Carol Channing Honored with the Mary Pickford Award

Triple Tony Award winner Carol Channing was one of several Hollywood community leaders who was honored at a luncheon fundraiser for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation, according to Patch.com.

At the luncheon on Friday at the Taglyan Cultural Complex on Vine, Channing, who made her Broadway debut in 1941, was honored with the Mary Pickford Award. The event, formerly known as the Hollywood Women of Distinction Awards, was hosted by radio personality and comedian Stephanie Miller. Funds raised from the luncheon go towards grants to local charitable organizations.

The luncheon featured a montage which showed Channing singing "Hello Dolly" as well as a number of her television appearances with actors like George Burns, Carol Burnett and Goldie Hawn.

After smiling her iconic smile, she introduced husband Harry Kullijian. The two met in 1933 and now share the goal of championing arts education.

"Our mission is to bring about a change of attitude about arts in the school," she said. "Arts are integral to a complete education."

Channing then performed a song a cappella about the importance of bringing back arts to public schools. The song was written by a truck driver that Channing once had a conversation with about arts education.

Also honored at the luncheon were Homer Alba of Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Stanley Folb of the Folb Family Trust, Kaneisha Northern of Grad Girls Network, Mitch O'Farrell from the 13th District Council office, Maureen Shultz from Capitol Records and Thaddeus Hunter Smith of the Music Box Theater.

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Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski

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