Who was Carol Channing, how did the star of Hello Dolly on Broadway die, and which were her most notable roles?
The star passed away from natural causes aged 97
BROADWAY star Carol Channing has passed away at the age of 97.
Here's a look back at her life and career...
Who was Carol Channing?
Carol Channing was born in Seattle, Washington on January 31, 1921.
She made her Broadway debut in the 1949 play Gentlemen Prefer Blondes alongside Yvonne Adair and Rex Evans.
In 1967 she starred as Muzzy Van Hossmere in the film Thoroughly Modern Millie, a role which won her a Golden Globe Award.
She is best known for her theatre performances and won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1964 for her role as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!
Carol was married four times - in 1956 she wed TV producer Charles Lows and filed for divorce in 1998 but he died before the split was legally finalised.
She later married her childhood sweetheart Harry Kullijian in 2003 before he sadly died in 2011.
How did Carol Channing die?
Carol Channing is said to have passed away due to natural causes at her home in Rancho Mirage, California.
Her publicist B Harlan Boll told : "It is with extreme heartache, that I have to announce the passing of an original Industry Pioneer, Legend and Icon - Miss Carol Channing.
"I admired her before I met her, and have loved her since the day she stepped ... or fell rather ... into my life.
"It is so very hard to see the final curtain lower on a woman who has been a daily part of my life for more than a third of it.
The actress is reported to have lived a healthy lifestyle, eating only organic produce and refraining from drinking alcohol.
Carol is survived by her son Channing who came from her second marriage to Alexander Carson.
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What were Carol Channing's most notable roles?
Aside from Thoroughly Modern Millie, Carol starred in other films including The First Travelling Saleslady (1956) and Skidoo (1968).
In the 1985 TV film of Alice In Wonderland she played the White Queen.
She also had a few voice roles including that of Grandmama Addams in the animated series of The Addams Family and Ms. Fieldmouse in the 1994 film Thumbelina.
Carol also appeared in a number of Broadway shows including Showgirl, The Vamp and Wonderful Town.