The Road to Yesterday

The Road to Yesterday by L.M. Montgomery was published in 1974. L.M. Montgomery had originally penned this book under the title The Blythes are Quoted, but the book was not published during her lifetime. After L.M. Montgomery's death, her manuscript was discovered by her son, Dr. Stuart MacDonald. The original manuscript for The Blythes are Quoted was divided into two parts taking place before and after World War I. Each part was composed of short stories interspersed with narratives of evenings in Anne and Gilbert Blythe's household with the Blythe family listening to Anne's poems.

In preparing The Road to Yesterday for publication, the narrative sections were removed along with all but one of the poems. The sequence of the short stories was reorganized. All of the stories included in The Road to Yesterday mention members of the Blythe family.

The Road to Yesterday includes the poem "Canadian Twilight" and 14 short stories, which are listed below:

"Canadian Twilight" (poem)
"An Afternoon with Mr. Jenkins"
"Retribution"
"The Twins Pretend"
"Fancy's Fool"
"A Dream Come True"
"Penelope Struts her Theories"
"The Reconciliation"
"The Cheated Child"
"Fool's Errand"
"The Pot and the Kettle"
"Here Comes the Bride"
"Brothers Beware"
"The Road to Yesterday"
"A Commonplace Woman"

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Created July 25, 2002. Last updated April 26, 2024.
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Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series (2000-2001)

Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series (aka Anne: The Animated Series or Annetoon) is a television show created by Sullivan Entertainment that aired on PBS from 2000 to 2001. The educational cartoon is geared towards six- to ten-year-olds, and each episode focuses on a challenge of childhood and provides lessons for children about self-confidence, creativity, loyalty, and more.

The series follows the adventures of 10-year-old Anne Shirley and her friends Gilbert Blythe, Diana Barry, and Felix King. Anne lives in Avonlea where she was adopted by Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. The series includes characters from L.M. Montgomery's novel and Sullivan Entertainment's Anne of Green Gables miniseries and Road to Avonlea TV series.

Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series ran for one season and had 26 episodes. Each episode was 30 minutes long. When the show aired on PBS, real children commented on the show at the end of each episode. Sullivan Entertainment's Annetoon website provides educational resources for teachers using the show to teach children Anne-themed lessons in schools.

Kevin Sullivan and Trudy Grant were the executive producers of the series, which was directed by Liliane Andre. The series was written by Michael MacLennan and featured music composed by Peter Breiner.

Bryn McAuley portrayed the voice of Anne Shirley. Patricia Gage played Marilla Cuthbert, and Wayne Robson portrayed Marilla's brother Matthew Cuthbert. Anne's classmate Gilbert Blythe was portrayed by Ali Mukaddam, and Emily Hampshire provided the voice of Anne's best friend Diana Barry. Kyle Fairlie gave voice to Felix King, and Dalene Irvine played Felicity King. Patricia Hamilton portrayed the voice of Rachel Lynde. Hamilton is well known for portraying Rachel Lynde in Sullivan Entertainment's prior productions: Anne of Green Gables (1985), Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987), and Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story (2000), Road to Avonlea (1990-1996), and Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning (2008).

In 2004, an animated film titled Anne: Journey to Green Gables was produced as a prequel to Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series.

Synopsis (from the Annetoon website):
"Anne: The Animated Series presents 26 entertaining and educational episodes. In this series, you will follow Anne as her out of control imagination leads her through many different adventures, which demonstrate important lessons in loyalty, resolving conflict and problem-solving. Join Anne and her friends in both difficult times and lots of laughter in this animated, family friendly version of Anne that you are sure to enjoy."

Image credit:
Drawing of Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series. © Sullivan Entertainment. Used with permission.

Official Websites:
AnneToon.com - Official website for Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series and Anne: Journey to Green Gables
Teacher's Resources at the Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series website
Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series - Watch the series online at Sullivan Entertainment's Anne of Green Gables Kids Channel on YouTube.
Shop at Sullivan

References:
AnneToon.com - Official website for Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series and Anne: Journey to Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series at IMDB

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Created July 1, 2002. Last updated November 13, 2024.
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The Golden Road

The Golden Road by L.M. Montgomery was published in 1913 as a sequel to The Story Girl. In this novel, Bev reminisces of his friends and of days gone by on a golden road of childhood.

In The Golden Road, Sara and the other children decide to publish their own magazine to entertain themselves, named Our Magazine. Each child contributes to a particular column, including fiction, fashion, personals, and etiquette. They have several adventures together, including visits to the town "witch," Peg Bowen. Along with sharing adventures, the children have many fights and squabbles. They experience mishaps during a visit from their aunt and attend two weddings. In addition, they learn the secret of the Awkward Man and witness Cecily's bravery to support the missionaries.

By the end of the novel, the characters have grown. Sara, Bev, and Felix must leave Carlisle, and things will never be the same. But Bev's memories remain strong. As Blair Stanley states, "Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it."

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Created May 29, 2002. Last updated February 2, 2022.
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The Story Girl

Published in 1911, The Story Girl was L.M. Montgomery's favorite novel. In it, she captures the delight of youth and the joy of storytelling. The novel may have been so dear to her heart because she used it as a showcase for her own childhood experiences and to retell her personal family folklore and stories.

The Story Girl tells the tale of a group of children in Carlisle, Prince Edward Island. The narrator of the story, Beverly King, looks back with his adult eyes on a summer he and his brother Felix spent away from Toronto on P.E.I. with their relatives while their father was away on business. Bev and Felix spend time with their cousins Dan, Felicity, and Cecily King, as well as Sara Ray, Peter Craig, and the novel's namesake, Sara Stanley⁠—the "Story Girl."

The children's minor adventures are interwoven with Sara's fearsome, mythological, humorous, and human tales that mesmerize her young audience. She is the main character, though, unlike Montgomery's other protagonists, she does not have a driving plot line. It is the narrator Bev, who directs our attention to Sara's talents and charms throughout the story.

The Story Girl is followed by its sequel The Golden Road.

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Created May 27, 2002. Last updated March 16, 2021.
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Anne of Windy Poplars (1940)

In 1940, RKO Pictures released Anne of Windy Poplars as a sequel to their 1934 film Anne of Green Gables. The film was based on L.M. Montgomery’s novel Anne of Windy Poplars. The actress Anne Shirley returned to star as Anne Shirley. The film also featured James Ellison as Tony Pringle, Henry Travers (famous for playing Clarence in It’s a Wonderful Life) as Matey, Patric Knowles as Gilbert Blythe, Marcia Mae Jones as Jen Pringle, and Joan Carroll as Betty Grayson.

The story in Anne of Windy Poplars begins when Anne takes a job as vice-principal of a school in Pringleton. She struggles to find a place to stay when all the Pringles refuse to board her. Luckily, Anne winds up living at a beautiful home called Windy Poplars with Kate and her brother Matey. Anne befriends Betty Grayson, a young orphan who lives next door with her aunt. At school, Anne faces troubles as the Pringle family plots to remove her from her position. Moreover, Anne’s pupil Jen Pringle tries to turn Anne’s students against her.

This black and white film is 86 minutes long. It was produced by Cliff Reid. Jack Hively directed the Anne of Windy Poplars, and Jerome Cady and Michael Kanin wrote the screenplay. In the United Kingdom, the movie was distributed under the title Anne of Windy Willows.

Image credit:
Photograph of Marcia Mae Jones and Anne Shirley as Jen Pringle and Anne Shirley in Anne of Windy Poplars (1940), RKO Pictures.

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Created May 22, 2002. Last updated May 25, 2022.
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Anne of Green Gables (1934)

In 1934, L.M. Montgomery’s novel Anne of Green Gables was adapted for a second time as a black and white film, this time as a talkie by RKO Pictures. The 79-minute-long film was directed by George Nichols Jr. The screenplay was written by Sam Mintz.

The film starred an actress by the name of Anne Shirley. The actress Anne Shirley's given name was Dawn Paris, and she had previously used the stage name Dawn O'Day as a child actress. After starring as Anne in this film, she changed her professional name to Anne Shirley, and she continued to use the name Anne Shirley throughout her acting career.

Anne of Green Gables (1934) co-starred Helen Westley and O.P. Heggie as Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, the siblings who adopt Anne. It also featured Sara Haden as Mrs. Rachel Barry and Gertrude Messinger as Anne's bosom friend Diana Barry. Tom Brown played Gilbert Blythe.

In 1940, Anne Shirley returned to play Anne in a sequel to this film titled Anne of Windy Poplars.

Image credit:
Photograph of photo of Anne Shirley and O. P. Heggie as Anne Shirley and Matthew Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables (1934), RKO Pictures.

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Created May 20, 2002. Last updated April 17, 2021.
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Anne of Avonlea (1975)

On January 26, 1975, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) began airing the miniseries Anne of Avonlea. This production was a sequel to their 1972 adaptation of Anne of Green Gables. Kim Braden returned to star as Anne Shirley, Barbara Hamilton returned to play Marilla Cuthbert, and Jan Francis returned as Diana Barry. Gilbert Blythe was portrayed by Christopher Blake, a different actor from the earlier miniseries. The production also featured Madge Ryan as Rachel Lynde, David Garfield as Mr. Harrison, and Anthony Forrest as Roy Gardiner.

Anne of Avonlea was based on L.M. Montgomery's novels Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island, and the story was dramatized for the screen by Elaine Morgan. Joan Craft returned to direct the sequel, and the miniseries was again produced by John McRae. The Anne of Avonlea miniseries aired in six parts and had a running time of 5 hours and 50 minutes.

Anne of Green Gables is one of the few BBC 1 Sunday Serials that is lost and no longer exists in the BBC archives. Luckily for us, Anne of Avonlea survived intact. The Anne of Avonlea miniseries was purchased by Strawberry Entertainment, and it was subsequently purchased by KOCH Vision. The long-awaited DVD was released on September 5, 2006.

Acknowledgements:
Thanks Paul for the information that the miniseries was purchased by Strawberry Entertainment.

External Links (will open in new windows):
Internet Movie Database - cast list for the series
Anne of Green Gables topic at www.missing-episodes.com (archived topic by Internet Archive)

Image credit:
Photograph of Kim Braden as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables © BBC from the 1975 book cover by Penguin Books.

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Created May 12, 2002. Last updated April 16, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables (1972)

On February 20, 1972, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) began airing an Anne of Green Gables miniseries as a BBC 1 Sunday Serial. The series starred Kim Braden as Anne Shirley, Barbara Hamilton as Marilla Cuthbert, and Elliott Sullivan as Matthew Cuthbert. Jan Francis played Diana Barry and Robin Halstead played Gilbert Blythe.

The Anne of Green Gables miniseries was based upon L.M. Montgomery's novel, and the story was adapted for the screen by Julia Jones. The series was directed by Joan Craft and produced by John McRae. The series was broadcast in five parts and was 4 hours and 40 minutes in length.

Unfortunately, Anne of Green Gables is one of the few BBC 1 Sunday Serials that is missing, and it no longer exists in the BBC archives. However, the BBC’s 1975 sequel Anne of Avonlea survived, and it was released by Koch Vision on September 5, 2006.

External Links (will open in new windows):
Internet Movie Database - cast list for the series
Anne of Green Gables topic at www.missing-episodes.com (archived topic by Internet Archive)

Personal Comments:
Unfortunately, I never saw this miniseries, and with its current "lost" status in the BBC archives, I am unlikely to see it in the future. If you have any knowledge about the miniseries, scans or images from the production, or if you have seen it and can tell me more about it, then please send me an e-mail, and I'll add the info to this site.

Image credit:
Photograph of Kim Braden as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables © BBC

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Created May 11, 2002. Last updated April 16, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com