Broadway Mourns the Loss of Carol Channing
By: Stephi Wild Jan. 15, 2019
BroadwayWorld was deeply saddened this morning to report the passing of the legendary Carol Channing. Channing died at 12:31am on Tuesday, January 15th, 2019, at home in Rancho Mirage, CA of natural causes.
A recipient of the 1995 Lifetime Achievement Tony Award, Ms. Channing has been a star of international acclaim since a Time magazine cover story hailed her performance as Lorelei Lee in "Gentleman Prefer Blondes" writing; "Perhaps once in a decade a nova explodes above the Great White Way with enough brilliance to re-illumine the whole gaudy legend of show business." Since her 1948 Broadway debut in Blitzstein's "No For An Answer," her Broadway appearances have included "So Proudly We Hail," "Let's Face It," "Lend An Ear," "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," "Show Girl," "Pygmalion," "The Millionairess," "The Vamp," "Four On A Garden," and "Wonderful Town." In addition to receiving a special Tony Award in 1968, she won the Tony Award in 1964 for her legendary portrayal of Dolly Levi in Jerry Herman's "Hello, Dolly!"
Read the full obituary here.
The Broadway community took to social media to share memories and condolences. Read some of the posts below.
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One of Broadway's greatest lights, Carol Channing, has passed on. She rejoins the heavens as a new diamond in the night sky, and as she famously sang, they are a girl's best friend. Goodbye and farewell, forever our Dolly. https://t.co/0u2zLcAnff
- George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) January 15, 2019
"Laughter is much more important than applause. Applause is almost a duty. Laughter is a reward."
- Annoying Actor Friend (@Actor_Friend) January 15, 2019
- Carol Channing
RIP to stage icon Carol Channing, who was best known as the original Dolly Gallagher Levi in Hello, Dolly! Ms. Channing passed at 97 of natural causes. #RIPCarolChanning pic.twitter.com/iP47QqsqCy
- Paul Winkler (@MrPaulWinkler) January 15, 2019
Carol Channing is engraved in the DNA of musical comedy. We were lucky to have her, and what a legacy she leaves behind. RIP to the Queen of musical comedy.
- Robbie Rozelle ??? (@divarobbie) January 15, 2019
Our deepest condolences to the friends and family if the late Carol Channing. https://t.co/8THmcbWHUa
- Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) January 15, 2019
She takes her final bow. We are deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Carol Channing https://t.co/ydzd5iIn97 pic.twitter.com/pyAVjUwngt
- Al Hirschfeld (@AlHirschfeld) January 15, 2019
A true musical theatre legend. #RipCarolChanning pic.twitter.com/VtnKDqxDel
- Christina Bianco (@XtinaBianco1) January 15, 2019
Goodbye, Dolly.
- Alex Brightman (@ABrightMonster) January 15, 2019
And thanks for it all.
I am so sad just lost my incredible original inspiration #carolchanning I saw her in Hello Dolly when I was 8 and she changed my DNA love you lady forever one of the greatest entertainers of all times
- Sandra Bernhard (@SandraBernhard) January 15, 2019
We'll only ever say HELLO, not Goodbye. The legendary #CarolChanning, January 31, 1921 - January 15, 2019. Tomorrow is the 55th anniversary of the original HELLO, DOLLY opening night at the St. James. She will always be Wow Wow Wow, fellas. Forever. pic.twitter.com/OAaskBnkjV
- Jordan Roth (@Jordan_Roth) January 15, 2019
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