A look at ‘Little Orphan Annie’

“Little Orphan Annie” is perhaps one of the most successful comic strips of all time that appeared during the golden age of newspapers. Created in 1894 by Harold Gray, the comic strip got its name from the poem “Little Orphant Annie” by James Whitcomb Riley.

The story follows the antics and adventures of the eternally 11-year-old Annie, her dog Sandy, benefactor Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks and other characters such as Mr. Am, Punjab and the Asp. The strip not only attracted children but also adults through the political concerns of the day such as the New Deal, communism and of all things, organized crime and labor.

The popularity of this little red-haired girl also spawned a very successful radio show and several musicals and movies. Remember in the movie ” A Christmas Story” where little Ralphie runs to the mailbox every day to see if his Little Orphan Annie decoder ring has arrived and when it does and he decodes the message that says “Be Sure to Drink Your Ovaltine?” Radio probably helped to popularize the series more than anything.

The Broadway musical “Annie” produced in 1977 introduced a whole new audience to the little orphan adventurer. The comic strip changed over the years to keep the story fresh and interesting.

Originally Annie was adopted on a trial basis by Daddy Warbucks and he was often out of town. These times allowed Annie to roam the countryside and help people and have her adventures. In the 1930s Mr. Warbucks lost his fortune and died in the strip but was later reunited with Annie and his death attributed to only a coma experience! I think this is where all the soap operas got the idea of killing off characters and bringing them back!

In the 1940s Annie’s adventures were more global in nature and included bodyguards and servants. The series ended in June 2010 with Annie being kidnapped and presumed dead so I am sure that one day someone may resurrect the series as they did when the original creator Mr. Gray died in 1968. The comic classics were rerun and several other writers took turns writing the script.

There are several antique and collectible items featuring Annie that bring hefty prices on the internet. First edition books from the 1930s can bring as much as $300 while the famous decoder badges can bring between $50 and $100. Gee Whiskers! Or Leaping Lizards! As Annie would say!

Happy Collecting!

Jillinda Falen has been buying and selling antiques for more than 27 years and is a licensed REALTOR and estate liquidation specialist. You can contact her through the Houston Home Journal or via email at falen@windstream.net.

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