I had the thrill of meeting Carol Channing by chance near the end of her life around 2016 when we happened to be on the same flight to Boston. She was dressed to the nines and wearing massive dark glasses and had a caregiver/friend with her. When we arrived in Boston she was last off the plane and I happened to see her in the concourse. She was in a wheelchair but I got up the courage to say hello and tell her how much I adored her as a child in the ‘80s the first time I saw her playing the White Queen in Alice in Wonderland. She was extremely gracious and smiled her big smile. I took a photo with her and she held onto my hand and arm like we were best friends. So very much a warm woman through and through. Such a special memory.
After hearing the news about Carol Channing this morning, I came here as soon as I could to see her appearance here, full of the joyful spirit and humor she brought everywhere she went. I thought Allen made a nice addition to the panel--with a little more practice I think he could have become quite a good player.
Just a word of thanks to our Moderator, Gary. I've been having a tremendous time lately dealing with the the present and worrying about the future and it is such a delight and much needed respite to spend a few hours each night with my old friends from the past via the WML channel.
I'm sorry to hear it's been a rough period for you, but so glad to hear that these videos give you a way to escape. Nothing pleases me more than reading comments saying that these shows are a source of comfort as well as their obvious entertainment value! WML has certainly helped get me through some very rough times! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment, and I hope things get better for you soon.
In 1974 on my way to Europe at 17, our group was blessed to see Ms. Channing in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" on Broadway; after a superb performance, she came out and presented a diamond ring to one of the adults in our group and thrilled us with a long talk - I wanna know where the ring is now!!
Carol Channing is so lovely in this video, thanking Arlene and Bennett for compliments they paid her. I never saw her in performances, although I was a teenager in the '60s, but on this clip, she is as charming as can be!!!
Carol Channing had a hit song... "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend." To her many fans, she always had a way of making each of us feel like we were her best friend. Such a gentle soul who brought happiness to all fortunate enough to be touched by her remarkable personality.
Corleone Really enjoyed this segment as well as so many! My father went to school with Carol Channing when they were kids and I think he played the clarinet backing her up at a few junior high school functions. I even think he was at her house. He mentioned that she played the statue of liberty, something like that in a play. Her father was a leader in the newspaper business. Sorry I am so vague.
If you get a chance see Carol Channing: Larger Than Life. Its a documentary on her life. You will get to see her dedication to her work and huge heart that she has.
It’s incredible she lived to the ripe ole Age of 98. Her smile was her secret but her longevity was her sense of humour Im sure. What a doll she was ( no pun intended) ❤️
Carol Channing, what a lovely, generous and entertaining woman. I remember seeing her on t.v. and my mother said, "She's black". I didn't dare ask, because I didn't grow up in a household where questions were allowed. It's hard to imagine that I survived to adulthood.
What's interesting is I'm sure i saw an earlier episode from the 50s where they had the Hawaiian governor or mayor on and Hawaii was not yet an American state, this show has inadvertently documented a lot of significant changes :-)
Galileocan g It was indeed hilarious. Can you imagine the production team getting a stripper to appear as a guest on WML?!? And then the applause when the panel got it? "RIGHT Bennett!! Miss so-and-so is a stripper at...."
A totally logical question, after it was established that she was a dancer. Bennett was thinking of someone like Gypsy Rose Lee, who had been a Mystery Guest on WML.
Fun fact: Many people don't know this, but Carol Channing was part African American (on her father's side). Due to the times, she never discussed it. Having said that, she was very proud of her ancestry. She said, "I know it's true the moment I sing and dance. I'm proud as can be of [my black ancestry]. It's one of the great strains in show business. I'm so grateful. My father was a very dignified man and as white as I am. My [paternal] grandparents were Nordic German, so apparently I [too] took after them [in appearance]."
@@alcedo_kf It was *her* prerogative to acknowledge it in the context of a society that had moved beyond outright segregation. Let people be proud of their struggles.
@@alcedo_kf I'm speaking of basic decency. If you'd like to attribute someone acknowledging their ethnicity to forwarding a political agenda rather than a means of self-expression, or split hairs and build straw men, go ahead.
What with the grimness and chaos of the current state of the news, I find that watching these wonderful old episodes are a balm on my soul. I am 67 and watched many of these in their original aircasts, often sitting with my parents and siblings. A lovely reminder of a simpler time in my life and with loved ones who are no longer here.
I Like when John said “ Hawaii is a lucky county to come from”… I think all the talk about Polynesia got him mixed up that Hawaii is a state. Well by then in the 50s. 🌴
Adam Scarpetta This is nothing compared to the 50s editions. There's one I watched where Arlene's neck and upper chest were obscured entirely by a great heavy clanking multi-loop of it. Also both she and Dorothy wore tiaras for a while!
15:50 Cerf asks, "Is your work in any way connected to a religious body?" Answer "No." However, in 1962, Christian College in Columbia, MO was indeed affiliated with the Disciples of Christ church.
Would be darned interesting to know if producer David Merrick had approached Carol Channing by either April or August 1962 for his new musical work-in-progress, working title "Dolly: A Damned Exasperating Woman." He approached Ethel Merman first; she turned the play down. He approached Mary Martin second; she turned the part down. He tried out Nancy Walker and did not click with her. And then Channing came to mind. Ethel and Mary eventually did versions of "Hello Dolly" when it became a hit.
I wonder if Shirley Booth would have been tried out if she wasn't comfortable with her sit-com "Hazel". I love Carol Channing, but Booth, who appeared in the non musical film "The Matchmaker" which is partly the source material for "Hello Dolly" would have been, I think, a smash..though by 1964 she was in her mid 60's. She couldn't sing (listen to her clips from the musical "A Tree grows In Brooklyn") but she had a very appealing quality to her vocalizing. I wonder if Ruth Gordon was considered as she was the originator of the role of Dolly Levi in "The Matchmaker" on Broadway?
Two songs cut prior to the opening - typical Mermanesque belt style songs "World, Take Me Back" and "Love, Look in My Window" - were restored for Ethel Merman's run. Lots of women played Dolly during the original Broadway run which lasted from 1964 until 1970.After Channing there were Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Betty Grable, Pearl Bailey (in an all-black version with Cab Calloway, Mabel King, Clifton Davis, Ernestine Jackson and a young Morgan Freeman), Phyllis Diller, and Ethel Merman...source Wikipedia. I saw the play, I think in 1969. I was 12 and our family was very excited about seeing Pearl Baily in the all Black version. However, Miss Baily was ill that night (she was despite her great boisterous, wonderful personality a woman with a very fragile health condition and a bad heart that eventually killed her in 1990. We saw the understudy and the rest of the cast, including Cab Calloway, and it was a delight. I wonder who that understudy was. It was not Bibi Osterwald, who despite her blonde, blue eyed appearance was the reserve Dolly for many of the stars including Pearl Baily. THAT would have been interesting. But the understudy we saw was a Black lady.
+Joe Postove Unfortunately the Internet Broadway Database only lists the opening night cast. And while it lists Pearl Bailey as a replacement starting on 11/12/67, it doesn't provide the rest of the cast at that time. The only thing I can tell you is that the standby actress for Carol Channing during the beginning of the run of "Hello Dolly" was Jo Anne Worley. Other names that either played leads or who might be recognizable from the opening night playbill were Eileen Brennan (who might have done well in the lead, but she played Irene Molloy), David Burns, Jerry Dodge, Alice Playten, Charles Nelson Reilly, Mary Jo Catlett, and David Hartman. And speaking of "Laugh In", Barbara Sharma was an understudy as well as a member of the ensemble.
RE: Bennett's mention of famous Independence citizens Truman and Ginger Rogers. Rogers was a cousin to Bennett's wife, who was born in Kansas City before moving to Oklahoma
OutdoorLifeFamily So. . . I guess you're saying you are, in fact, interested in when a total stranger on the internet started kindergarten. Good for you. You now, it's possible for people to have thoughts-- nostalgic or otherwise-- without feeling absolutely compelled to share them with the rest of the world. Forgive me for wantnig the comments on these videos to have even the barest degree of relevance to anyone but the person leaving the comment. Also, this wasn't a single comment from Nan Fagan, this was one in a series of about a half dozen equally irrelevant comments she'd been leaving that day. But thank you for your unsolicited judgement.
WOW...6 years later...How mean...maybe she's a shut in, or just lonely...Boy l have a line for you...but that would make me no better than you...JUST RUDE
Very tacky of Betty Furness to make a snide remark regarding a bad clasp on the bracelet. My mother always taught me to be grateful for small favors. It was a kind gesture on Miss Channing's part.
@YOGI. Well Carol got over it, and was know by many generations of a performance life of 76 years! How many people knew or remember Betty Furnish? Living well (and long) is the best revenge!
What's My Line: I was only a little girl when this version aired. I was too young to understand what went on back then. I saw the syndicated version when I was a teenager. Therefore I know a little bit more about it. Otherwise, if my comments bother you, I won't post on here again! Excuse me for expressing my opinion on this topic!
Gil Fates in the Bennett Cerf chapter in his book on WML noted that he was sometimes blunt and tactless. Case in point his questioning of Carol Channing here. If I were Carol, I would have withheld his diamond. It is easy to see why George Burns worked with Carol for a few years after heart disease forced partner-wife Gracie Allen's retirement in 1958. Fuu-nnn-y Girl. O Wait that's another musical. The diamond giveaway is startling, especially given Gil Fates's insistence in his book that the WML production staff never accepted substantial gifts as reward for bookings. Maybe she bestowed tiny tiny diamonds.
I've noticed that about Bennett. He could sometimes ask awkward questions or say somewhat impolite comments. I think it was he who asked Carol Burnett if she was a beautiful woman (which she answered "no"). Besides being subjective, a question like that puts the guest in the awkward position of either putting herself down or seeming immodest. He also liked to make comments on the appearance of female guests, which I suppose was more acceptable then than now, but still seemed to border on inappropriate at times. I guess with his years of judging beauty pageants it's no surprise he was an admirer of women. I like him and don't think he was a creep, but a bit thoughtless in his manners at times.
Reluctant Dragon Bennett could definitely be tactless, but it always strikes me as totally unintentional. And to be fair, Arlene made her share of comments about the attractiveness of some of the male contestants, too. Arlene also managed to get away with many suggestive jokes that no one else could have, simply because she was so adored.
What's My Line? I agree. Bennett was Bennett and he gives the impression of being a man with a sharp intellect. Bennett Cerf had to be a charmer as he got to be friends with Atlas Shrugged author Ayn Rand and published her book in 1957. Ayn Rand (who I consider to be one of the most important minds and philosophers of the 20th century...a great influence on me) was nevertheless a person who could be very difficult, especially when it came to her work. Bennett charmed this woman well enough so that Random House could publish her book and even suggest some changes, which of course Ayn was anathema towards. I think he was a man who had a fine mind, a nice person, and probably a pussycat when he wanted to be.
Yes, but if Bennett hadn't asked that somewhat tactless question about Carol's coiffure, we never would have heard her absolutely brilliant and funny response! I laughed out loud, and heartily, at her answer. What a quick wit. And, for the record, although Bennett could sometimes teeter on the precipice of being somewhat boorish, I don't think he ever completely fell over the edge. The fact that so many of his fellow panelists AND contestants seemed to hold him in affectionate regard speaks to the fact that they considered him harmless and charming.
Ugh, Bennett Cerf. When he's not talking about women's bodies, he actually asks questions like "do you teach stripping" and "are the people fully clothed?" I'm getting these horrible Hal Block flashbacks with how uncouth he can be so often. The way people fawn over him being so wonderful and handsome and smart and dreamy, I cannot get over how rude he can be towards women in particular. Doesn't anyone else ever notice that. I'm so surprised I don't read more comments about how crude he can be.
If it helps at all, considering the era (Earl 60s) and this being publicly aired tv...I did find it surprising how many obviously innuendo-toned comments he made in such a short span of time (leas than half an hour) on public tv no less.
Bennett somehow gets a pass for being *slightly* more mainstream with his lewd comments (and I've never seen him physically accost guests in the way Hal Block did, to his credit). I think Bennett's (and occasionally John Daly's) behavior was seen as acceptable, while Hal Block toed *just* over the line (for television, at least).
Even without the typo, I'm baffled by your leaving this comment. Do we know who your sister is? No. Do we know the teacher? No. Do we know YOU? No. Please try to leave comments that add something-- *something*-- to the discussion, not just whatever happens to pop into your head about your own personal life.
ChorusL106 This is MY CHANNEL. If you don't like how I moderate the comments, don't read them. Don't watch the videos. I really don't care. Did you actually find this comment from Nan Fagan the least bit interesting? Who gives a damn what her sister looked like, honestly?
Bennett started off wrong. Lamar, MO was the birthplace of Truman. He did live in Independence later. Ms. Channing was always a hoot. Could be a little irritating with that voice but still a hoot.
This was the last of Betty Furness's 8 appearances as a panelist on WML? (She had appeared as panelist 3 times in 1950, 3 times in 1951, and once in 1955 (on the episode which aired the day after New Year's Day).)
The nerve of that awfully boorish Elmer Fudd (Cerf) asking that highly inappropriate and possibly embarrassing question of ms. channing on live national TV...doofus!
Pandora Box impersonated Carol Channing during Snatch Games on Rupaul's Drag Race Season 2. I can attach a link if your curiosity is still growing. I had no idea who Ms. Channing was, now I have researched her a little more she seems hilarious! I enjoyed watching her as the White Queen.
peterpansloth Ah-- so are you saying that you saw a UA-cam-suggested link to this video when you were viewing the other one? That's wonderful, if so! A lot of people have gotten VERY addicted to this show just the same way you did, having never heard of it otherwise. Regardless of whether you become a fellow WML addict, thanks for taking the time to leave these comments!
It wasn't a suggested link; I just hadn't heard of Carol Channing and decided to look up some videos of her, your video was one of the first I came across. Her low voice was hysterical! :)
"A Woman's World," all of five minutes long, in 1962. She and Arlene both worked in NBC "Monitor Radio" off and on at various times. She was more successful with CBS Radio program later in the decade, "Ask Betty Furness" before she served the Johnson White House as a consumer advocate.
Adco I find with Bennett that he always seems to have to have the last word or at least make a point with the Mystery Guest. His comment about Carol Channing's wig was obtuse.
I assume you're correcting your own typo on a comment you already made on this video. If you want to correct a typo, edit the comment you already left. Barring that, leave a reply to the comment you're correcting. Starting a new thread disconnected from the original typo is just absurd. I'm probably the only person who has the slightest idea what you're referring to because I see all notifications for all comments as channel owner.
Her dressmaker hadn't learned that complex prints don't work well on dress patterns with complicated lines. You can just see as she enters and turns to walk to her chair on the panel that the dress has a large bow at the front waistline, but that design feature is obscured by the busy fabric print when she is facing the camera directly.
Arlene was a pioneer in radio and television. She was the first woman to host a game show (both on radio and television), and was also the first female Editior-In-Chief of a newsmagazine show (NBC’s “Home”). She was also a very accomplished radio and stage actress.
Carol Channing didn't find out until she was 16. Her Grandmother was black, and her father was listed as colored. (no word on race of the grandfather) So her father was light enough to pass. For all we know her grandmother was very mixed herself.
I had a stepchild whose father was half-German and half-Russian and whose mother was half-Irish, the other half was mostly African-American and a little bit native American. With all the northern European heritage he had, he had no black features at all plus light blond hair. His mother taught him to identify as white because that is what he looked like. Carol Channing's story is very similar, and if she didn't know until she was 16, then she was raised as white. Her cultural heritage was white. She has no reason to apologize for her appearance or how she was raised. And the idea that one drop of black blood (whatever that is, because there is no different blood type) disqualifies a person from being white is a lot of nonsense. Based on what I have read, she doesn't run away from her past, not her black heritage, her Jewish heritage or her German heritage. She's a person. As Dr. King said, she should be judged by the content of her character, not the color of her skin or anything else; and that's how all of us should be judged.
@@loissimmons6558 Three cheers for your remarks! I was about to say some of the same things, but you put it together even better than I could have done. I long for the day when we can stop checking boxes marked "race" on forms. Till then, whenever I can, I write in "Human."
![What's My Line? - Jack E. Leonard; Liberace [panel] (Sep 2, 1962)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/JqmdCPhGdRc/mqdefault.jpg)
![What's My Line? - Jack E. Leonard; Liberace [panel] (Sep 2, 1962)](/img/tr.png)
![What's My Line? - Dick Powell; Tony Randall [panel] (Sep 9, 1962)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VVhISV-jDl4/mqdefault.jpg)
John is so gallant! He's the reason I watch this. He has a way with words and a wonderful deep voice.
I had the thrill of meeting Carol Channing by chance near the end of her life around 2016 when we happened to be on the same flight to Boston. She was dressed to the nines and wearing massive dark glasses and had a caregiver/friend with her. When we arrived in Boston she was last off the plane and I happened to see her in the concourse. She was in a wheelchair but I got up the courage to say hello and tell her how much I adored her as a child in the ‘80s the first time I saw her playing the White Queen in Alice in Wonderland. She was extremely gracious and smiled her big smile. I took a photo with her and she held onto my hand and arm like we were best friends. So very much a warm woman through and through. Such a special memory.
Thank you for taking the time to upload all these episodes to You Tube. There are so many people on here (including me) who appreciate this so much!
Well, thank you for the comments you leave. The discussion on the shows is what makes it fun for me! It's been a delight.
I have to agree, thank you.
Carol Channing was more than a local SF icon, she was a global ray of sunlight. I will miss her enormous heart and smile...!
dudleycunningham - Carol Channing - A true star!
Carol was very bubbly and effervescent.
After hearing the news about Carol Channing this morning, I came here as soon as I could to see her appearance here, full of the joyful spirit and humor she brought everywhere she went.
I thought Allen made a nice addition to the panel--with a little more practice I think he could have become quite a good player.
Just a word of thanks to our Moderator, Gary. I've been having a tremendous time lately dealing with the the present and worrying about the future and it is such a delight and much needed respite to spend a few hours each night with my old friends from the past via the WML channel.
I'm sorry to hear it's been a rough period for you, but so glad to hear that these videos give you a way to escape. Nothing pleases me more than reading comments saying that these shows are a source of comfort as well as their obvious entertainment value! WML has certainly helped get me through some very rough times!
Thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment, and I hope things get better for you soon.
I love this woman , Bennett cerf you don't ask a woman that , but Carol didnt miss a beat ,you go girl
Cerf wanted to borrow it
what a character carol channing. those facial expressions and that voice.
In 1974 on my way to Europe at 17, our group was blessed to see Ms. Channing in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" on Broadway; after a superb performance, she came out and presented a diamond ring to one of the adults in our group and thrilled us with a long talk - I wanna know where the ring is now!!
Carol Channing is so lovely in this video, thanking Arlene and Bennett for compliments they paid her. I never saw her in performances, although I was a teenager in the '60s, but on this clip, she is as charming as can be!!!
Carol Channing had a hit song... "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend." To her many fans, she always had a way of making each of us feel like we were her best friend. Such a gentle soul who brought happiness to all fortunate enough to be touched by her remarkable personality.
Carol Channing was always so charming!
By doing a simple Google search, it seems that she's still alive, and looking great for 93!
Corleone
Really enjoyed this segment as well as so many!
My father went to school with Carol Channing when they were kids and I think he played the clarinet backing her up at a few junior high school functions. I even think he was at her house. He mentioned that she played the statue of liberty, something like that in a play. Her father was a leader in the newspaper business. Sorry I am so vague.
Corleone I saw a recent interview with her and she's still sharp as a tack.
Carol seems like she was a very sweet lady.
bubgum00 IS! Alive and living!
***** Darling, thank you for pointing that out for me and that is great news.
If you get a chance see Carol Channing: Larger Than Life. Its a documentary on her life. You will get to see her dedication to her work and huge heart that she has.
Wow! The most down to earth guess ever! Man she roll with that Wig question, and sent it to Home Base in the nicest way! ⚾
This is one of my favorites! Carol Channing...what a charmer!
Didn’t know carol existed until 2 days ago…what a joy getting to know her!
Hello Dolly!
Carol Channing was such a delight. One of the best guests.
Carol Channing is Carol Charming. A lovely human been.
Carol Channing was a one of a kind entertainer. What a kind, open and gregarious woman. Her brilliance made her diamonds embarrassed to twinkle!
It’s incredible she lived to the ripe ole
Age of 98. Her smile was her secret but her longevity was her sense of humour Im sure. What a doll she was ( no pun intended) ❤️
Carol Channing 1921-2019 (just 16 days short of what would have been her 98th birthday)
Carol Channing, what a lovely, generous and entertaining woman. I remember seeing her on t.v. and my mother said, "She's black". I didn't dare ask, because I didn't grow up in a household where questions were allowed. It's hard to imagine that I survived to adulthood.
What's interesting is I'm sure i saw an earlier episode from the 50s where they had the Hawaiian governor or mayor on and Hawaii was not yet an American state, this show has inadvertently documented a lot of significant changes :-)
How adorable was Carol Channing? What a fun person.
Bennett - "Can I rule out stripping?" LOLOLOLOL.......I burst out laughing so loud when he said that.
Galileocan g It was indeed hilarious. Can you imagine the production team getting a stripper to appear as a guest on WML?!? And then the applause when the panel got it? "RIGHT Bennett!! Miss so-and-so is a stripper at...."
Daly wasn’t happy
A totally logical question, after it was established that she was a dancer. Bennett was thinking of someone like Gypsy Rose Lee, who had been a Mystery
Guest on WML.
Carol Channing is 96 years old - still alive today!
Carol Channing is one of the funniest wittiest people who appeared on WML. Funny how I really only enjoy people from years gone bye.
OMG, I love Carol so much.
Fun fact: Many people don't know this, but Carol Channing was part African American (on her father's side). Due to the times, she never discussed it. Having said that, she was very proud of her ancestry. She said, "I know it's true the moment I sing and dance. I'm proud as can be of [my black ancestry]. It's one of the great strains in show business. I'm so grateful. My father was a very dignified man and as white as I am. My [paternal] grandparents were Nordic German, so apparently I [too] took after them [in appearance]."
@@alcedo_kf It was *her* prerogative to acknowledge it in the context of a society that had moved beyond outright segregation. Let people be proud of their struggles.
@@alcedo_kf I'm speaking of basic decency. If you'd like to attribute someone acknowledging their ethnicity to forwarding a political agenda rather than a means of self-expression, or split hairs and build straw men, go ahead.
She had black ancestry so diluted that it doesn't even count. That Is a white woman and thats ok.
Anyone who's read her Wikipedia article knows that. Sounds like you did some copy and paste!
@@SR-iy4gg So?! What's your point?
Rip Carol january 2019
R.I.P. Carol Channing
What with the grimness and chaos of the current state of the news, I find that watching these wonderful old episodes are a balm on my soul. I am 67 and watched many of these in their original aircasts, often sitting with my parents and siblings. A lovely reminder of a simpler time in my life and with loved ones who are no longer here.
They are amazing.
What a beautiful lady and a great entertainer as well!!!!!
Wow, Carol Channing is still with us, going to be 98 before end of month.
This comment didn't age very well!
I can't begin to imagine how thrilled people must be to have Carol Channing in the Spirit World. She must be the greatest ray of sunshine around
I
Like when John said “ Hawaii is a lucky county to come from”…
I think all the talk about Polynesia got him mixed up that Hawaii is a state. Well by then in the 50s. 🌴
Right up there with Cesar Romero, and perhaps a small basket of others; as BEST Mystery Guest Voice (ever) !
😂😂😂🤣😂
Miss Channing is such a sweetheart, the Betty lady's comment was so uncalled for.
"Can I rule out stripping?" Oh, Bennett, you never disappoint.
Betty Furness makes a snotty remark @ 23:39 about Carol’s gift (bracelet). What a snob.
I still miss her and think about her often. What a human being Carol Channing was.
The diamonds were probably paste. This was an era when women wore mountains of costume jewelry and Carol probably picked them up at a five and dime.
Adam Scarpetta This is nothing compared to the 50s editions. There's one I watched where Arlene's neck and upper chest were obscured entirely by a great heavy clanking multi-loop of it. Also both she and Dorothy wore tiaras for a while!
Doubt that
15:50 Cerf asks, "Is your work in any way connected to a religious body?" Answer "No." However, in 1962, Christian College in Columbia, MO was indeed affiliated with the Disciples of Christ church.
Carol must have been the sweetest lady ever
RIP Ronald Nielsen (1941-2016) www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/columbia-mo/ronnie-nielsen-6972987
Carol was such an amazing woman. Funny, charming and beautiful.
Would be darned interesting to know if producer David Merrick had approached Carol Channing by either April or August 1962 for his new musical work-in-progress, working title "Dolly: A Damned Exasperating Woman." He approached Ethel Merman first; she turned the play down. He approached Mary Martin second; she turned the part down. He tried out Nancy Walker and did not click with her. And then Channing came to mind. Ethel and Mary eventually did versions of "Hello Dolly" when it became a hit.
I wonder if Shirley Booth would have been tried out if she wasn't comfortable with her sit-com "Hazel". I love Carol Channing, but Booth, who appeared in the non musical film "The Matchmaker" which is partly the source material for "Hello Dolly" would have been, I think, a smash..though by 1964 she was in her mid 60's. She couldn't sing (listen to her clips from the musical "A Tree grows In Brooklyn") but she had a very appealing quality to her vocalizing. I wonder if Ruth Gordon was considered as she was the originator of the role of Dolly Levi in "The Matchmaker" on Broadway?
Two songs cut prior to the opening - typical Mermanesque belt style songs "World, Take Me Back" and "Love, Look in My Window" - were restored for Ethel Merman's run. Lots of women played Dolly during the original Broadway run which lasted from 1964 until 1970.After Channing there were Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Betty Grable, Pearl Bailey (in an all-black version with Cab Calloway, Mabel King, Clifton Davis, Ernestine Jackson and a young Morgan Freeman), Phyllis Diller, and Ethel Merman...source Wikipedia. I saw the play, I think in 1969. I was 12 and our family was very excited about seeing Pearl Baily in the all Black version. However, Miss Baily was ill that night (she was despite her great boisterous, wonderful personality a woman with a very fragile health condition and a bad heart that eventually killed her in 1990. We saw the understudy and the rest of the cast, including Cab Calloway, and it was a delight. I wonder who that understudy was. It was not Bibi Osterwald, who despite her blonde, blue eyed appearance was the reserve Dolly for many of the stars including Pearl Baily. THAT would have been interesting. But the understudy we saw was a Black lady.
+Joe Postove
Unfortunately the Internet Broadway Database only lists the opening night cast. And while it lists Pearl Bailey as a replacement starting on 11/12/67, it doesn't provide the rest of the cast at that time.
The only thing I can tell you is that the standby actress for Carol Channing during the beginning of the run of "Hello Dolly" was Jo Anne Worley. Other names that either played leads or who might be recognizable from the opening night playbill were Eileen Brennan (who might have done well in the lead, but she played Irene Molloy), David Burns, Jerry Dodge, Alice Playten, Charles Nelson Reilly, Mary Jo Catlett, and David Hartman. And speaking of "Laugh In", Barbara Sharma was an understudy as well as a member of the ensemble.
K@@loissimmons6558
august 26th is my birth date, i love carol channing’s voice
*_TEACHES HULA DANCING_*
*_CHEF AT WOMEN'S COLLEGE_*
RE: Bennett's mention of famous Independence citizens Truman and Ginger Rogers. Rogers was a cousin to Bennett's wife, who was born in Kansas City before moving to Oklahoma
96 years old as of 6/23/17!
Joe Postove 97 now
GOD bless carol
Sadly has passed away now.
Ronald Núlsen, reminded me of David Hyde Pierce [ Niles from Fraser].
I was a month away from starting kindergarten when this originally aired.
Honestly-- why would anyone watching this video want to know this information?
What's My Line? I took my dog for a walk today and had a hamburger for lunch. ;)
OutdoorLifeFamily So. . . I guess you're saying you are, in fact, interested in when a total stranger on the internet started kindergarten. Good for you.
You now, it's possible for people to have thoughts-- nostalgic or otherwise-- without feeling absolutely compelled to share them with the rest of the world. Forgive me for wantnig the comments on these videos to have even the barest degree of relevance to anyone but the person leaving the comment.
Also, this wasn't a single comment from Nan Fagan, this was one in a series of about a half dozen equally irrelevant comments she'd been leaving that day.
But thank you for your unsolicited judgement.
WOW...6 years later...How mean...maybe she's a shut in, or just lonely...Boy l have a line for you...but that would make me no better than you...JUST RUDE
Wow. You're rude. You couldn't just scroll on by?@@WhatsMyLine
Carol Channing lived a long life, she died in 2019
Very tacky of Betty Furness to make a snide remark regarding a bad clasp on the bracelet. My mother always taught me to be grateful for small favors. It was a kind gesture on Miss Channing's part.
She was joking
TheGreatAtario She was a snob.
@@TheGreatAtario You don't joke like that. She was just one of those women who didn't know how to shut her pie hole.
@YOGI.
Well Carol got over it, and was know by many generations of a performance life of 76 years!
How many people knew or remember Betty Furnish?
Living well (and long) is the best revenge!
Carol Channing sweet woman
I had no idea Channing was so famous several years before Hello Dolly.
What's My Line: I was only a little girl when this version aired. I was too young to understand what went on back then. I saw the syndicated version when I was a teenager. Therefore I know a little bit more about it. Otherwise, if my comments bother you, I won't post on here again! Excuse me for expressing my opinion on this topic!
Why would it bother anyone? Personal experience with WML is always interesting.
I didn't know Ryan Stiles appeared on the show!
😂 he was my only knowledge of Carol Channing for the longest time.
i adore arlene
The young chef didn't look like a chef. Cute. Intense eyes. Wonder how many young ladies at the college had a crush? Love a man that can cook!
Gil Fates in the Bennett Cerf chapter in his book on WML noted that he was sometimes blunt and tactless. Case in point his questioning of Carol Channing here. If I were Carol, I would have withheld his diamond.
It is easy to see why George Burns worked with Carol for a few years after heart disease forced partner-wife Gracie Allen's retirement in 1958. Fuu-nnn-y Girl. O Wait that's another musical.
The diamond giveaway is startling, especially given Gil Fates's insistence in his book that the WML production staff never accepted substantial gifts as reward for bookings. Maybe she bestowed tiny tiny diamonds.
I assumed they were fake. . . ?
I've noticed that about Bennett. He could sometimes ask awkward questions or say somewhat impolite comments. I think it was he who asked Carol Burnett if she was a beautiful woman (which she answered "no"). Besides being subjective, a question like that puts the guest in the awkward position of either putting herself down or seeming immodest.
He also liked to make comments on the appearance of female guests, which I suppose was more acceptable then than now, but still seemed to border on inappropriate at times. I guess with his years of judging beauty pageants it's no surprise he was an admirer of women.
I like him and don't think he was a creep, but a bit thoughtless in his manners at times.
Reluctant Dragon Bennett could definitely be tactless, but it always strikes me as totally unintentional. And to be fair, Arlene made her share of comments about the attractiveness of some of the male contestants, too. Arlene also managed to get away with many suggestive jokes that no one else could have, simply because she was so adored.
What's My Line? I agree. Bennett was Bennett and he gives the impression of being a man with a sharp intellect. Bennett Cerf had to be a charmer as he got to be friends with Atlas Shrugged author Ayn Rand and published her book in 1957. Ayn Rand (who I consider to be one of the most important minds and philosophers of the 20th century...a great influence on me) was nevertheless a person who could be very difficult, especially when it came to her work. Bennett charmed this woman well enough so that Random House could publish her book and even suggest some changes, which of course Ayn was anathema towards. I think he was a man who had a fine mind, a nice person, and probably a pussycat when he wanted to be.
Yes, but if Bennett hadn't asked that somewhat tactless question about Carol's coiffure, we never would have heard her absolutely brilliant and funny response! I laughed out loud, and heartily, at her answer. What a quick wit. And, for the record, although Bennett could sometimes teeter on the precipice of being somewhat boorish, I don't think he ever completely fell over the edge. The fact that so many of his fellow panelists AND contestants seemed to hold him in affectionate regard speaks to the fact that they considered him harmless and charming.
So Ms. Channing just went around handing out diamonds to people she liked 🤩??!
Ugh, Bennett Cerf. When he's not talking about women's bodies, he actually asks questions like "do you teach stripping" and "are the people fully clothed?" I'm getting these horrible Hal Block flashbacks with how uncouth he can be so often. The way people fawn over him being so wonderful and handsome and smart and dreamy, I cannot get over how rude he can be towards women in particular. Doesn't anyone else ever notice that. I'm so surprised I don't read more comments about how crude he can be.
If it helps at all, considering the era (Earl 60s) and this being publicly aired tv...I did find it surprising how many obviously innuendo-toned comments he made in such a short span of time (leas than half an hour) on public tv no less.
Bennett somehow gets a pass for being *slightly* more mainstream with his lewd comments (and I've never seen him physically accost guests in the way Hal Block did, to his credit). I think Bennett's (and occasionally John Daly's) behavior was seen as acceptable, while Hal Block toed *just* over the line (for television, at least).
Delight
Like that puffy dress on the hula gal!
+Joe Postove
And you gave her some hoopla for it!
Better than Jerry Seinfeld puffy shirt.
@@ModMokkaMatti Shhhh.
When she was little, one of my teachers said that my sister looked just like Carol Channel.
Even without the typo, I'm baffled by your leaving this comment. Do we know who your sister is? No. Do we know the teacher? No. Do we know YOU? No.
Please try to leave comments that add something-- *something*-- to the discussion, not just whatever happens to pop into your head about your own personal life.
+What's My Line? Ummm, youtube nazi? Don't be a dick.
ChorusL106 This is MY CHANNEL. If you don't like how I moderate the comments, don't read them. Don't watch the videos. I really don't care. Did you actually find this comment from Nan Fagan the least bit interesting? Who gives a damn what her sister looked like, honestly?
"Only one (wo)man in all of show business who can do that with her voice..." LOL
Two, if you count Rich Little!
Bennett started off wrong. Lamar, MO was the birthplace of Truman. He did live in Independence later.
Ms. Channing was always a hoot. Could be a little irritating with that voice but still a hoot.
At 2:40 the GSN advertising overlay in the lower left corner has a spelling error. It's Durward Kirby, not Durwood.
This was the last of Betty Furness's 8 appearances as a panelist on WML? (She had appeared as panelist 3 times in 1950, 3 times in 1951, and once in 1955 (on the episode which aired the day after New Year's Day).)
The nerve of that awfully boorish Elmer Fudd (Cerf) asking that highly inappropriate and possibly embarrassing question of ms. channing on live national TV...doofus!
but what a classy way she responded -- she would not embarrass Bennett back
It is by no means unusual for flashy show biz types to wear wigs and there is no shame in it in any case
How many times has she appeared on this show. At least 5
Kinda odd hearing Hawaii be referred to as a country.
Pandora Box brought me here. :D
Could you explain a bit more? I'm really curious! :)
Pandora Box impersonated Carol Channing during Snatch Games on Rupaul's Drag Race Season 2. I can attach a link if your curiosity is still growing.
I had no idea who Ms. Channing was, now I have researched her a little more she seems hilarious! I enjoyed watching her as the White Queen.
peterpansloth Ah-- so are you saying that you saw a UA-cam-suggested link to this video when you were viewing the other one? That's wonderful, if so! A lot of people have gotten VERY addicted to this show just the same way you did, having never heard of it otherwise.
Regardless of whether you become a fellow WML addict, thanks for taking the time to leave these comments!
It wasn't a suggested link; I just hadn't heard of Carol Channing and decided to look up some videos of her, your video was one of the first I came across. Her low voice was hysterical! :)
peterpansloth Okay-- cool! Thanks for the explanation.
What program was Betty Furness doing on CBS Radio at this time?
"A Woman's World," all of five minutes long, in 1962. She and Arlene both worked in NBC "Monitor Radio" off and on at various times. She was more successful with CBS Radio program later in the decade, "Ask Betty Furness" before she served the Johnson White House as a consumer advocate.
soulierinvestments CBS Radio was trying out a few short (5-10 minute programs in the early 60's) shows.
Those can't be real diamond bracelets she's giving away!
It would have been more believable if she had taken them from her shoulders because lots of people have chips on their shoulders.
Wasn't Password on about 5pm on Sunday?
Is that a wig? Is over the top😮
Adco I find with Bennett that he always seems to have to have the last word or at least make a point with the Mystery Guest. His comment about Carol Channing's wig was obtuse.
Oops! I meant Carol Channing.
I assume you're correcting your own typo on a comment you already made on this video. If you want to correct a typo, edit the comment you already left. Barring that, leave a reply to the comment you're correcting. Starting a new thread disconnected from the original typo is just absurd. I'm probably the only person who has the slightest idea what you're referring to because I see all notifications for all comments as channel owner.
Bennett is so rude “is that a wig?“
Does anyone here know what Carol meant when she said that she and Allen Ludden had been in the army together? (23:00)
At a guess, a USO Tour.
SaveThe TPC I thought I heard Ludden say it was her husband he was in the army with...
Acadol Channing "passed". She was biracial. It's a shame she had to pass rather than admit her blackness.
Dan Napier As with anyone, Carol Channing's ethnicity was her own business and no one should have to “admit” to being Black. It isn’t a crime.
Betty’s costume was very tacky. Thank god this was not filmed in color
Her dressmaker hadn't learned that complex prints don't work well on dress patterns with complicated lines. You can just see as she enters and turns to walk to her chair on the panel that the dress has a large bow at the front waistline, but that design feature is obscured by the busy fabric print when she is facing the camera directly.
The first contestant should have asked her husband, "Does this dress make my butt look big?"
Sorry WML, just too funny to pass up.
What did Arlene Francis ever do? Never heard of the other female.
Arlene was a pioneer in radio and television. She was the first woman to host a game show (both on radio and television), and was also the first female Editior-In-Chief of a newsmagazine show (NBC’s “Home”). She was also a very accomplished radio and stage actress.
I still can't believe that Carol Channing was Black, trying to pass as White all of those years.
Carol Channing didn't find out until she was 16. Her Grandmother was black, and her father was listed as colored. (no word on race of the grandfather) So her father was light enough to pass.
For all we know her grandmother was very mixed herself.
I had a stepchild whose father was half-German and half-Russian and whose mother was half-Irish, the other half was mostly African-American and a little bit native American. With all the northern European heritage he had, he had no black features at all plus light blond hair. His mother taught him to identify as white because that is what he looked like.
Carol Channing's story is very similar, and if she didn't know until she was 16, then she was raised as white. Her cultural heritage was white. She has no reason to apologize for her appearance or how she was raised. And the idea that one drop of black blood (whatever that is, because there is no different blood type) disqualifies a person from being white is a lot of nonsense. Based on what I have read, she doesn't run away from her past, not her black heritage, her Jewish heritage or her German heritage. She's a person. As Dr. King said, she should be judged by the content of her character, not the color of her skin or anything else; and that's how all of us should be judged.
@@loissimmons6558 Three cheers for your remarks! I was about to say some of the same things, but you put it together even better than I could have done. I long for the day when we can stop checking boxes marked "race" on forms. Till then, whenever I can, I write in "Human."