In a 1997 interview Carol Channing talks to Two On The Aisle Critic Charles Gross about Jerry Herman & "Hello Dolly" and explains why she turned down Herman's offer to be Broadway's first "Mame"
One of my life's great memories is getting to see Carol Channing perform "Hello Dolly" on stage in Seattle in 1995. It was spectacular! Sadly, I couldn't get any of my friends to come with me so I went alone. And the theater wasn't sold out either. People had no idea what they missed. RIP Carol. 😢
I love that at the end she made a point to call him by his name, especially after mixing it up before. it's such a personal touch and it goes such a long way. Truly a class act.
The “old timers” had class. Today’s celebs frequently act like spoiled children by comparison. Carol did not know Charles from Adam, yet she was so polite and generous with her answers. You can see she’s intelligent and gracious. Quite different from her public perception.
That was sweet!! I thoroughly enjoyed watching this interview. The two were wonderful with each other. Charlie & Carol. That could be a title for a new stage/screen musical. 😊
It would've been interesting to hear if she had ever seen The Matchmaker before Jerry turned it into Hello, Dolly. It was on Broadway and on screen in the 1940s-50s with Ruth Gordon and Shirley Booth, respectively.
And there was Charles Lowe, in the background, who ultimately made sure Carol could never recover from the cash-box caricature of Hello Dolly that was originally a brilliant performance. Charles Lowe ultimately made sure Carol could never be successful without her caricature. He could control the persona and generate the media attention based on that. She had talents so much more well trained and deeper than he ever let her show. Charles Lowe, with the many since "allegations" is a type of "Mama Rose" that hasn't been discussed or explored because of the time period in which it happened.
I saw Carol Channing in the original "GENTLEMEN pREFER bLONDES" WHEN i WAS IN hIGH sCHOOL And I was sorry they picked Marilyn Monroe for the movie version . They changes the script so much that you wouldn't think it was the same story . But that's Hollywood for you .
i was thinking the same but a lot of the older stars of the old days had bad facelifts and start looking manly but i do not think she is a man because it would of been leaked long long ago
