Hello Dolly, Goodbye Carol!

The other day a friend passed away. While most of the world knew Carol Channing as the multi-Tony award winning star, to me she was “Carol”.

For over 70 years she had been a name in the entertainment industry. In addition to winning Tony awards, she was an Oscar nominee, a Golden Globe award winner as well as a Grammy and Emmy winning star. She had performed in virtually every medium from radio, television, stage and screen, concert, night club and recordings including country western. About the only thing she missed out on was Grand Opera and she’d have probably tackled that, given the opportunity.

While she is instantly recognized for her more than 5,000 performances in the title role of “Hello Dolly” as well as her career-making part in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, which earned her the cover of Time Magazine, there were hundreds of other captivating performances throughout the decades. They included a memorable turn as the White Queen in a major television mini-series version of “Alice in Wonderland” in the 1980’s and stage appearances in everything from “Wonderful Town” and “Sugar Babies” to The Muppets and every major television program from the 1950’s through the 1990’s.

She was only weeks away from turning 98 when she passed and until about 2 or 3 years ago, maintained a working schedule that would have tired someone half her age.

Carol and her husband Harry became instant friends with Alan and me about 12 years ago. However, I knew who Carol Channing was from the time I could measure my years with single digits. In 1964 when our family made a week-long trip to New York City to see the World’s Fair, one of the highlights of that visit was a trip to the St. James Theatre where we sat enthralled watching Carol play Dolly Levi in the original production of “Hello Dolly”. Her bigger than life personae instantly captivated my young mind and heart.

Nearly 43 years later, I would pick up the telephone and call Carol and Harry to invite them to come to New Hampshire and perform a benefit for the non-profit agency I was working for. We were looking to raise unrestricted funds to help provide services for our many clients who were infected and affected by the HIV/AIDS virus. Without missing a beat, Carol and Harry eagerly accepted the invitation.

They arrived in Manchester at the airport after flying, coach, from their home in Los Angeles. Our first sighting was the pair coming down the escalator at the airport graciously thanking the other passengers who had recognized them and were heaping praise on Carol. We immediately formed a bond and friendship that would bring a wealth of experiences over the years to come.

Carol and Harry stayed at the Centennial Inn on Pleasant Street and were eager to explore our city during their five-day visit.

When we dined at the Corner View, a staff member immediately called the owner, Art, and he hurried down to say hello. Carol was effusive in her praise of the food and service and invited him to attend her benefit performance at the Capitol Center the next evening. Until the restaurant closed a few years ago, a signed picture of Art and Carol hung proudly in the foyer.

Because of her family’s Christian Science roots, we arranged for Carol and Harry to tour the Church in Concord. They also visited the Concord Community Music School and were thrilled by what they found there. They enthusiastically participated in a class and told Peggy Senter, President of the school, what an amazing example of what every community should have the Music School is.

They insisted on walking up the stairs at the State House, on their way to meet Governor Lynch and his wife Doctor Susan Lynch. At 86, Carol had a bounce to her walk and an energy that inspired everyone she met with. She announced that Governor Lynch was “…the greatest Governor in the United States….” And accepted an invitation to return, the next day, and meet the Council, Legislature and State Senate. Even though she had a performance scheduled for later in the day, she felt it important to meet everyone she could.

She spent part of that evening rewriting the words to one of her signature tunes, “Hello Dolly” to “Hello Johnny” in honor of Governor John Lynch. When she sang it the next day accompanied by two Republicans (Fran Wendelboe and Susan Emerson), the Democratic Governor was delighted.

Upon entering the Capitol Center for the Arts for the first time, Carol exclaimed, “It’s so beautiful I almost feel as though I should kneel….”

The staff were delighted at her warmth and appreciation and did everything they could to make the experience performing at the theater, one that was memorable. The performance that evening was a revelation to many. Carol’s comic timing was second to none and her ability to bring a story to vivid life, was on full display. Carol was aided and abetted by Harry as well as a small, talented band and 8 singer/dancers who’d been put their paces by Betty Thomson from the local Community Players. The audience clearly didn’t want the two plus hour show to end and Carol remained for an additional two hours signing pictures, programs and posing with members of the audience.

When Carol and Harry departed Concord, she had tears in her eyes as she noted, “What a beautiful piece of Heaven this community is…when can I come back?”

Alan and I were in Los Angeles a few months later to visit Carol and Harry and enjoy her performance, before 20,000, with Pink Martini, at the Hollywood Bowl. Carol returned to New Hampshire in April of 2008 to perform at the Music Hall in Portsmouth. We also took her to visit the famed Ogunquit Playhouse, Stonewall Kitchen and Warren’s Restaurant where she returned to their salad bar no less than 3 times. Governor Lynch and his wife traveled to Portsmouth to declare the day “Carol Channing Day” in New Hampshire and to join Carol and Harry on-stage at the Music Hall.

The two visits to New Hampshire helped raise thousands and thousands of dollars to help a great many people. Even more importantly, Carol gave voice to a cause that is too often shuttled to the background and not discussed.

In the years since there were numerous visits with Carol and Harry on the West Coast and sometimes on my birthday, a voice message left with Carol, in her inimitable voice, singing “Happy Birthday”.

While Carol provided the world with a plethora of memories and memorable moments, my favorite involved the private Carol. In 2007 and 2008 when in New Hampshire to perform in the two AIDS benefits, she found out that some of our clients were too ill to attend the performance. She insisted on visiting them personally. In every case she held their hands, embraced them and gave them a kiss, genuinely wanting them to feel included in her visit. As immense as her talent was, her heart was even larger. RIP dear friend.