Carol Channing was born on January 31, 1921, in Seattle, Washington, to a prominent newspaper editor father who was deeply involved in the Christian Science movement. She spent her formative years in San Francisco, where she attended high school, before venturing to Los Angeles to pursue a career in modeling. Her academic pursuits led her to Bennington College in Vermont, where she majored in drama and dance, supplementing her studies by taking on roles at the nearby Pocono Resort area.
It was on the Broadway stage that Channing initially made her mark, starring as Lorelei Lee in the iconic musical "Gentleman Prefer Blondes." However, it was her iconic portrayal of Dolly Gallagher Levi in the musical "Hello Dolly" that cemented her status as a Broadway legend. Her performance earned her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Comedy, one of the show's impressive ten Tony wins in 1964.
Notably, Channing's performance in "Hello Dolly" drew the attention of none other than Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and her two children, who made their first public appearance after President John F. Kennedy's death by attending a performance of the musical. The First Lady and her children later visited Channing backstage, solidifying her status as a beloved figure in American entertainment.
In addition to her stage work, Channing also appeared in the 1967 film adaptation of "Thoroughly Modern Millie." Her personal life was marked by her devotion to her son, Channing Carson, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated cartoonist, and her continued practice of Christian Science, a religion she was raised in.
