WHO'S WHO?
Welcome to the star studded cast of Anne of Green Gables... | |
When Kevin Sullivan went looking for the perfect Anne Shirley, he never imagined his search would take him across Canada. How to capture all of the eccentricities, poignancy and head strong determination of a character that so many readers had embraced as their own, was a serious consideration.
He auditioned young girls between the ages of 13 and 16 for this coveted role, in every major city across Canada. Thinking they might find the perfect "Anne" sitting in a field somewhere, everyone associated with this casting search was proved wrong. A year later, a final decision was made. A red headed sixteen year old from Toronto, with an extensive background in film, the pedigree of coming from an acting family and all of the natural talent associated with it, had finally won the role. Megan Follows would be the celebrated Anne spelled with an "e" Shirley. Turns out, Megan not only won the role of Anne, but she also received universal critical acclaim for her performance. A year later, at the age of 17 in between shooting a movie co-starring William Hurt in Yugoslavia she returned to the role of Anne in Anne of Green Gables - The Sequel. Ten years later, she stars in another Sullivan production, Under the Piano, where she portrays an autistic savant, who is also a musical prodigy studying to be free of the tyranny of her opera-diva mother. Her performance as Rosetta is riveting and another tent pole in her career. But wherever she goes, audiences will always remember her fondly as Anne. |
The late Colleen Dewhurst was immediately embraced by audiences as the quintessential Marilla. Adding wit and an earthy believability to L.M. Montgomery’s dour spinster character who adopts Anne. She will always be remembered for her powerful and glowing presence, her talent and her warm, husky voice.
Some of her Broadway credits include Eugene O’Neill’s, "A Moon for the Misbegotten, " directed by Jose Quintero, for which she received a Tony Award for Best Actress and "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf" for which she earned a Tony nomination. Dewhurst also graced the screen in a number of movies like "Glitterdome", "The Dead Zone", "Tribute" with Jack Lemmon, "When A Stranger Calls", "Annie Hall", "McQ" with John Wayne, "Ice Castles", "A Fine Madness", "A Nun’s Story" and "The Boy Who Could Fly". When Colleen was offered a role in the production by Sullivan, her New York agent called him back immediately. He said, "she wants to know if it’s Marilla." Sullivan reconfirmed this was in fact the role his company was offering. It turns out Dewhurst had a vacation home in P.E.I. She knew Montgomery’s characters and the atmosphere of the book inside out and had prayed for the day someone would finally make a movie version of one of her most beloved stories. She accepted immediately. |
And who would have guessed that Richard Farnsworth started his career in the entertainment business as a stuntman? He was highly successful at his craft, doubling for actors as far back as Wil Rogers. He got his first big break as an actor playing the lead as bandit Bill Miner in "The Grey Fox" winning him critical acclaim around the world.
When the role of Matthew Cuthbert came up, Farnswoth was persuaded by his ailing wife to accept the role. Anne of Green Gables was her favourite book as a child and she really wanted to see her husband in the movie. Clearly, he had to accept and so brought Matthew Cuthbert to life. You may have seen him in other film credits like "Riders on the Storm", "The Natural"and "Rhinestone". And did you know that his son, Diamond Farnsworth has followed in his father’s footsteps? Yes, he’s a stuntman. |
 Did you know that Jonathan Crombie (who portrayed Gilbert Blythe in both Anne movies) never intended to be an actor?
Jonathan was spotted in a high school play by a casting agent who convinced Kevin Sullivan to audition him. After completing his performance in Anne Of Green Gables - The Sequel, Crombie, son of the former Toronto Mayor, David Crombie, began studying at McGill University in Montreal while acting in a principal role in " Mount Royal". You may have seen him in the theatrical film, "Judgement in Stone" as well as the PBS movie "The Day They Arrested the Book". |
Throughout her life, she scored one success after another in a career which ranged from the New York Shakespeare Festival in the Park and some of Broadway’s most distinguished plays, to motion pictures and television. Her brilliant portrayals have brought her many honours, including an Emmy Award and two Tony Awards.