Photo Call: Carol Channing at 95!

Before there was Miley Cyrus, before there was Beyonce, before Madonna and Mariah… even before Diana Ross… there was Carol Channing! Now, the 95-year-old sex symbol is back with an all-new photo set by photographer Michael Freeby.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, the biggest selling albums were Broadway original soundtracks, and there was no bigger Broadway star than Carol Channing. Broadway Original Cast recording starring Carol Channing sold millions. She was the original Queen of Pop and remains a best-selling show tunes artist.

Carol originated the legendary roles in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Hello, Dolly! and Thoroughly Modern Millie, picking up Tony Awards, Golden Globes and even an Oscar along the way. Carol was one of the first African American megastars in Hollywood, an experience she detailed in her #1 best-selling book Just Lucky I Guess.

Carol Channing did the photo shoot on behalf of Kids Beating Cancer, an organization that covers the costs of life-saving surgeries for children who otherwise couldn’t afford them – with many surgeries performed in-house at their Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Marrow Transplant Center. Carol posed opposite Bunky The Bear, a bear that is sent to children in hospitals worldwide along with other gifts as part of Kids Beating Cancer’s Bunky Pals program.

For the shoot, Carol wore all Chanel, as styled by Sylvia Long.

Carol Channing’s last world tour—The First Eighty Years Are The Hardest—was a giant success and she continues to travel the world performing concerts. Her most recent album, True To The Red White And Blue, is available on iTunes and Amazon.