What Was Carol Channing's Net Worth?
Carol Channing was an American actress, singer, and comedian with a net worth of $25 million at her passing in 2019.
She gained fame for her roles in Broadway, most notably originating the lead roles in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' and 'Hello, Dolly!' On the big screen, Channing starred in films like 'The First Traveling Saleslady,' 'Skidoo,' and 'Thoroughly Modern Millie,' for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Channing played the title role in 'Hello, Dolly!' over 4,500 times and won a Tony Award for her performance. Throughout her nearly 75-year career, she won two more Tony Awards, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe.
Carol Channing passed away on January 15, 2019, at the age of 97, leaving behind one son from her second marriage.
Early Life and Education
Born on January 31, 1921, in Seattle, Washington, Carol Channing was the only child of Adelaide and George. With African-American ancestry from her father and German-Jewish ancestry from her mother, Channing grew up in Northern California. She attended Aptos Junior High School and Lowell High School, graduating in 1938. She later moved to Vermont to attend Bennington College, where she studied drama and began auditioning for Broadway roles. After receiving praise in a New Yorker review, she left college to pursue her acting career.
Stage Career
Channing's first stage role came in 1941 with 'No for an Answer' at New York City's Mecca Temple. She made her Broadway debut as an understudy in Cole Porter's musical 'Let's Face It!' Her breakthrough came in 1948 with 'Lend an Ear,' earning her a Theatre World Award. She then landed the leading role of Lorelei Lee in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,' famously introducing the song 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend.' Channing also starred as Eliza Doolittle in 'Pygmalion' and earned her first Tony Award nomination for 'The Vamp' in 1955. She received a second nomination for the 1961 revue 'Show Girl.'
Channing's most iconic role was the titular character in 'Hello, Dolly!' for which she won a Tony Award in 1964. The musical ran from 1964 to 1970, becoming the longest-running Broadway musical of its time. She reprised the role in three later revivals.
Post-'Hello, Dolly!', Channing starred in 'Four on a Garden,' 'Lorelei,' and 'The Bed Before Yesterday.' She continued with musical revues like 'Sugar Babies' and 'Jerry's Girls,' concluding with the production 'Legends!' in 1986. In 1995, Channing received a Tony Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Film Career
Channing's film debut was in 1956's 'The First Traveling Saleslady,' co-starring Ginger Rogers. Her next significant role came with the 1967 musical comedy 'Thoroughly Modern Millie,' starring Julie Andrews, for which Channing won a Golden Globe and received an Academy Award nomination. Subsequently, she appeared in Otto Preminger's 1968 comedy 'Skidoo.'
She then focused on voice acting, featuring in animated films like 'Shinbone Alley,' 'Happily Ever After,' 'Thumbelina,' and 'The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars.' Her final film appearance was in the 2011 biographical documentary 'Carol Channing: Larger Than Life.'
Television Career
In the 60s and 70s, Channing appeared on variety and sketch comedy shows like 'The Carol Burnett Show' and 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.' She was a frequent panelist on 'What's My Line?' between 1962 and 1966. In the 80s, she appeared on 'The Muppet Show,' 'The Love Boat,' and 'Sesame Street,' and played the White Queen in 'Alice in Wonderland.'
During the 90s, Channing did voice acting for 'Where's Wally?' and 'The Addams Family,' and made guest appearances on 'The Nanny,' 'Burke's Law,' and 'The Drew Carey Show.' Her last TV appearance was in a 2016 episode of 'RuPaul's Drag Race.'
Other Media
Channing released multiple albums, including live recordings and spoken word albums like 'Peter and the Wolf,' 'The Purple Cow,' and 'The House at Pooh Corner.' Her 2003 audiobook of her memoir 'Just Lucky, I Guess' was also a bestseller.
Personal Life and Death
Channing married four times. Her first husband, Theodore Naidish, was a writer; they divorced after three years. She then married Canadian football player and detective Alex Carson, with whom she had a son, Channing, before divorcing in 1956. That same year, she married her manager Charles Lowe; they were estranged by the time of Lowe's death in 1999. Channing was briefly in a relationship with designer Roger Denny before marrying her childhood sweetheart Harry Kullijian in 2003. The couple founded a foundation supporting arts education and were together until Kullijian's death in 2011.
Carol Channing passed away in Rancho Mirage, California, in early 2019 at 97. She was cremated, and her ashes were spread between the Curran Theatre and the Geary Theater in San Francisco.
