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Community Corner

Carol Channing Named a 'Hero of Hollywood'

The actress is among several Hollywood community leaders recognized at a luncheon fundraiser for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation.

With her famous smile as bright as it was when she first stepped onto the Broadway stage in 1941, the legendary Carol Channing lit up the Heroes of Hollywood luncheon Friday, where she was honored with the Mary Pickford Award from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

The event, formerly known as Hollywood’s Women of Distinction Awards, was established in 1993 by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. It serves as one of two major annual fundraisers for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation. Funds raised from the luncheon will be awarded in grants to local charitable organizations.

Held at the Taglyan Cultural Complex on Vine in Hollywood, the luncheon, hosted by radio personality and comedian Stephanie Miller, also honored several other “Heroes of Hollywood,” but it was the triple Tony Award-winning Channing who was the star of the day.

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After a short film montage showing her performing her signature song Hello Dolly and TV appearances with George Burns, Pearl Bailey, Carol Burnett and Goldie Hawn, she took the stage to a standing ovation.

After smiling her iconic smile, she introduced husband Harry Kullijian. “Harry and I met in middle school in 1933," she said. "Sixty years later we got married. Harry is Armenian, and as we all know, Armenians are the most civic-minded people of all.”

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She explained that their shared goal presently is to champion arts education.

“Our mission is to bring about a change of attitude about arts in the school,” she said. “Arts are integral to a complete education.”

Harry chimed in with his agreement: “Our future is at stake...” he said, and as he began to expound, Channing cut him short. “You’re preaching to the choir, dear,” she said to much laughter.

She then related a story about a recent conversation with a truck driver who hauled crates of wine around the country. Since he was the father of three, she asked him, “Don’t you want your kids to have art in their lives?” Not only did he agree, he was so inspired by her message that he composed a song in her honor about bringing arts back into public school.

With her voice as strong as ever, she performed the song a cappella (or “acapulco,” as she put it), emphasizing the lyrics with the flair of a seasoned Broadway veteran and ending with a triumphant, “The show must go on!” The crowd went wild.

Miller was hilarious throughout, welcoming everyone to “America’s most famous neighborhood, Hollywood,” before questioning why anyone would consider her appropriate for such a formal affair. “I feel like I’m gonna plotz,” she said, “sitting next to Carol Channing!”

She awarded the Mary Pickford award to Channing by explaining that Pickford was “the first lady of film, who raised the bar in terms of fair pay for all actresses who came after.”

Also honored were Homer Alba of Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Stanley Folb of the Folb Family Trust, Kaneisha Northern of Grad Girls Network, Mitch O’Farrell from the 13th District Council office, Maureen Shultz from Capitol Records and  Thaddeus Hunter Smith of the Music Box Theater.

“To quote Hillary Clinton, it takes a village," Hunter said. "It’s true. It takes a community. And our community is Hollywood. And it takes the ability to wait. We waited for a long time—20 years—for Hollywood to be reborn. And here we are.”

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