Stars mourn death of ‘Hello, Dolly!’ luminary
Carol Channing starred in signature musical over 5,000 times
NEW YORK — Tributes from stars like Kristin Chenoweth and Bette Midler poured in to honor the life and career of Carol Channing, the three-time Tony Awardwinning musical comedy star who delighted American audiences over 5,000 performances as the scheming Dolly Levi in “Hello, Dolly!” on Broadway and beyond. She died Tuesday at 97.
Publicist B. Harlan Boll said Channing died of natural causes at 12:31 a.m. Tuesday in Rancho Mirage, California.
Besides “Hello, Dolly!,” Channing starred in other Broadway shows, but none with equal magnetism. She often appeared on television and in nightclubs, for a time partnering with George Burns in Las Vegas and a national tour.
“Channing was one of the few who paved the path for so many women in theater and beyond,” Chenoweth wrote on Twitter. “I will forever admire and look up to you, Carol.”
Midler called Channing “a complete original” and “a legend.” Playwright Paul Rudnick called Channing “the delirious soul of musical theater.”
Channing’s outsized personality seemed too much for the screen, and she made only a few movies, notably “The First Traveling Saleslady” with Ginger Rogers and “Thoroughly Modern Millie” with Julie Andrews.
Over the years, Channing continued as Dolly in national tours, the last in 1996, when she was in her 70s. Tom Shales of The Washington Post called her “the ninth wonder of the world.”
Messages of love and appreciation came quickly, with the League of Professional Theatre Women saying Channing “was a gift of inspiration to so many.”
Veteran actress Bernadette Peters said Channing “was show business and love personified” and Margaret Cho said “you will forever be missed.” Viola Davis mourned: “You had a great run! Rest well.”
“Hello, Dolly!” collected 10 Tony Awards, including one for Channing as best actress in a musical. She would later win a special Tony in 1968 and a Tony for Lifetime Achievement in 1995.
Broadway will pause today to honor Channing by dimming all theater marquees for a minute at 7:45 p.m.