Hello Dolly at EXPO 67

[1971FolliesFan]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 11:17am

While doing some unrelated reading, I discovered a production of 'Hello Dolly' was done at the 1967 Expo World's Fair, starring Ms Carol Channing. Does anyone know anything about this? I've never seen it reported anywhere. 

[NoName3]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 1:30pm

FolliesFan, after Channing left the Broadway production of Dolly she led the 2nd national tour, which closed in June of 1967.  The Expo had opened in April.  I'm just guessing but it was probably a tour stop.

 

 

 

Updated On: 6/11/18 at 01:30 PM

[1971FolliesFan]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:37pm

That's quite possible! Thank you for the idea 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 4:55pm

Carol Channing and the 2nd US National Tour of HELLO, DOLLY! played the Expo Theatre at EXPO67 in Montreal for 2 weeks starting May 1, 1967.

Ironically, it was while Channing was doing this EXPO67 run that she learned Streisand was confirmed for the film adaptation of HELLO, DOLLY!: 

Channing later remembered, "I was doing Hello, Dolly! at Expo '67 at the time, and when they announced the star for the movie on that great day I had the feeling I was Mark Twain and had just died and become an observer at my funeral." The announcement was not the end of the drama. Reports were coming from Columbia Studios over Streisand's repeated demand for retakes on Funny Girl which supposedly cost the studio an extra $200,000. In addition, Streisand's own public remarks cast doubt on whether or not she would accept the role so Lehman and Zanuck considered other options as a back-up, including testing Yvette Mimieux, Phyllis Newman and Ann-Margret between December 12, 1967 and January 3, 1968. Streisand did finally accept the role and went to the studio for wardrobe fitting on February 13, 1968.

 

[NoName3]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 5:35pm

Excelllent, BrodyFosse!  At the Call on Dolly website, I found this interview with Peter Walker, who played Cornelius late in the tour, and he talks about the Montreal Expo stop a couple of times.

 Peter Walker interview

 

 

Updated On: 6/15/18 at 05:35 PM

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 10:07pm

The mod designs for EXPO 67 give me such life.

[1971FolliesFan]

Posted: 6/12/18 at 3:38pm

Ah thank you so much! Lovely to see there is some information out there on it!