Carol Channing’s publicist has announced that the award-winning American actor has died at the age of 97. Known for playing matchmaking widow Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly! Channing performed the role over 5,000 times on Broadway and world tours in the 1960s and the 90s. “I admired her before I met her, and have loved her since the day she stepped. or fell rather, into my life,” said her publicist B. Harlan Boll
The only child of George and Adelaide Channing, Carol was raised as a Christian Scientist. A born entertainer she would amuse her fellow pupils with impressions of teachers and students. It was natural that Carol would pursue a career on the stage, first performing in the San Francisco Ballet, then turning her hand to comedy at the Borscht Belt summer resorts in upstate New York’s Catskill mountains, she got her first taste of Broadway after understudying Eve Arden in the musical comedy Let’s Face It! Writing in her autobiography Just Lucky I Guess Channing said: “I auditioned for anyone who would look.”
The author of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Anita Loos spotted Channing on stage and cast her as the original Lorelei Lee in 1949, rocketing her to stardom. Marilyn Monroe took on the role when the musical was made into a film in 1953.
Channing is also remembered for her Oscar-nominated performance as the nightclub singer Muzzy Van Hossmere in Thoroughly Modern Millie. In 1995 Channing received a lifetime achievement Tony Award. Channing was an advocate for the LGBT community, RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen dressed up as Carol Channing in the Snatch Game episode.
Channing is survived by her son, cartoonist Channing Lowe.