The three-time Tony Award-winning book writer best known for transforming the Little Orphan Annie cartoon strip into the smash Broadway musical Annie has died. Thomas Meehan was 88.
Lyricist and longtime friend and Annie collaborator Martin Charnin says Meehan died at his New York City home late Monday or early Tuesday after a long illness.
Meehan wrote the books for three shows that ran over 2,000 performances on Broadway: Annie with 2,377 performances, The Producers with Mel Brooks at 2,502 performances and Hairspray with Mark O’Donnell at 2,642 performances.
His other shows include Young Frankenstein with Brooks, Cry-Baby with O’Donnell, Elf with Bob Martin, Chaplin with Christopher Curtis, Bombay Dreams with Meera Syal and the musical Rocky with Sylvester Stallone.
