Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987) aka Anne of Avonlea

Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (also known as Anne of Avonlea) is a television miniseries that first aired on the Disney Channel and CBC in 1987. It was broadcast on PBS the next year. Sullivan Entertainment produced this sequel to follow its acclaimed Anne of Green Gables (1985) miniseries.

Kevin Sullivan wrote and directed Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel. The miniseries starred Megan Follows, who returned to play the beloved Anne Shirley. Several other actors returned to play their Anne of Green Gables (1985) roles, including Colleen Dewhurst as Marilla Cuthbert, Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe, Schuyler Grant as Diana Barry, Patricia Hamilton as Rachel Lynde, and Marilyn Lightstone as Miss Stacey. Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel introduced several new characters as well, including Morgan Harris played by Frank Converse, Mrs. Harris played Dame Wendy Hiller, Emmeline Harris played by Genevieve Appleton, and Katherine Brooke played by Rosemary Dunsmore.

The storyline in Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel combines elements from three novels in L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series, namely: Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, and Anne of Windy Poplars. The story begins with Anne in Avonlea, teaching at the Avonlea school and dreaming of becoming a successful writer. After turning down a proposal from Gilbert, Anne takes a job as a teacher at Kingsport Ladies' College where she faces challenges from the Pringle family and the mean-spirited principal Katherine Brooke. Anne must navigate these difficulties to find her place and learn what she truly wants in life.

As with the earlier miniseries, Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel was filmed in Ontario and Prince Edward Island, Canada. Its memorable music was composed by Hagood Hardy. The miniseries earned six Gemini awards in 1988, with Kevin Sullivan winning for Best Dramatic Mini-Series, Megan Follows winning for Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series, and Colleen Dewhurst winning for Best Performance by a Supporting Actress.

Image credit:
Photograph of Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe and Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel © Sullivan Entertainment

External link:
Anne of Green Gables: The Official Website

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Created April 22, 2001. Last updated May 2, 2022.
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Anne of Green Gables (1985)

Anne of Green Gables is a made-for-television miniseries that first aired on CBC TV in 1985. Sullivan Entertainment loyally adapted L.M. Montgomery's novel of the same name for the screen.

Directed by Kevin Sullivan, Anne of Green Gables starred Megan Follows as Anne Shirley, Colleen Dewhurst and Richard Farnsworth as siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, Jonathan Crombie as Anne's rival Gilbert Blythe, and Schuyler Grant as Anne's bosom friend Diana Barry. The film's music, composed by Hagood Hardy, is distinctive and memorable. Filmed in both Ontario and on Prince Edward Island, the beauty of the Canadian scenery is candy for the eyes.

The movie was highly acclaimed for its script, cast, and loyalty to the novel's character. The Toronto Star glowingly described Anne of Green Gables as, "Cult phenomenon. Cultural ambassador. Canadian heroine."
 
The miniseries earned countless awards in 1986, including nine Gemini Awards and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program. Kevin Sullivan received the George Peabody Award for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting for his work in bringing the film to life.

Image credit:
Photograph of Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables © Sullivan Entertainment.

External link:
Anne of Green Gables: The Official Website

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Created April 17, 2001. Last updated March 18, 2021.
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Emily of New Moon Series

The Emily of New Moon series is a trilogy of books written by L.M. Montgomery. The series includes the three novels: Emily of New Moon (1923), Emily Climbs (1925), and Emily's Quest (1927). Of all of L.M. Montgomery's novels, the Emily of New Moon series is perhaps the most autobiographical because Emily Byrd Starr is a writer. L.M. Montgomery based many of Emily's characteristics and ambitions on her own.

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Created March 11, 2001. Last updated March 31, 2021.
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Emily's Quest

Emily's Quest (1927) is the final book in a trilogy about Emily Byrd Starr by L.M. Montgomery. The novel follows the stories Emily of New Moon and Emily Climbs. In Emily's Quest, Emily continues to pursue her dreams of becoming a writer, and she faces difficulties getting her stories published. She must cope with loneliness when her dear friends leave for school far from home. Emily's romance with her childhood friend Teddy Kent falters when he goes to art school, and Emily has several romantic entanglements.

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Created March 11, 2001. Last updated February 1, 2022.
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Emily Climbs

Emily Climbs is the second book in a trilogy of novels by L.M. Montgomery about a young writer named Emily Byrd Starr. The story was first published in 1925 and follows the novel Emily of New Moon. In Emily Climbs, Emily attends Shrewsbury High School under the conditions that she live with her difficult Aunt Ruth and that she stop writing fiction. Emily, who dreams of becoming a writer, perseveres despite these conditions by writing nonfiction portraits and by keeping a journal.

Emily Climbs is followed by the novel Emily's Quest.

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Created March 11, 2001. Last updated February 1, 2022.
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Emily of New Moon

L.M. Montgomery’s Emily of New Moon (1923) is the first book in a trilogy about a young orphan named Emily Byrd Starr. After her father’s death, Emily is taken in by her relatives at New Moon Farm on Prince Edward Island. Emily must cope with her grief, change, and her strict aunt Elizabeth. Like her creator, L.M. Montgomery, Emily has a passion for writing and seeing beauty in the natural world. She develops deep friendships with Teddy Kent, Ilse Burnley, and Perry Miller. The four friends are highly talented, hard-working individuals, each with their own dreams and goals.

Emily of New Moon is followed by the novels Emily Climbs and Emily's Quest.

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Created March 11, 2001. Last updated February 1, 2022.
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Mistress Pat

L.M. Montgomery’s Mistress Pat was first published in 1935 as the sequel to Pat of Silver Bush. The protagonist Pat Gardiner is now twenty years old and the mistress of her beloved home Silver Bush on Prince Edward Island. Pat chooses to remain at home instead of leaving for school, work, or marriage, and she’s deeply afraid of change.

Despite Pat's attempts to retain stable traditions at Silver Bush, which give her a sense of security, life brings many changes. Often these changes are difficult for Pat to face and cope with. For instance, her brother Sid marries a woman Pat despises, and the pair live at Silver Bush making Pat’s home life less pleasant. Her childhood friend Hilary Gordon, who has left for college and work, eventually stops writing to her. Over time, Pat begins to question her decisions.

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Created March 10, 2001. Last updated February 5, 2022.
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Pat of Silver Bush

Pat of Silver Bush (1933) is the first of two novels that make up the Pat of Silver Bush series by L.M. Montgomery. The protagonist Patricia Gardiner is highly sensitive to her environment. She loves her home and the people around her, and it hurts her to see her world change. Pat contrasts with Anne Shirley and Emily Starr in that she is not an orphan, and she has grown up with a stable home life that she deeply values and clings to.

Pat of Silver Bush is followed by the sequel Mistress Pat.

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Created March 10, 2001. Last updated March 9, 2021.
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