Carol Channing

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.

Known For

Family Guy

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Late Show with David Letterman

The Mike Douglas Show

The View

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

All Movies (41)

• Commitment to Life2023 · as Self (archive)
• Kaye Ballard - The Show Goes On!2019 · as Self
• The Outrageous Sophie Tucker2014 · as Self
• Carol Channing: Larger Than Life2012 · as Self
• Ruth Lyons: First Lady of Television2011 · as Self
• Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1920s: The Dawn of the Hollywood Musical2008 · as Self
• ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway2007 · as Self
• Words and Music by Jerry Herman2007 · as Self
• Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards2005 · as Self - Host
• Broadway's Lost Treasures2003 · as Dolly Levi (segment "Hello, Dolly!")
• Great Broadway Musical Moments from the Ed Sullivan Show2003 · as Lorelei Lee (archive footage)
• Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There2003 · as Self
• The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars1998 · as Fanny (voice)
• The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story1996 · as Self
• Live from Broadway: Hello, Dolly!1995
• The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies1995 · as Self
• Thumbelina1994 · as Ms. Fieldmouse (voice)
• Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl1994 · as Self
• Night of 100 Stars III1990 · as Self
• Happily Ever After1989 · as Muddy (voice)
• George Burns: His Wit and Wisdom1989 · as Self - Burns Dinner Friend (uncredited)
• Night of 100 Stars II1985 · as Self
• George Burns Celebrates 80 Years in Show Business1983 · as Self
• Night of 100 Stars1982 · as Self
• Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band1978 · as Our Guests at Heartland
• The People's Command Performance: '771977 · as Self
• The 1974 Annual Las Vegas Entertainment Awards1974 · as Self - Presenter
• Free to Be… You and Me1974 · as Self (voice) (uncredited)
• One More Time1974 · as Self
• Festival at Ford's1971 · as Self
• Shinbone Alley1970 · as Mehitabel (voice)
• Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey: On Broadway1969 · as Self
• Skidoo1968 · as Flo Banks
• Carol Channing and 101 Men1968 · as Self
• Thoroughly Modern Millie1967 · as Muzzy Van Hossmere
• The Day of the Oath1965 · as Self
• Show Girl1961 · as Lynn / Naomi / Performer
• The Christmas Tree1958 · as Promenade Member
• Three Men on a Horse1957 · as Mabel
• The First Traveling Saleslady1956 · as Molly Wade
• Paid in Full1950 · as Mrs. Peters (uncredited)

All TV Shows (54)

• RuPaul's Drag Race2009 · as Self - Video Message
• Broadway: The American Musical2004 · as Self
• Family Guy1999 · as Carol Channing (voice)
• Hollywood Squares1998 · as Self - Panelist
• Style & Substance1998
• The View1997 · as Self
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show1996 · as Self - Guest
• The Drew Carey Show1995 · as Carol Channing
• Touched by an Angel1994 · as Carol Channing
• The Magic School Bus1994 · as Cornelia C. Contralto II (voice)
• Space Ghost Coast to Coast1994 · as Self
• Burke's Law1994 · as Daphne LeMay
• The Nanny1993 · as Carol Channing
• Late Show with David Letterman1993 · as Self
• The Addams Family1992 · as Grandmama (voice)
• Where's Wally?1991 · as (voice)
• Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers1989 · as Canina LaFur (voice)
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self
• Alice in Wonderland1985 · as White Queen
• Magnum, P.I.1980 · as Carol Channing
• The Love Boat1977 · as Sylvia Duvall
• The Love Boat1977 · as Aunt Sylvia
• The Love Boat1977 · as Aunt Sylvia Duvall
• The Muppet Show1976 · as Self - Special Guest Star
• Great Performances1971 · as Self
• The Flip Wilson Show1970 · as Self
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In1968 · as Self
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In1968 · as Self (uncredited)
• The Carol Burnett Show1967 · as Self
• The Carol Burnett Show1967 · as Self - Guest / Various Characters
• The Carol Channing Show1966 · as Carol Honeycutt
• The Dean Martin Show1965
• The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self
• Password1961
• The Big Party1959 · as Self
• The George Burns Show1958 · as Carol Channing
• The George Burns Show1958 · as Self
• DuPont Show of the Month1957 · as Self
• The Lux Show1957 · as Self
• The Dinah Shore Chevy Show1956 · as Self
• The Rosemary Clooney Show1956 · as Self
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Presenter
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Recipient
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Presenter / Performer
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• Omnibus1952
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951
• The Colgate Comedy Hour1950 · as Self
• What's My Line?1950 · as Self - Mystery Guest
• What's My Line?1950 · as Self - Panelist
• The Ed Sullivan Show1948 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Presenter