Tidbits: Hello, Dolly! (1969)

Readying to see the TCM Big Screen Classics 50th anniversary presentation of Hello, Dolly! (1969). Below are some tidbits related to the lead role of Dolly.

Barbra Streisand as Dolly Levi

Title character Dolly is supposed to be a widow some years older than love interest Horace Vandegelder. However, in the 1969 film the age gap between Barbra Streisand and Walter Matthau, who played Dolly Levi and Horace Vandergelder respectively, was 22 years. She was 27 and he 49 when the film was released.

In a 2004 appearance on Inside The Actors Studio, Barbra Streisand acknowledged that she had been far too young for the part of Dolly and stated she should never have accepted the role.

Carol Channing, who was 48 in 1969, originally played Dolly in the Broadway production, winning a Tony award for Best Actress in a Musical. Despite the accolades, Channing was never considered for the movie role.

Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Day, Debbie Reynolds, Carol Burnett, and Shirley MacLaine were all briefly considered to play Dolly. Interesting to ponder what might have been.

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6 thoughts on “Tidbits: Hello, Dolly! (1969)

  1. My favourite musical,l think barbra was superb as Dolly.l think she is the same age as me ,l first saw her in fFunnyGirl in London.,she has the most amazing voice.I still play her records,loved her great acting and especially her humour.

  2. I just watch Hello Dolly for the umpteenth time. It always makes me so happy. Forget about what age their supposed to be, Barbara was perfect. Ageless is how she appeared. Seductive, clever, humorous, and a voice that lifts anyone who hears it. I love this film as much at 66 as I did at 12.

    1. Never in my lifetime did I think I would see Hello Dolly, such a splendid, splashing, extravagant, flamboyant, dashing, elegant, magnificent and glorious feast for your eyes and ears, in a movie theater, for all four showings it was available during its 50th anniversary presentation by Turner classic movies. How ironic, to catch the movie at Disney Springs twice, during the same time frame Disney was acquiring 20th century Fox. This is Barbra Streisand at her funniest, wittiest, sharpest, most luminous and most exasperatingly vivacious performance, not to mention some of her best vocals ever.

      Yes, Barbra at her best ever.

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