Monday, August 17, 2015

Carol Channing, Hello Dolly! Star


Carol Channing, in full Carol Elaine Channing   (born Jan. 31, 1921, Seattle, Wash., U.S.), American actress and singer known for her comically outsize performances, gravelly voice, and animated features.
Channing was raised in San Francisco. After modeling and teaching dance in high school, she enrolled at Bennington College in Vermont. Though she ultimately dropped out, during this period she secured work in stock productions and was signed by the William Morris Agency in New York City. In 1941 Channing made her New York City stage debut in No for an Answer, and the following year she first appeared on Broadway in Proof Through the Night.
Chorus and understudy work followed before her breakout role in Lend an Ear (1948), a musical revue that showcased her talent for mimicry. Anita Loos, author of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, saw the show and cast her in the 1949 musical adaptation of her novel as the gleefully scheming Lorelei Lee, who memorably asserted that “diamonds [were] a girl’s best friend.” The role would later be identified withMarilyn Monroe, who played Lee in the 1953 film version. Channing would, however, later reprise her role in Lorelei; or, Gentlemen Still Prefer Blondes (1975).
Channing made her film debut in Paid in Full (1950), a little-seen melodrama. She returned to the stage, touring in Pygmalion (1953) before performing in the Broadway productions of Wonderful Town (1953; toured 1954) and The Vamp (1955), a poorly received musical about a silent film star. She appeared in the television special Svengali and the Blonde (1955) opposite Basil Rathbone and on-screen in The First Traveling Saleslady (1956), a western in which she starred with Clint Eastwood.
In 1964 Channing created what would become the defining role of her career, Dolly Gallagher Levi, an 1890s matchmaker who schemes to wed a wealthy client. The Broadway show, Hello, Dolly!, based on aThornton Wilder play, was widely acclaimed; Channing received the Tony Award for best actress in a musical. She starred in a number of revivals of the show throughout her career, though Barbra Streisandwas awarded the role of Dolly for the film version (1969). Channing’s appearance in the Julie Andrewsvehicle Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) as a loopy society widow represented the apex of her own film career. In later years Channing starred in a number of touring cabaret shows and television specials and did voice-over work for numerous children’s films and cartoons.
In addition to her stage and screen work, Channing released several albums, among them Carol Channing Entertains (1965), Jazz Baby (1994), and For Heaven’s Sake (2010); the latter was a compilation of gospel standards learned from her father. She recorded her show-business reminiscences in Just Lucky I Guess: A Memoir of Sorts (2002). She received a special Tony Award in 1968 and in 1995 was awarded a Tony for lifetime achievement. The documentary Carol Channing: Larger than Life was released in 2011.

*****
Carol Channing, in full Carol Elaine Channing   (b. January 31, 1921, Seattle, Washington), American actress and singer known for her comically outsize performances, gravelly voice, and animated features.
Channing was born Carol Elaine Channing in Seattle, Washington, on January 31, 1921, the only child of George and Adelaide Channing (née Glaser; 1886–1984). Her father was born George Christian Stucker, but changed his surname before his daughter's birth. A city editor at the Seattle Star, her father took a job in San Francisco and the family moved when Channing was two weeks old. Her father later became a Christian Science practitioner, editor, and teacher. She attended Aptos Junior High School and Lowell High School, San Francisco, graduating in 1938. She won the Crusaders' Oratorical Contest and a free trip to Hawaii with her mother in June 1937.
According to Channing's 2002 memoir, Just Lucky I Guess, when she left home to attend Bennington College in Vermont, her mother informed her that her father George, who Channing had believed was born in Rhode Island, had actually been born in Augusta, Georgia.  Adelaide claimed her husband's father was German-American and his mother was African-American, a claim supported in part by 1900 United States Census for Augusta, Georgia, which lists George C. Stucker, his sister, Estelle Stucker, and their elder half-sister, Connie Johnson, living with their mother, Clara Page; all four individuals are identified as black.  Channing's paternal grandmother had moved with George to Providence, Rhode Island for his opportunities. According to Channing's account, her mother reportedly did not want Channing to be surprised "if she had a black baby". Channing's mother's family was of German descent.
As she was of majority European-American ancestry, Channing continued to identify as white as a performer on Broadway and in Hollywood. She made her claim to African-American ancestry in her autobiography, Just Lucky I Guess (2002), which contains a photograph of her mother, but no photos of her father or son. The book claims her father's birth certificate was destroyed in a fire.
Channing was raised in San Francisco. After modeling and teaching dance in high school, she enrolled at Bennington College in Vermont. Though she ultimately dropped out, during this period she secured work in stock productions and was signed by the William Morris Agency in New York City. In 1941, Channing made her New York City stage debut in No for an Answer, and the following year she first appeared on Broadway in Proof Through the Night.
Chorus and understudy work followed before her breakout role in Lend an Ear (1948), a musical revue that showcased her talent for mimicry. Anita Loos, author of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, saw the show and cast her in the 1949 musical adaptation of her novel as the gleefully scheming Lorelei Lee, who memorably asserted that “diamonds [were] a girl’s best friend.” The role would later be identified with Marilyn Monroe, who played Lee in the 1953 film version. Channing would, however, later reprise her role in Lorelei; or, Gentlemen Still Prefer Blondes (1975).
Channing made her film debut in Paid in Full (1950), a little-seen melodrama. She returned to the stage, touring in Pygmalion (1953) before performing in the Broadway productions of Wonderful Town (1953; toured 1954) and The Vamp (1955), a poorly received musical about a silent film star. She appeared in the television special Svengali and the Blonde (1955) opposite Basil Rathbone and on-screen in The First Traveling Saleslady (1956), a western in which she starred with Clint Eastwood. 
In 1964 Channing created what would become the defining role of her career, Dolly Gallagher Levi, an 1890s matchmaker who schemes to wed a wealthy client. The Broadway show, Hello, Dolly!, based on a Thornton Wilder play, was widely acclaimed; Channing received the Tony Award for best actress in a musical. She starred in a number of revivals of the show throughout her career, though Barbra Streisand was awarded the role of Dolly for the film version (1969). Channing’s appearance in the Julie Andrews vehicle Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) as a loopy society widow represented the apex of her own film career. In later years Channing starred in a number of touring cabaret shows and television specials and did voice-over work for numerous children’s films and cartoons.
In addition to her stage and screen work, Channing released several albums, among them Carol Channing Entertains (1965), Jazz Baby (1994), and For Heaven’s Sake (2010); the latter was a compilation of gospel standards learned from her father. She recorded her show-business reminiscences in Just Lucky I Guess: A Memoir of Sorts (2002). She received a special Tony Award in 1968 and in 1995 was awarded a Tony for lifetime achievement. The documentary Carol Channing: Larger than Life was released in 2011.


*****

Carol Elaine Channing (born January 31, 1921) is an American actress, singer, dancer, comedian, and voice artist.
She won the Golden Globe Award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Muzzy Van Hossmere in Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967). Other film appearances include playing the friend of Ginger Rogers in The First Traveling Saleslady (1956), and Skidoo (1968). On television she has made many appearances as an entertainer on variety shows, from the The Ed Sullivan Show in the 1950s to Hollywood Squares. She is also known for her performance as The White Queen in a 1985 production of Alice in Wonderland.
Channing was nominated for her first Tony Award in 1956 for The Vamp. Her second nomination came in 1961 for Show Girl. In 1964 she originated the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi in Hello, Dolly!, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She received her fourth Tony Award nomination for the musical Lorelei in 1974. Lorelei was a re-imagining ofGentlemen Prefer Blondes, a 1949 musical that also starred Channing in the lead role of Lorelei Lee, which made her a star.
Channing was inducted to the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1981, and received a Lifetime Achievement Tony Awardin 1995. She continues to perform and make appearances, singing songs from her repertoire and sharing stories with fans, cabaret style. She released an autobiography titled Just Lucky I Guess in 2002. A documentary about her was released in 2012 titled Larger Than Life.

Early life[edit]

Channing was born Carol Elaine Channing in Seattle, Washington on January 31, 1921,[1] the only child of George and Adelaide Channing (née Glaser; 1886–1984). Her father was born George Christian Stucker, but changed his surname before his daughter's birth.[2][3] A city editor at the Seattle Star, her father took a job in San Francisco and the family moved when Channing was two weeks old. Her father later became a Christian Sciencepractitioner, editor, and teacher. She attended Aptos Junior High School and Lowell High School, San Francisco, graduating in 1938. She won the Crusaders' Oratorical Contest and a free trip to Hawaii with her mother in June 1937.[4]
According to Channing's 2002 memoir, when she left home to attend Bennington College in Vermont, her mother informed her that her father George, who Channing had believed was born in Rhode Island, had actually been born in Augusta, Georgia. Adelaide claimed her husband's father was German-American and his mother wasAfrican-American, a claim supported in part by 1900 United States Census for Augusta, Georgia, which lists George C. Stucker, his sister, Estelle Stucker, and their elder half-sister, Connie Johnson, living with their mother, Clara Page; all four individuals are identified as black.[5] Channing's paternal grandmother had moved with George to Providence, Rhode Island for his opportunities. According to Channing's account, her mother reportedly did not want Channing to be surprised "if she had a black baby".[6][7] Channing's mother's family was of German descent.[8]
As she was of majority European-American ancestry, Channing continued to identify as white as a performer on Broadway and in Hollywood. She made her claim to African-American ancestry in her autobiography, Just Lucky I Guess (2002), which contains a photograph of her mother, but no photos of her father or son.[9] The book claims her father's birth certificate was destroyed in a fire.[10]

Career[edit]

Channing was introduced to the stage while helping her mother. In a 2005 interview with the Austin Chronicle, Channing recounted this experience:
My mother said, "Carol, would you like to help me distribute Christian Science Monitors backstage at the live theatres in San Francisco?" And I said, "All right, I'll help you." I don't know how old I was. I must have been little. We went through the stage door alley (for the Curran Theatre), and I couldn't get the stage door open. My mother came and opened it very well. Anyway, my mother went to put the Monitors where they were supposed to go for the actors and the crew and the musicians, and she left me alone. And I stood there and realized – I'll never forget it because it came over me so strongly – that this is a temple. This is a cathedral. It's a mosque. It's a mother church. This is for people who have gotten a glimpse of creation and all they do is recreate it. I stood there and wanted to kiss the floorboards.[11]

Channing with David Burns in Hello, Dolly!
Channing's first job on stage in New York was in Marc Blitzstein's No for an Answer, starting January 5, 1941, at the Mecca Temple (later New York's City Center). She was 19 years old. Channing moved to Broadway for Let's Face It!, in which she was an understudy for Eve Arden. Decades later, Arden would play Dolly in a road company after Channing finally relinquished her signature role.
Five years later, Channing had a featured role in Lend an Ear, for which she received her Theatre World Award. She was spotted by author Anita Loos and cast in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes as Lorelei Lee, the role that gained her recognition (her signature song from the production was "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"). In 1961, Channing became one of the few performers nominated for a Tony Award for work in a revue (rather than a traditional book musical); she was nominated forBest Actress in a Musical for the short-lived revue Show Girl.[12]
Channing came to national prominence as the star of Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly! (1964). Her performance as Dolly won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, in a year when her chief competition was Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl and Bea Lillie for High Spirits. Carol Channing reprised her role of Lorelei Lee when the musical Lorelei, directed by Robert Moore and choreographed by Ernest O. Flatt, premiered in 1973 at the Oklahoma City (6000 seat) Civic Center Music Hall and broke all box office records after six days worth of performances sold out within 24 hours. To commemorate this record event the street running in front of the Music Hall was renamed Channing Square Drive in honor of Miss Channing. Also in the cast were Tamara Long as Dorothy and Peter Palmer as Gus, with Brandon Maggart, Dody Goodman, and Lee Roy Reams in supporting roles. For nearly a year, the stage musical then toured 11 cities across the country. Lorelei had already earned a hefty profit by the time it opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on January 27, 1974 and ran for a total of 320 performances. Channing also appeared in two New York revivals of Hello, Dolly!, and toured with it extensively throughout the United States.
She also appeared in a number of films, including The First Traveling Sales Lady (1956) with Ginger Rogers, the cult film Skidoo and Thoroughly Modern Millie, opposite Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore. For Millie she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and was awarded a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.[13][14][15] Because of her phenomenal success on Broadway in Hello Dolly! and her co-starring role inThoroughly Modern Millie, Channing attracted the attentions of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who were interested in starring her in a sitcom. Directed and produced by Arnaz and written by Bob Carroll, Jr. and Madelyn Davis (who were responsible for the success of I Love Lucy and The Lucy Show), The Carol Channing Show starred Channing as Carol Hunnicut, a small-town girl trying and failing to make it in New York City show business. Character actors Richard Deacon and Jane Dulo were in the supporting cast. The pilot was filmed in front of a live audience (with a laugh track added for sweetening) at Desilu in 1966, but did not manage to sell as a series. For over 40 years, The Carol Channing Show was unavailable for viewing until a few years ago when the program was donated to the Paley Center for Media, where it now can easily be seen at both the New York and Los Angeles locations.

Channing performing with Pearl Bailey in 1973
In 1966, she won the Sarah Siddons Award for her work in Chicago theatre. During her film career, Channing also made some guest appearances on television sitcoms and talk shows, including What's My Line?, 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.
In 1986, Channing appeared on Sesame Street and sang a parody of the song "Hello, Dolly!" called "Hello, Sammy!". She performed it as a love song to Sammy the Snake (voiced by Jim Henson) as Sammy coiled himself around Channing's arms. This song includes lyrics, such as, "So... turn on your charm, Sammy / Coil yourself around my arm, Sammy / Sammy the Snake, I'll stake a claim on you." [16] In 1993, she poked a little fun at herself in an episode of The Nanny. The episode "Smoke Gets in Your Lies" shows the producer auditioning for a new musical and Channing, playing herself, is trying out. Just after the producer announces he wants a stage presence that is instantly recognizable to the entire country, Channing begins with her signature "Hello, Dolly!", but he stops her with a resounding "Next!".
In January 2003, Channing recorded the audiobook of her best-selling autobiography Just Lucky, I Guess: A Memoir of Sorts, directed and produced by Steve Garrin at VideoActive Productions in New York City. It was during the recording sessions that she received a phone call from her childhood sweetheart Harry Kullijian that rekindled their romance and led to their marriage a few months later. In January 2011, the documentary Carol Channing: Larger Than Life (which chronicles Channing's life and career) was released.[17]

Family and personal life[edit]


Channing in 2009
Channing has been married four times. Her first husband Theodore Naidish was a writer. Her second husband Alexander Carson played center for the Ottawa Rough Riders Canadian football team. They had one son named Channing Carson.
In 1956, Channing married her manager and publicist Charles Lowe. They remained married for 42 years. During this time, Carson took his stepfather's surname; he publishes his cartoons as Chan Lowe and has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his work.[18] Channing filed for divorce from Lowe in 1998, but her estranged husband died before the divorce was finalized.
After Lowe's death and until shortly before her fourth marriage, the actress's companion was Roger Denny, an interior decorator.[19]
On May 10, 2003, she married Harry Kullijian (December 27, 1919 – December 26, 2011), her junior high-school sweetheart, who reunited with her after she mentioned him fondly in her memoir. The two performed at their old junior high school, which had become Aptos Middle School, in a benefit for the school. She and Kullijian were active in promoting arts education in California schools through their Dr. Carol Channing and Harry Kullijian Foundation. The couple resided in Modesto,[20]California. Kullijian died on December 26, 2011, the eve of his 92nd birthday.
Channing is an ovarian cancer survivor.[21][22]

Legacy and honors[edit]

Theater credits[edit]


Channing with Peter Palmer inLorelei

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]


The handprints of Carol Channing in front of The Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Television[edit]

Discography[edit]

Original Cast Albums:
Additional albums:
  • Archy And Mehitabel - A Back-Alley Opera (with Eddie Bracken), 1954
  • Carol Channing, Vanguard Records, 1961
  • Carol Channing Reads Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Caedmon Records, 1962
  • Carol Channing Entertains, Command Records, 1965
  • Carol Channing Reads Madeleine, Caedmon Records, 1970s
  • C and W (with Webb Pierce), Plantation Records, 1976
  • Carol Channing and Her Country Friends (guest appearances by Jimmy C. Newman, Hank Locklin, and others), Plantation Records, 1977
  • Carol Channing on Tour, 51 West Records, 1980
  • Jazz Baby, DRG Records. 1994
  • "Just Lucky, I Guess: A Memoir of Sorts", Audiobook, 2003
  • For Heaven's Sake, New Day Records, 2010
  • True To The Red, White, and Blue, Homesick Entertainment, 2012

Awards and nominations[edit]

YearAwardsAwardOutcome
1956Tony AwardsBest Actress, Musical, The VampNominated
1961Tony AwardsBest Actress, Musical, Show GirlNominated
1964Tony AwardsBest Actress, Musical, Hello, Dolly!Won
1968Academy AwardsBest Supporting Actress, Thoroughly Modern MillieNominated
Golden GlobesBest Supporting Actress, Thoroughly Modern MillieWon
Tony AwardsSpecial AwardWon
1974Tony AwardsBest Actress, Musical, LoreleiNominated
1995Tony AwardsLifetime Achievement AwardWon
2002Grammy AwardsGrammy Hall of Fame, Hello, Dolly! original cast albumWon
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