Pollyanna

Pollyanna is a novel by Eleanor H. Porter which was first published in 1913 and which has become a classic of children's literature. The book is about a girl, Pollyanna, who goes to live with her Aunt Polly and soon brightens up the town.

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Pollyanna has been filmed several times. Most notably, there was a 1920 silent movie starring Mary Pickford, and a Walt Disney film released in 1960 starring English actress Hayley Mills in the title role. The 1960 film was shot at the Mableton Mansion on McDonald Avenue in Santa Rosa, California.

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Also, there have been several TV adaptations, the most recent one (2003), originally broadcast on ITV, starring Georgina Terry in the title role and Amanda Burton as Aunt Polly.

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Through the success of the book, the term "pollyanna" entered the language to describe someone who is cheerfully optimistic. It then became by extension (and contrary to the spirit of the book) a somewhat derogatory term for a na?ve person who always expects people to act decently, despite strong evidence to the contrary.

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Eleanor H. Porter: Eleanor Hodgeman Porter (December 19, 1868 – May 21, 1920) was an American novelist....

1913: 1913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. (click on link for calendar)...

1920: 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar)...