SHORT TAKES : Stray-Turned-Star Sandy Dies

Sandy, the stray mutt that was rescued from the pound and went on to star in the Broadway smash “Annie,” died this morning in his sleep. He was 16, or 112 in dog years.

Sandy, a mix of Airedale and Irish setter, originated the role of Annie’s faithful dog in the Goodspeed Opera House’s 1976 production in Connecticut. He then played the entire Broadway run, from 1977 to 1983, said William Berloni, Sandy’s owner and trainer.

It was Berloni, then an 18-year-old apprentice at the Goodspeed with no experience as an animal trainer, who rescued Sandy from the Connecticut Humane Society the day before the animal was to be put to sleep.

Berloni had been told to find a dog for the production. After looking at 500 dogs, he found Sandy and bought him for $8.

Sandy won the hearts of theatergoers as the dog that befriends Annie after she runs away from an orphanage. The two are separated and spend much of the musical looking for each other, until they are reunited for a happy ending.

“It’s interesting how one animal touched so many lives,” Berloni said. “People liked to believe in fun things and Annie and Sandy, wherever they went, really brought a lot of joy to people.”