Although Stockard Channing is best known for playing Betty Rizzo in the musical “Grease,” she had her start in Off-Broadway plays. The actress started acting in 1969, appearing in lesser-known roles. She only found real success when she was 34 years old.
By the time she got the role of Rizzo, Channing had already been married and divorced twice. In fact, she decided to keep the name Channing after divorcing her first husband, Walter Channing Jr, in 1967. Later, in 1970, she married Paul Schmidt, but the two went their separate ways after only six years.
Although Stockard Channing is best known for playing Betty Rizzo in the musical “Grease,” she had her start in Off-Broadway plays. The actress started acting in 1969, appearing in lesser-known roles. She only found real success when she was 34 years old.
By the time she got the role of Rizzo, Channing had already been married and divorced twice. In fact, she decided to keep the name Channing after divorcing her first husband, Walter Channing Jr, in 1967. Later, in 1970, she married Paul Schmidt, but the two went their separate ways after only six years.
Sadly, neither took off, and she was left back where she started. Channing also met her fourth husband, David Rawle, in 1980, but after eight years together, they divorced. Finally, in 1993, the actress was recognized by the Academy Awards for her role in the film “Six Degrees of Separation.”
She was nominated for Best Actress in 1994, which opened up her path to the silver screen once more. After ’94, Channing had her pick of roles and starred in several successful films. She starred in “To Wong Foo,” “Thanks for Everything!,” “Julie Newmar,” and “Smoke.” She also had several cameos.Finally, in 1990, she met the man she would be in a relationship with for the longest. Channing and Daniel Gillham were married for more than two decades. Sadly, Gilham passed away in 2014. During this time, Channing’s career kept growing, with multiple appearances in films and TV shows.
Stockard Channing’s Fans Couldn’t Recognize Her: She Turned 79
After a memorable career, Channing turned 79 in 2023. The actress has mainly stayed out of the public eye these last few years, but she appeared on the talk show “Lorraine” in 2017. Following the rare public appearance, the actress was criticized by countless fans saying she looked completely different…CONTINUE READING