Annabelle's Wish
| Annabelle's Wish | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Roy Wilson |
| Written by | Dan Henderson (short story) Jane Baer John Bettis Ken Blackwell John Couch Gary Edwards Bruce Faulk Kathy Grover Riki Hobin Jay Johnson Jaime Barton Klein George Larrimore John Lewis Barbara Dunn-Leonard Sheryl Scarborough |
| Produced by | Barbara Dunn-Leonard |
| Starring | Randy Travis Jay Johnson Jerry Van Dyke Jim Varney Rue McClanahan Cloris Leachman Aria Curzon James Lafferty Charlie Cronin Jennifer Darling Clancy Brown Stu Rosen Jerry Houser Brian Cummings Mary Kay Bergman Tress MacNeille Kay E. Kuter Kath Soucie Steve Mackall Hari Oziol Beth Nielsen Chapman Frank Welker Nanci Griffith Alison Krauss Kevin Sharp |
| Narrated by | Randy Travis |
| Edited by | Tom Gleason Clay Iverson Terry Moore |
| Music by | Steve Dorff |
Production company | Ralph Edwards Productions |
| Distributed by | Hallmark Entertainment |
Release date | 21 October 1997 |
Running time | 54 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Annabelle's Wish is a 1997 American animated Christmas film that revolves around a young calf who aspires to learn to fly and become one of Santa Claus' reindeer. It is narrated by American country singer Randy Travis and stars veteran voice actress Kath Soucie. It originally aired on FOX.
Plot synopsis
The film takes place in a fictional rural farming community named Twobridge somewhere in Tennessee, where a young calf named Annabelle is born on Christmas Eve. Upon meeting Santa Claus, she becomes fascinated with reindeer and their ability to fly, and wishes to fly herself.
At the same time, having been granted the temporary ability to speak, she befriends the farmer's grandson, Billy, who suffered from muteness due to smoke inhalation caused by a terrible fire at the animals' barn one night. Throughout the course of the year, they learn the true value of friendship and learn that with faith and a willingness to overcome great odds, anybody can achieve their dreams. Once Annabelle loses her ability to talk, the ability is permanently given to Billy, who later finds out.
At the end of the movie, when Billy is now a grown man and in love with and married to his childhood friend, Emily, Santa Claus grants Annabelle's wish for flying by turning her into one of his reindeer, returning her ability to speak in the process.
Cast and characters
- Annabelle: A young calf who aspires to fly like Santa Claus' reindeer. She is very close to Billy. Young and adult Annabelle are voiced by Kath Soucie.
- Billy Baker: Charles' beloved grandson and the main protagonist and hero who suffers from muteness. He now lives with his grandfather and is Annabelle's best friend. Young Billy is voiced by Hari Oziol and adult Billy is voiced by Randy Travis, who also narrates the story. The song he sings is called "Friends Like Us (Seasons)".
- Grandpa Charles Baker: Billy's loving grandfather who dreams to help his grandson speak again. He firmly believes in Christmas as well as miracles. He is voiced by Jerry Van Dyke.
- Santa Claus: The kind-hearted gift-giver who grants the animals their ability to talk and ultimately, Annabelle's wish. He is voiced by Kay E. Kuter.
- Aunt Agnes: The movie's main villainess and antagonist, Agnes is Billy's wealthy, selfish aunt who seeks to gain custody over her nephew, despite the fact that she doesn't seem very interested in actually caring for him. She eventually got what she wanted, but through a relationship she's hinted to have entered with Gus Holder. She is voiced by Cloris Leachman.
- Star: A cow and Annabelle's mother who is named for the distinctive star-shaped mark on her forehead. She is a voice of wisdom for her young daughter. She is voiced by Jennifer Darling.
- Bucky and Buster Holder: Billy's two schoolmates who constantly make fun of his inability to speak. Bucky is the tall, thin one and voiced by Charlie Cronin. Buster is the short, pudgy one and voiced by James Lafferty.
- Gus Holder: Charles' grumpy neighbor who used to love Christmas just as much as everybody else until he grew up. The sheriff makes him realize how cold he's been and he sets things right with the Baker family. It's hinted that he married Billy's Aunt Agnes. He is voiced by Jim Varney.
- Emily: Billy's best friend (and later, his wife). She is voiced by Aria Curzon as a child and by Beth Nielsen Chapman as an adult. And her song is called "Friends Like Us (Seasons)".
- Sheriff: The town sheriff. He is voiced by Clancy Brown.
- Scarlet: Charles' beautiful horse. She is voiced by Rue McClanahan.
- Slim: The pudgy pig of the flock. He is voiced by Jerry Houser.
- Owliver: The gang's flightless owl. He is voiced by Steve Mackall.
- Hens: They are the girlfriends of Brewster the rooster. They are voiced by Mary Kay Bergman and Tress MacNeille respectively.
- Brewster: The confident, loud-mouthed rooster of the group. He is voiced by Brian Cummings.
- Ears: Charles' dog who constantly trips over his long floppy ears. He is voiced by Jay Johnson.
- Tress MacNeille, Alison Krauss, and Frank Welker provided the additional voices.