April 22, 2001

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

Photograph of Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe and Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (aka Anne of Avonlea), 1987, Sullivan Entertainment miniseries

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

Purchase and watch Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel:

Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel, 1987, Sullivan Entertainment, 2 Disc Special Edition DVD Set Anne of Green Gables: The Complete Four-Part Collection, DVD Set, The Kevin Sullivan Restoration


Created April 22, 2001. Re-posted online May 2, 2022. Last updated May 2, 2022.

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