PSAs for the office of Drug Control Policy earned her a Prism award. In total, Ms. Lee has been the recipient of four Prism Awards and one Telly.- Actress
- Composer
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Cuban-American singer who made a major pop debut in 1988 with her hit song "Toy Soldiers." Born in California to a Cuban emigre family, Martika dabbled on various children's television shows such as Kids Inc. before moving on to recording success.- Amanda Peterson was born on July 8, in Greeley, Colorado. With a natural beauty, powerful charm and a strong personality this talented and truly gifted actress began her career in film industry at age 9, with the feature film Annie (1982), directed by Academy Award-winner John Huston. To participate in "Annie", she had to persuade her mother and then compete in a casting which included more than 8000 girls. She is the youngest of three children, she has a sister, Ann-Marie Peterson, and a brother, Rev. Jim Peterson. Her mother, Sylvia Peterson, is a full-time mother and housewife and her father, James Peterson, is a doctor. Starting in 1981, Amanda had guest starring roles in television series such as Father Murphy (1981), Silver Spoons (1982) and Boone (1983). In 1985, she played alongside with Oscar nominee River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke, a four-time Oscar nominee, in Joe Dante fantasy-fable Explorers (1985). At 14 years of age this precocious young actress, had already participated in over 50 television commercials, three television series and four movies. She was also an active member of the Greeley Saddle Club, and horse riding was one of her passions since childhood. She met her greatest international success in 1987 with the comedy movie Can't Buy Me Love (1987), directed by Steve Rash. Amanda received critical praise worldwide and demonstrated that her skills were maturing into older roles. In 1987, in Chile, Amanda acted with her elder sister, Ann-Marie Peterson, Jsu Garcia and Xander Berkeley in the post-apocalyptic movie The Lawless Land (1988), directed by Jon Hess and produced by Academy Award-winner Roger Corman. In 1988, for her outstanding acting in the Emmy Award-winning television series A Year in the Life (1986), Amanda Peterson won the Young Artist Award in the category of Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Drama Series. These awards are often referred to as the Young Oscars. A year later she acted opposite Roy Scheider, two-time Oscar nominee, in the profound and moving drama Listen to Me (1989), directed by Oscar nominee Douglas Day Stewart. She also drew praise for is her performance in the excellent thriller Fatal Charm (1990), directed by Fritz Kiersch. In 1994, after participating in the memorable contemporary drama film Windrunner (1994), she decided to leave the entertainment industry. Amanda's work involves several genres, from western to romance, science fiction to thrillers, and from dramas to comedies.
Amanda found admirers on a global scale, with her delightful work. With her strong presence and dedication, she demonstrated a gift for portraying emotion and vulnerability, while immersing herself in here roles, while bringing here unique personality, an attribute that only the best actors have. In a Perfect World Amanda would have delivered many more quality character interpretations, whether in film or on television. With her movies she achieved immortality in the hearts of all who witnessed her work since her childhood. As Leonard Maltin, the most respected and recognized historian and film critic in America, once said - "Amanda Peterson is excellent". There is no doubt about that. After all, Amanda Peterson is one of the most talented and beautiful actress of her time and considered by many a legend. On July 3, 2015, Amanda Peterson died at her home in Greeley, Colorado, at the age 43 from an accidental morphine overdose. - Actress
- Producer
- Director
Shawnee Smith has consistently put her versatile talents to use in the film, television, theatrical and musical arenas with much success. Her impressive career includes a co-starring role on an award-winning television show, which is now strong in syndication, and a variety of memorable roles in hit feature films. She also toured America and the U.K. fronting a rather extreme rock band called "Fydolla Ho". Smith was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, to Patricia Ann (Smoak), an oncology nurse, and James H. "Jim" Smith, a financial planner and U.S. Air Force pilot. Shawnee's achievements began early in her career when she appeared in the movie Annie (1982). As a young actress, she was awarded the Youth in Film Award for Best Actress in a television film for her role in the CBS drama Crime of Innocence (1985). She was honored with the Dramalogue Critics Award for her performance in the theatrical production "To Gillian on her 37th Birthday". In the same year, she received rave reviews for her co-starring role with Richard Dreyfuss at the Huntington Hartford Theatre in "The Hands of its Enemy". Shawnee then starred in The Blob (1988) for Columbia Pictures, in the hit comedy Summer School (1987) for Paramount Pictures and in Who's Harry Crumb? (1989), also for Columbia Pictures. Those roles would be followed by appearances in such highly-acclaimed films as Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Armageddon (1998), Desperate Hours (1990) and Breakfast of Champions (1999). Shawnee's television credits are equally as impressive, with a list that includes a regular role on the hit CBS comedy Becker (1998) as well as series regular roles on The Tom Show (1997) and Arsenio (1997). She appeared in the CBS television movies Something Borrowed, Something Blue (1997), I Saw What You Did (1988) and Face of Evil (1996), as well as the miniseries The Stand (1994) and The Shining (1997). Her recent film projects include The Almost Guys (2004), Saw (2004), a gritty, taut and terrifying film and the sequel Saw II (2005). Satisfied with pushing the extremes in her critically-acclaimed punk/metal band "Fydolla Ho", Shawnee is working on her first solo record with Queens of the Stone Age producer Chris Goss.- Actress
- Additional Crew
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Meredith Salenger is an actress, writer, producer, and activist born and raised in the sunshine in Malibu, CA. She began her professional acting career at the age of 10 playing a singing and dancing orphan in "Annie"(1982), directed by John Huston. By 14 she was starring as the lead role in "The Journey of Natty Gann" opposite John Cusack and Ray Wise (1985), which was the first American movie to win the gold award at the Moscow Film Festival. This film also garnered Meredith "Best Actress in a Drama" at the Youth in Film Awards for her wonderful portrayal of the tomboyish Natty Gann. After starring in the teen films "Dream a little Dream" opposite The Coreys and "A Night in Life of Jimmy Reardon" with River Phoenix and Matthew Perry - Meredith took a 4 year break and left Hollywood for Harvard where she graduated cum laude with a degree in Psychology. Upon her return to Hollywood, Meredith has been cast in TV comedies: opposite Steve Carrell in "H.U.D," "Chicks" with the same writers from Seinfeld. She's guest starred on "Will & Grace," "Anger Management" with Charlie Sheen, Happy!, and many others. She enjoyed her dramatic roles in shows like 24, Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy, Daredevil, Damages, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cold Case, Close to Home, etc. Meredith also starred in David Kelley's "Lake Placid" alongside Bill Pullman, Brendan Gleeson, Oliver Platt and Betty White, John Carpenter's "Village of the Damned" with Mark Hamill and Christopher Reeves, and a multitude of Independent films. Meredith then entered the Star Wars universe voicing characters in The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Force awakens. You can also hear her voiceover work in: The Secret Life of Pets 2. My Little Pony, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, Robot Chicken, Lego DC Super Hero Girls, and more. During all of this, Meredith got certified in Mediation from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law in 2009 and went on to successfully mediate over a hundred cases throughout the Los Angeles Superior courts. She wed comedian Patton Oswalt in 2017 and became an instant mom to the adorably mischievous Alice who is now her favorite person of all time! Since 2021, she is writing and producing two shows (a sitcom and an animated show) with her writing partner Matt Boren and voicing many animated shows including Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. on HULU. (2021) She produces and hosts a hilarious podcast with her husband called, "Did you get my text?"