CAROL CHANNING
Growing up in Tampa Florida I didn't even know anyone who had actually been to New York City to a Broadway show, but I would see the actors and actresses on TV and sometimes even a musical number on shows like The Ed Sullivan Show. Then my Dad came home telling us about a co-worker who had just come back from seeing a show on Broadway...Hello Dolly! He said that when Carol Channing stepped on stage singing her opening number the audience clapped and cheered so long and so loud that she stopped, thanked them all and started the number over.
I wanted to see a Broadway show! I eventually did when I visited and later moved to New York, and there were some great moments, but I missed seeing anything or anyone like Carol Channing. I was too late.
Did you know that she was Lorelei Lee before Marilyn Monroe made the part famous in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?
Carol Channing was born January 31, 1921, at Seattle, Washington, the daughter of a prominent newspaper editor, who was very active in the Christian Science movement. She attended high school in San Francisco and later worked as a model in Los Angeles. She attended prestigious Bennington College in Vermont and majored in drama and dance and supplemented her work by taking parts in nearby Pocono Resort area. She initially made her mark on Broadway in "Gentleman Prefer Blondes" playing Lorelei Lee.
In "Hello Dolly" she played Dolly Gallagher Levi, the witty, manipulative widow intent upon finding a wealthy husband. The musical won ten Tony awards in 1964, including Channing's for best actress in a comedy. Jacqueline Kennedy and her two children made their first public appearance after President John F. Kennedy's death by seeing her perform in "Hello Dolly" and later visited her backstage. She appeared in the film Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967). Her son is a Pulitizer Prize-nominated finalist cartoonist and she continues to practice her Christian Science religion.
She had three Tony Awards: in 1964, as Best Actress (Musical) for "Hello, Dolly!"; in 1968, a Special Award; and in 1995, a Lifetime Achievement Award. Was also nominated three other times. In 1967, Pearl Bailey replaced her on Broadway when "Hello, Dolly!" was recast as an all-black production.
Last year for her 93rd Birthday she celebrated back on Broadway...the applause was long and loud for 92-year-old Broadway legend Carol Channing, who lit up the stage at The Town Hall on 43rd street as part of “Gentleman Prefer Blondes: An Intimate Evening With Carol Channing and Justin Vivian Bond.” It was a celebration of both Channing’s upcoming 93rd birthday and the 50th anniversary of the premiere of “Hello, Dolly!,” a role Channing embodied for over 5,000 performances on Broadway.
Channing was charming and quick-witted during her half of the show, greeting the very supportive, incredibly well-coiffed and heavily male audience with her signature large-open-mouthed smile.
Channing was cavalier about her age, joking about wanting to be buried “between the Geary Theater and Curran Theatre [in San Francisco].” She explained that she went back to San Francisco about five months ago to actually measure to space between the two landmark theaters. “There’s a fire escape there, but they’ll have to take that out,” she said, to much laughter.
She is one of 26 actresses to have received an Academy Award nomination for their performance in a musical; hers being Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
Never were these words more true...
You're lookin' swell, Dolly.......I can tell, Dolly
You're still glowin'...you're still crowin'...you're still goin' strong!
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