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Dress worn by Phyllis Diller in Hello, Dolly! on Broadway

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@ National Museum of American History

Description

Phyllis Diller wore this dress when she portrayed Dolly Gallagher Levi in the Broadway production of Hello, Dolly! for three months in 1970 at the St. James Theatre in New York City. The complete costume includes a full-length maroon and pale pink dress decorated with sequins, beads, and embroidery as well as elbow-length white gloves. Diller followed Carol Channing, Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Pearl Bailey (in a version with an all-black cast), and Betty Grable in the role and was replaced by Ethel Merman, who closed out the show in December 1970. NMAH also has the dress Carol Channing wore when she portrayed Dolly Gallagher Levi in 1994 for the 30th anniversary of the 1964 production (1997.0232.01).Currently not on view
Format:
Satin (Overall Material)Wool (Overall Material)Cotton (Overall Material)Brass (Overall Material)Metal (Overall Material)Glass (Overall Material)
Rights:
Gift of Phyllis Diller
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Record Contributed By

National Museum of American History

Record Harvested From

Smithsonian Institution