<P> The role of Dolly Levi in the musical was originally written for Ethel Merman , but Merman turned it down , as did Mary Martin ( although each eventually played it ) . Merrick then auditioned Nancy Walker . Eventually , he hired Carol Channing , who then created in Dolly her signature role . Director Gower Champion was not the producer 's first choice , as Hal Prince and others ( among them Jerome Robbins and Joe Layton ) all turned down the job of directing the musical . </P>
<P> The role of Dolly Levi in the musical was originally written for Ethel Merman , but Merman turned it down , as did Mary Martin ( although each eventually played it ) . Merrick then auditioned Nancy Walker . Eventually , he hired Carol Channing , who then created in Dolly her signature role . Director Gower Champion was not the producer 's first choice , as Hal Prince and others ( among them Jerome Robbins and Joe Layton ) all turned down the job of directing the musical . </P>
who originated the role of dolly in hello dolly
who originated the role of dolly in hello dolly
Carol Channing
Carol Channing