Theatermania
Carol Channing: Larger Than Life
Reviewed By: Leslie (Hoban) Blake · Apr 25, 2011 · New York

Dori Berinstein’s loving cinematic tribute, Carol Channing: Larger Than Life, now premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, is a cornucopia of favorite moments from the nonagenarian’s 60-plus years in the spotlight, as well as a glimpse into her current personal life. In both cases, Berinstein shows just how smart, funny, and gracious the star is both on and offstage.

The film’s title has several meanings, from Channing’s height (at 5’9) to her gigantic smile, and outsized personality. She was literally too big for the screen, appearing in only a few films — including her Oscar-nominated role in Thoroughly Modern Millie — but she happily played to generations of theatergoers in such shows as Lend an Ear, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and her own signature magnum opus, Hello Dolly.

Many of Channing’s co-stars and admirers show up in the film, most with illustrative footage. After Jerry Herman, Angela Lansbury, and Chita Rivera speak, there are scenes of the trio honoring Herman at the Kennedy Center in 2010. Lily Tomlin, Bruce Vilanch, Tommy Tune, Barbara Walters, and the late Betty Garrett also share their memories, while Debbie Reynolds commiserates as one wronged wife to another. (Channing’s third husband robbed and left her.)

But most of all, the film is a love story that wouldn’t be believed if it weren’t true. Channing and her fourth husband (and junior high school sweetheart) Harry Kullijian, married since 2003, are like a real-life Romeo and Juliet gone right, holding hands and smiling like the teenagers they were back in the 1930s.

And make sure you stay until the very end: the sublime outtakes during the final credits are not-to-be-missed.

The post Bruce Honors Carol Channing In Cinematic Tribute, “Larger Than Life” first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

HOLLYWOOD—The Tribeca Film Festival (NY) spotlighted the film by multiple Tony® Award winning director/producer Dori Berinstein entitled “Carol Channing: Larger Than Life” last month in Manhattan.

Among those who appear in the film are (partial list only) – Barbara Walters, Lily Tomlin, Tommy Tune, Chita Rivera, Sam Harris, Bruce Vilanch, Debbie Reynolds, Jerry Herman, Bob Mackie, Angela Lansbury, Loni Anderson, Tyne Daly, Tippi Hedren, Phyllis Diller, Rip Taylor, etc. There is also a very special moment with Carolâ€s former roommate, the now late Betty Garrett.

On Monday, March 14, the Tribeca Film Festival announced their 2011 Spotlight Film, their invitation-only section that features screenings of an eagerly anticipated film before they hit theatres. “Carol Channing: Larger Than Life” is a TFF 2011 Spotlight Feature Film.

If Carol Channing didnâ€t exist, no one could have made her up. One in a billion, Carol, at 90, remains an unstoppable, megawatt dynamo. Broadway diva extraordinaire is just the icing. Carol Channing hovered at the pinnacle of the entertainment world from the late-1950s through the 1970s and beyond, living life sensationally large. As Carol has observed, “if youâ€re lucky enough to have two hit shows, the world passes through your dressing room.” Carolâ€s incomparable stage life is just the appetizer. This is the story of a survivor, a woman who overcame endless obstacles, struggles and sacrifices to pursue her dreams of stage stardom.

The career of Carol Channing is varied and continuing. At 90, she performs with the gusto of a young aspiring actress. She has recently committed her life to bring the Arts back in the public educational system. From teaching, lecturing and performing in school rooms of CA to meeting members of Congress in D.C., she and her husband, Harry Kullijian, hope to engage the public support through the Channing/Kullijian Foundation for the Arts.

The post Bruce To Appear In “Carol Channing: Larger Than Life” first appeared on We Got Bruce!.