SONDRA LEE INTERVIEW BY RICHARD SKIPPER

f you love Carol Channing as I do, you'll eat this interview with her Hello, Dolly" co-star up! 

"Carol's focus, as far as Sondra could see was on the show. She refers to Carol as a unique "cypher". Sondra said she never felt she had a moment where Carol really saw "her". Carol still refers to Sondra as Sandra Dee. Sondra says that she thinks Carol is one of the last of the monstreuse (excentric show girl). of the theatre. She HAD to be in the theatre. She found the right place for herself. Sondra says he doesn't even know who Carol is outside of the "Channing persona". After reading Carol's memoir, "Just Lucky I Guess", she still didn't know who Carol is. She said being with Carol was always as if they were at "Carol's eighth birthday party". It was always the same either on or off stage. Sondra said she was always respectful to Carol because she was the star. Carol was a lot sharper than people give her credit for. Her clothes and tastes were top of the line. Very well thought out. Very well carried. And the two sides of Carol didn't jive. Sondra walked into Carol's dressing room once and she was there without her wig. Sondra was in shock because Carol's hair was brown and it "looked like burlap". Her hair was damaged because of all of the peroxide during Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She would go to sleep with the peroxide on. She eventually sued William Dasher for a grand sum of money. THAT'S why she always wore the wigs. "The hand that went into her bag knew EXACTLY where it was going and what it was TAKING out." The presentation was that she didn't know. THAT was her persona."

Thanks, Richard Skipper!

MORE: http://richardskipper.blogspot.com/2012/03/you-grabbed-sandwich-and-your-pickle.html