<P> It was directed by Rob Marshall, written by Irene Mecchi, and produced by Walt Disney Television, Columbia TriStar Television, Storyline Entertainment, and Chris Montan Productions . Annie marks the first film collaboration between The Walt Disney Company and Columbia Pictures since Columbia distributed some of Disney's short animated Silly Symphony films from 1930 to 1932 . It stars Kathy Bates, Alan Cumming, Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Victor Garber, Andrea McArdle, and introduces Alicia Morton as the titular character . </P> <P> Annie premiered on ABC November 7, 1999 . The program was a smash during its initial airing, with an estimated 26.3 million viewers, making it the second-most watched Disney movie ever to air on ABC behind Cinderella (1997). This version earned two Emmy Awards and a George Foster Peabody Award . </P> <P> In 1933 - (during the Great Depression), 11 - year - old orphan Annie was left on her own at an all girls' orphanage when she was an infant . The only two things that she received from her family was half a heart - shaped locket with a key hole, and a note from her parents saying that they'd come back for her . The orphanage is run by the tyrannical Miss Hannigan, who starves the orphans, forces them to do slave labor, and she even makes them suffer . In the middle of the night, after getting tired of waiting for her parents, Annie tries to escape to find them, but is caught by Miss Hannigan in the process . When Miss Hannigan gets distracted, Annie hides in the dirty laundry bin and she finally succeeds in running away . While out on her own, Annie befriends a dog, whom she names Sandy . But a policeman catches her and returns her back to the orphanage . When billionaire Oliver Warbucks decides to take in an orphan for Christmas, his secretary, Grace Farrell, chooses Annie . She is brought to his wealthy estate and bathes in a grand life . </P> <P> Although at first uncomfortable with Annie, Warbucks is soon charmed by her . He desperately wants to adopt Annie, but Annie still wants to find her real parents, so she announces on the radio a $50,000 reward for anybody who can prove they're her biological parents . The orphans accidentally tell Miss Hannigan, and her ex-con brother Rooster, and his dimwitted girlfriend Lily St. Regis cook up a scheme to get the reward by posing as Ralph and Shirley Mudge (Annie's "so called" parents). </P>

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