R.I.P. Carol Channing (1921-2019)

Carol Channing

On January 15, 2019, actress Carol Channing passed away at the age of 97 in Rancho Mirage, California. Over the course of her illustrious career, she earned acclaim for her work on stage, originating roles in the hit Broadway shows Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Hello Dolly!. She also would receive acclaim for her work on TV and for her Oscar-nominated turn in the movie musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. Along with her enthusiasm, she was known for her unique voice and ability to bring charisma to each of her roles. With a lengthy career that made her beloved by audiences ranging from theater audiences to First Ladies, she leaves behind an incredible body of work that has helped to shape theater for the better. She was one of a kind, and someone who gave everyone else the freedom to be just as big and exciting as they wanted to be.

Channing was born on January 31, 1921 in Seattle, Washington. Her father was multiracial, which caused her to be a mix of black and German. She wouldn't learn this until she was leaving for college. Her mother was supportive of her and gave Channing one of her first big gigs selling newspapers behind the scenes of a theater. She would fall in love with acting after seeing Ethel Waters perform. She loved the feeling of others laughing and being captivated by this performance. Her enthusiasm informed a lot of her work from there, including such activities as reading school announcements. She put on performances and became a natural entertainer. Her first stage work came in 1941 with No for an Answer when she was 19. She would later do Let's Face It! on Broadway where she understudied for Eve Arden - who would later take the lead role in Hello Dolly! from Channing when she retired the role.

With praise garnered early on, she began to receive Tony nominations, even earning one for a revue (a rarity given that most nominees are traditional productions). She would go on to be the lead in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes where she originated the hit song "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." Time and Life Magazine ran articles about her and soon she was one of the ubiquitous stars of Hollywood. In 1964 she would star in the original production of Hello Dolly!, which would become a big hit. The story was adapted from Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker and made Wilder such a fan that it was reported that he saw the show once a week and planned to revise older plays so that Channing could star in them. The show was so beloved that Channing, a staunch Democrat, even parodied it at the Democratic National Convention where she sang a parody of the titular song titled "Hello Lyndon" in support of President Lyndon Baines Johnson. First Lady Lady Bird Johnson was such a big fan that it was said that she once gave Channing a huge bouquet after a show. Hello Dolly! would go on to become one of the longest running show in Broadway history at its time.

Her work on film may have not been as expansive, but she did have a few hits to her credit. Her fork in the 1956 film The First Traveling Sales Lady caused her to be the first on screen love interest of actor Clint Eastwood. She would later star in Thoroughly Modern Millie where she received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. She worked with Julie Andrews on shaping the role and claims that Andrews "will forever be my angel" as a result. She also worked extensively in TV, even starring in a production of Alice in Wonderland. She would later have her own show called The Carol Channing Show. She also was game to make fun of her persona, often parodying her hit songs, such as a scene on Sesame Street where she sang a "Hello Dolly!" riff to a snake played by Jim Henson. 

In her later years she continued to perform wherever she could. Along with work on film and TV, she continued to do shows on Broadway that included several revivals of her role in Hello Dolly. She never stopped trying and in the past 20 years produced a memoir "Just Lucky, I Guess" in 2002 as well as a documentary titled Larger Than Life. No matter where she went, she had quite a career that sang from the raptors. Her love of performing clearly was part of her DNA and made her one of the most unique performers in theater history. With Tony wins and an Oscar nomination, she has more than enough accolades applied towards a career that was never dull. That alone makes her a performer to be reckoned with. Her talent will live on and she will be missed.