Carol Channing

Carol Channing

Acting
Born 1921-01-31 Seattle, Washington, USA

Biography

Carol Elaine Channing (born January 31, 1921) was an American actress, singer, dancer and comedian. Known for starring in Broadway and film musicals, her characters typically radiated a fervent expressiveness and an easily identifiable voice, whether singing or for comedic effect. Channing also studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. She began as a Broadway musical actress, starring in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1949 and Hello, Dolly! in 1964, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the latter. She revived both roles several times throughout her career, most recently playing Dolly in 1995. Channing was nominated for her first Tony Award in 1956 for The Vamp followed by a nomination in 1961 for Show Girl. She received her fourth Tony Award nomination for the musical Lorelei in 1974. As a film actress, she won the Golden Globe Award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Muzzy in Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967). Her other film appearances include The First Traveling Saleslady (1956) and Skidoo (1968). On television, she appeared as an entertainer on variety shows, from The Ed Sullivan Show in the 1950s to Hollywood Squares. She had a standout performance as The White Queen in the TV production of Alice in Wonderland (1985), and had the first of many TV specials in 1966, An Evening with Carol Channing. Channing was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1981 and received a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 1995. She continued to perform and make appearances well into her 90s, singing songs from her repertoire and sharing stories with fans, cabaret style. She released an autobiography, Just Lucky I Guess, in 2002, and Larger Than Life, a documentary film about her career, was released in 2012.

Movies (41)

Thumbelina
6.5

Thumbelina

1994Movie6.5
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
7.0

Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There

2003Movie7.0
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
8.0

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

1995Movie8.0
Happily Ever After
5.8

Happily Ever After

1989Movie5.8
Night of 100 Stars II
6.8

Night of 100 Stars II

1985Movie6.8
Commitment to Life

Commitment to Life

2023Movie
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
4.3

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

1978Movie4.3
Thoroughly Modern Millie
6.8

Thoroughly Modern Millie

1967Movie6.8
Night of 100 Stars
5.8

Night of 100 Stars

1982Movie5.8
The Christmas Tree
2.0

The Christmas Tree

1958Movie2.0
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
5.7

The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars

1998Movie5.7
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards
7.2

Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards

2005Movie7.2
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
7.2

ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway

2007Movie7.2
Show Girl

Show Girl

1961Movie
Carol Channing and 101 Men

Carol Channing and 101 Men

1968Movie
George Burns Celebrates 80 Years in Show Business
8.0

George Burns Celebrates 80 Years in Show Business

1983Movie8.0
George Burns: His Wit and Wisdom

George Burns: His Wit and Wisdom

1989Movie
Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl
9.0

Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl

1994Movie9.0
Kaye Ballard - The Show Goes On!

Kaye Ballard - The Show Goes On!

2019Movie
The First Traveling Saleslady
5.6

The First Traveling Saleslady

1956Movie5.6
Paid in Full
6.9

Paid in Full

1950Movie6.9
Skidoo
4.7

Skidoo

1968Movie4.7
Night of 100 Stars III
4.3

Night of 100 Stars III

1990Movie4.3
Broadway's Lost Treasures
6.4

Broadway's Lost Treasures

2003Movie6.4
Words and Music by Jerry Herman

Words and Music by Jerry Herman

2007Movie
The Outrageous Sophie Tucker
7.0

The Outrageous Sophie Tucker

2014Movie7.0
Live from Broadway: Hello, Dolly!

Live from Broadway: Hello, Dolly!

1995Movie
One More Time

One More Time

1974Movie
Free to Be… You and Me
6.8

Free to Be… You and Me

1974Movie6.8
Carol Channing: Larger Than Life
7.8

Carol Channing: Larger Than Life

2012Movie7.8
Shinbone Alley
6.4

Shinbone Alley

1970Movie6.4
The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story
7.2

The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story

1996Movie7.2
The People's Command Performance: '77

The People's Command Performance: '77

1977Movie
The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards

The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards

1974Movie
Ruth Lyons: First Lady of Television

Ruth Lyons: First Lady of Television

2011Movie
Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey: On Broadway
8.0

Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey: On Broadway

1969Movie8.0
Great Broadway Musical Moments from the Ed Sullivan Show

Great Broadway Musical Moments from the Ed Sullivan Show

2003Movie
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1920s: The Dawn of the Hollywood Musical

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1920s: The Dawn of the Hollywood Musical

2008Movie
Festival at Ford's

Festival at Ford's

1971Movie
Three Men on a Horse

Three Men on a Horse

1957Movie
The Day of the Oath

The Day of the Oath

1965Movie

TV Shows (46)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
7.5

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962Series7.5
Hollywood Squares
7.6

Hollywood Squares

1998Series7.6
Family Guy
7.4

Family Guy

1999Series7.4
Late Show with David Letterman
6.4

Late Show with David Letterman

1993Series6.4
RuPaul's Drag Race
7.5

RuPaul's Drag Race

2009Series7.5
The Nanny
8.1

The Nanny

1993Series8.1
The View
4.3

The View

1997Series4.3
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
5.6

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988Series5.6
The Love Boat
6.3

The Love Boat

1977Series6.3
The Mike Douglas Show
5.8

The Mike Douglas Show

1961Series5.8
The Drew Carey Show
6.5

The Drew Carey Show

1995Series6.5
Golden Globe Awards
7.0

Golden Globe Awards

1944Series7.0
Magnum, P.I.
7.3

Magnum, P.I.

1980Series7.3
Great Performances
6.1

Great Performances

1971Series6.1
Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956Series
The Merv Griffin Show
6.8

The Merv Griffin Show

1962Series6.8
What's My Line?
7.0

What's My Line?

1950Series7.0
Touched by an Angel
7.2

Touched by an Angel

1994Series7.2
Omnibus
7.0

Omnibus

1952Series7.0
The Carol Burnett Show
7.7

The Carol Burnett Show

1967Series7.7
The Magic School Bus
7.7

The Magic School Bus

1994Series7.7
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
7.8

Space Ghost Coast to Coast

1994Series7.8
The Ed Sullivan Show
6.8

The Ed Sullivan Show

1948Series6.8
The Colgate Comedy Hour
6.9

The Colgate Comedy Hour

1950Series6.9
The Oscars
7.0

The Oscars

1953Series7.0
The Dean Martin Show
7.4

The Dean Martin Show

1965Series7.4
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
6.8

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

1968Series6.8
The Muppet Show
8.0

The Muppet Show

1976Series8.0
Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers
7.6

Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers

1989Series7.6
Where's Wally?
6.9

Where's Wally?

1991Series6.9
The Flip Wilson Show
4.8

The Flip Wilson Show

1970Series4.8
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
6.4

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

1956Series6.4
Burke's Law
6.8

Burke's Law

1994Series6.8
Password
7.5

Password

1961Series7.5
DuPont Show of the Month
7.4

DuPont Show of the Month

1957Series7.4
The Addams Family
6.8

The Addams Family

1992Series6.8
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
4.1

The Rosie O'Donnell Show

1996Series4.1
Alice in Wonderland
6.7

Alice in Wonderland

1985Series6.7
The Lux Show
6.0

The Lux Show

1957Series6.0
The Rosemary Clooney Show
8.0

The Rosemary Clooney Show

1956Series8.0
Style & Substance
8.0

Style & Substance

1998Series8.0
The Big Party

The Big Party

1959Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.8

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951Series8.8
Broadway: The American Musical
8.0

Broadway: The American Musical

2004Series8.0
The George Burns Show
10.0

The George Burns Show

1958Series10.0
The Carol Channing Show
8.0

The Carol Channing Show

1966Series8.0