Channing Kullijian photo courtesy Deanne Fitzmaurice
Carolyne Zinko, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer, provides a wonderful story of their meeting and marriage:
Carol Channing married her junior high school sweetheart, Harry Kullijian, on Saturday, seven decades after they broke up.
Channing, best known for her role in Broadway's "Hello, Dolly," and Kullijian, a land developer from Modesto, were raised in San Francisco, where they attended Aptos Junior High School together. Her mother eventually put an end to their relationship because she thought her daughter was too forward, friends said.
The two went on to different high schools and separate lives, but never forgot each other.
Channing's memories of Kullijian were so fond that she included them in her recent autobiography, "Just Lucky, I Guess." Apparently, it was fortunate that she did.
A mutual friend, Mervin Morris of Atherton, founder of Mervyn's department stores, happened to be reading the book on an airplane on Jan. 29. He and his wife, Roz, had become acquainted with Channing because they both own homes near Palm Springs.
Harry Kullijian died Monday at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, CA the day before what would have been his 92nd birthday.
Channing and Kullijian married in a matter of months after their reunion.... Channing was 82 and Kullijian 83.
One of my favorite—and lesser known—Carol Channing songs is this sweet little gem from the movie, Thoroughly Modern Mille:
We love you Miss Channing. You are in our thoughts and prayers. We are sorry for your loss.
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