Carol Channing

At 97 years old, Carol Channing has this physical status:

Carol Elaine Channing (January 31, 1921-1921 – January 15, 2019) was an American actress, singer, dancer, and comedian best known for her appearances in Broadway and film musicals.

If performing or for comedic effect, her characters exhibited a fervent expressiveness and a clear voice. Channing appeared in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1949 and Hello, Dolly! In 1964, she received the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, which was followed by David Gordon.

She returned to both roles several times throughout her career, most notably in 1995, when she appeared on Broadway for the final time.

In 1956, she was nominated for her first Tony Award, The Vamp, and later for a nomination in 1961 for Show Girl.

In 1974, she received her third Tony Award nomination for the musical Lorelei. She received the Golden Globe Award for her role as Muzzy in Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

The First Traveling Saleslady (1956) and Skidoo (1968) were among her film appearances.

She appeared on television from The Ed Sullivan Show in the 1950s to Hollywood Squares.

In 1986, she appeared in The White Queen's TV production in Alice in Wonderland (1985), and she appeared in many TV specials. An Evening with Carol ChanningChanning was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1981.

She continued to perform and make appearances into her 90s, performing songs from her collection and sharing stories with fans, cabaret-style.

She released her autobiography Just Lucky I Guess in 2002, and Bigger Than Life, a documentary film about her career, was released in 2012.

Early life

Channing was born in Seattle, Washington, on January 31, 1921, the only child of Adelaide (née Glaser, 1886–1984) and George Channing (1888–1957). Before Carol's birth, her father, George Christian Stucker, was both African-American and Euro-American, and he changed his surname due to religious reasons. He became a Christian Science scholar, editor, and mentor. Clara Channing's mother, an African-American, and George Stucker, the son of German immigrants, was born in Germany. Both Otto Glaser and Paulina Ottmann, Carol's maternal grandparents, were of German-Jewish origins. When Channing was two years old, he took a job in San Francisco and the family moved to California.

Channing attended Aptos Junior High School and Lowell High School in San Francisco, graduating in 1938. In June 1937, she won the Crusaders' Oratorical Contest and a free trip to Hawaii with her mother. When she was 17 years old, she went home to Bennington College in Vermont, where her mother told her for the first time that her father was African American and his father was German American. 50 : 8 Her mother feared that now that she was going to college and would be on her own, but she didn't want her to be surprised if she had a Black baby.

: 8 Channing wrote:

Channing denied her African-American ancestry in 2002.

Channing was involved in Bennington's drama, but during an interview in 1994, she revealed that she first wanted to perform on stage as a singer in the fourth grade. After seeing Ethel Waters perform, she recalled being emotionally attached to the stage.

Channing said she ran for and was named class secretary in the fourth grade: "I stood up in class and campaigned by kidding the teachers." The other boys booed. The sensation was wonderful; it still is." She read the class minutes every Friday, often impersonating the children being addressed. She also considers that she was able to see plays while young, which may have been a major inspiration:

"It was really good preparation—like stock," she said in grammar and high school. She began attending Bennington College, where she would entertain every Friday night during those weekly sessions. She began auditioning for acting on Broadway during her junior year. The New Yorker revealed that she would hear more from a comedienne named Carol Channing after appearing in a small part in the revue. She decided to drop out of school after being inspired by the brief notice. However, it was four years before she began working in another acting role. During this time, she served at small functions or charities, including some in the Catskill resorts. She also worked in Macy's bakery.

Personal life

Channing was married four times. Theodore Naidish, her first husband, was married when she was 20 years old in 1941. He was a writer who wrote Watch Out for Willie Carter in 1944; but they had no money for food, clothes, or housing during their marriage's nearly five years of marriage: "There was no money for food, clothing, or housing." 52 And yet, Channing adored his émigré Jewish family, boasting, "There is nothing so safe and secure as an immigrant, foreign-language-speaking family all around you." It was a dream come true for me. They look after you, and you want them to look after them. If you're sick, they make chick'n in the pot. Every minute, you learn new words that sound great. "48 Channing and Naidish lived in Brighton Beach, New York City's borough of Brooklyn." Sam Cohen, his grandfather, told her a few of his neighbors, who were astounded that she listened to their amusing stories. "They were so pleased that I almost ate them up alive," she wrote, "because they were so funny, particularly because such praise was coming from what we all imagined was a shiksa (me). She learned to speak fluent Yiddish from "Grandpa Cohen," which helped her understand the boardwalk conversations that were going on around her town.

: 51

Alexander F. Carson, also known as "The Murderous Ax," 109 played center for the Ottawa Rough Riders Canadian football team and was also a private investigator. They married in 1950 and divorced in September 1956. Channing Carson, the boy's name, was a boy.

"Immediately following the issuance of the divorce decree" from Carson, Channing, married publicist Charles Lowe in September 1956. Carson's parental rights were shattered as a result of his abandonment, and his and Channing's son took his stepfather's surname in 1960. "The differences in climate and miles would result in a gross injustice in the child," the judge said, and the child does not even know what his real father looks like at this young age. He's probably doesn't even know that Mrs. Channing's current husband isn't his father." As Chan Lowe, Channing Lowe's cartoons are published. Channing filed for divorce from Lowe in 1998, but her estranged husband died before the divorce was finalized.

Roger Denny, an interior decorator, was the actress' companion after Lowe's death and right before her fourth marriage.

While recording the audiobook of her autobiography Just Lucky, I guess, at VideoActive Productions, NYC, she and her junior high school sweetheart, Harry Kullijian, married on May 10, 2003. They then attended their old junior high school as a benefit for the school. Through their Dr. Carol Channing and Harry Kullijian Foundation, they also promoted arts education in California schools. Both Modesto, California, and Rancho Mirage, California, were married. Harry Kullijian died on December 26, 2011, the eve of his 92nd birthday.

Channing had peculiar eating habits. She said she had not eaten restaurant food in 15 years and preferred only organic foods in 1978. When she's invited to restaurants, she'd bring several sealed containers with her own food, such as zucchine or chopped celery, and then ask for an empty plate and glass. She will eat seeds for dessert. By 1995, Channing had resumed eating food from restaurants. However, she would not be able to drink alcoholic beverages of any kind. Channing was a survivor of ovarian cancer.

Channing died of natural causes on January 15, 2019, at her Rancho Mirage, California, 16 days before her 98th birthday. In honor of Channing, the lights on Broadway were dimmed on January 16. A crowd gathered outside the St. James Theatre as it was also the anniversary of the opening of Hello, Dolly! Her ashes were sprinkled on the grounds of the Curran Theatre and the Geary Theater in San Francisco.

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Career

Channing was brought on to the stage after her mother was assisting her mother in delivering newspapers to the backstage of theatres.

Marc Blitzstein's No Answer for an Answer, her first act on stage in New York City, started in January 1941 at the Mecca Temple (later New York City Center). She was 19 years old when she was born in the United States. Channing later went to Broadway for Let's Face It!, in which she was an understudy for Eve Arden, who was 13 years older than Channing. Arden was hired to play the title role in Hello Dolly's 1966 debut. After Channing was compelled to appear in the film Thoroughly Modern Millie, a road company was formed. Channing received the Sarah Siddons Award for her appearance in Chicago's theatres in 1966 (Eve Arden received the next year).

Channing appeared in Lend an Ear (1948), for which she was named a winner in the Theatre World Award and launched her as a star performer, five years later. When he put her image in his widely distributed illustrations, Channing credited illustrator Al Hirschfeld for her help making her a success. Her drawing of her as a flapper was what she took lead in her next game, the Jule Styne and Anita Loos musical Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, according to her. Lorelei Lee's "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" was one of the most well-known songs in the production.

In January 1950, Time magazine published a cover story about her becoming a new star on Broadway, which was followed by Life magazine's coverage in 1955 and 1964.

Channing married publicist Charles Lowe in 1956. He produced the Burns and Allen comedy show, which starred George Burns and Gracie Allen in the 1950s. Burns was in need of a partner to play against on stage when Allen was forced to stop performing due to her heart ailments, and she felt she was in need of a partner to compete against on stage since she was the best as a straight man. Channing, like she, had one of the most distinctive and recognizable voices in show business, and Lowe begged Channing if she would appear with Burns during his performances. Channing accepted immediately, and during the 1960s, she worked with Burns on and off. In 1966, Burns appeared in her television show An Evening with Carol Channing.

Channing was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical in 1961, rather than a traditional book musical; she was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for the short-lived revue Show Girl.

Channing made national news as the star of Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly! (1964): (1964) Dolly Levi's appearance as Dolly Levi received the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She recalled that playwright Thornton Wilder so loved the musical, which was based on his own work, The Matchmaker, that he appeared once a week. He also planned to rewrite his 1942 play The Skin of Our Teeth, with Channing playing both Mrs. Antrobus and Sabina but died before he could finish it.

Applaudation of her performance in the 1960s meant she was frequently invited to major events, including those at the White House, where she could perform. Channing, a registered Democrat, was invited to the Democratic convention in 1964 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where she sang "Hello, Lyndon" for Lyndon B. Johnson's campaign. She was a favorite of Lady Bird Johnson, who gave her a huge bouquet after a show. In 1967, she became the first celebrity to appear at the Super Bowl halftime show.

According to columnist Dick Kleiner, the old-fashioned plot of Hello, Dolly, when first described, could have been uninspired.

The show opened on Broadway on January 16, 1964, and by the time the show closed in late December 1970, it had become the longest-running musical in Broadway history, with nearly 3,000 performances. Besides Channing, six other actors appeared in the film: Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Betty Grable, Pearl Bailey, Phyllis Diller, and Ethel Merman.

On the front page of The New York Times' "Sunday Theatre" section, Al Hirschfeld's illustration of her appeared. "How did the great Hirschfeld know exactly what I was thinking?" she wondered after in writing. ... It's a strange sensation to be Hirschfelded. You should have something to hide because he'll reveal it like a neon sign" (Japan) 68 (1998) The illustration was also printed on the back of magazines, including Horizon. In 1996, she appeared in the film biography about his life, The Line King.

In 1973, Channing revived her role as Lorelei Lee, directed by Robert Moore and choreographed by Ernest O. Flatt, who performed at the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall, which sold out within 24 hours.

In her honor, the street running in front of the Music Hall was renamed Channing Square Drive. Peter Palmer, Brandon Maggart, Dody Goodman, and Lee Roy Reams were among the cast members. The stage musical has appeared in 11 cities around the country for almost a year. By the time Lorelei opened on Broadway on January 27, 1974, it had earned a decent sum and ran for 320 performances. Channing appeared in two New York City revivals of Hello, Dolly! and toured with it extensively around the country.

During a special television show in London in 1979, she performed songs from Hello, Dolly.

Channing appeared in a number of films, including The First Traveling Saleslady (1956), in which she gave potential actor Clint Eastwood his first onscreen kiss; and Thoroughly Modern Millie (starring Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore, John Gavin; and Beatrice Lillie). Millie received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress and received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, as shown in the video below. Channing expressed gratitude to Andrews for assisting her in her growth: "She will always be my angel" she says.

Hello Dolly's success has resulted in her success on Broadway! Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who were interested in co-starring in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Channing, piqued the curiosity of those interested in playing her in a sitcom. Arnaz, Christopher Howard, Jr., and Madelyn Davis (who co-wrote I Love Lucy and The Lucy Show) appeared as Carol Hunnicut, a small-town girl struggling and failing to make it in New York City show industry. Richard Deacon and Jane Dulo were in the supporting cast. At Desilu in 1966, the pilot was shot in front of a live audience (with a laugh track added) but it didn't sell as a series.

Channing appeared on television sitcoms and talk shows, including What's My Line? during her film career. where she appeared in 11 episodes from 1962 to 1966. Channing did voice-over work in cartoons, most notably as Grandmama in an animated version of The Addams Family from 1992 to 1995.

Channing appeared in various skits or appeared as a guest on regular television shows during the majority of her career. She appeared on The Andy Williams Show in the 1960s. She appeared in the television special Free to Be... You and Me, based on Marlo Thomas' best-selling album of 1972, in which Channing also appeared. Free... received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Special and The Peabody Award. In 1985, she appeared in the television show Alice in Wonderland as the White Queen. Channing performed a parody of the song "Hello, Dolly" on Sesame Street in 1986.

called "Hello, Sammy!

Carol's rendition of Sammy the Snake is a love song sung by Carol to a character named as Sammy the Snake (as seen by Muppets creator Jim Henson). In this parody segment, Carol Serenades Sammy, telling him how much she loves and adores him, even as Sammy coils around Carol's arms. "So.turn on your charm, Sammy/Coil yourself around my arm, Sammy/Sammy the Snake, I'll stake a claim on you," Carol's song begins. Jule Styne, a songwriter who penned the score for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, invited her on his television special in 1987, where she appeared in another of her signature songs, "Little Girl from Little Rock."

In an episode of The Nanny, she poked a little fun at herself. The producer auditions for a new musical in this episode, while Channing, playing herself, is trying out. Channing launches her trademark "Hello, Dolly!" just after the producer's declaration that he wants a stage presence that is immediately recognisable to the entire world. "But he saves her with a resounding "Next!" says the singer. "It's all about being smart."

Channing's best-selling autobiography Just Lucky, I Guess: A Memoir of Sorts, directed and produced by Steve Garrin at VideoActive Productions in New York City in January 2003. It was during the recording sessions that she got a phone call from her childhood sweetheart Harry Kullijian that revived their passion and culminated in their marriage a few months later. Carol Channing's biography and work were published in January 2012.

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