Carol Channing worked primarily as a comic stage actress and singer, along with occasional movie and television appearances. A leggy blonde with popping eyes and a voice that ranged from a baby squeal to a baritone growl, she had an oversized style that was best expressed in her two signature roles: Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!
Channing attended Bennington College where she studied dance and drama, then headed for New York, where she performed in clubs before making her Broadway debut in the chorus of the musical No for an Answer (J...