Theater News

Move Over, Hollywood! Broadway Will Soon Have Its Own Walk of Fame

Carol Channing
Carol Channing

Arlene Dahl, an M-G-M star who was one of the first actresses to make her mark on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1952, is now keen on making sure that Broadway gets its own version of La La Land’s celebrated sidewalk. As president and founder of The Broadway Walk of Stars Foundation, Inc., Dahl wants to see New York City’s own theater and show biz luminaries on the pavement.

Along with theater and film producer Marty Richards, Dahl will host a private reception on Thursday, October 10, to inaugurate the new Broadway Walk of Stars. Carol Channing, schedued to be in attendance as the special guest of honor, will be one of the first performers to receive her star on Broadway when the first group of such stars is installed, hopefully next spring. Jerry Herman — who wrote Hello, Dolly!, the musical that is practically synonymous with Channing — will present her with a replica of her star.

The Broadway Walk of Stars will begin on the streets of the Times Square area; specially designed stars honoring New York’s most famous stars and legends in the worlds of theater, dance, music, film, and TV will be placed on sidewalks along Broadway in the theater district. According to Dahl, “This exciting new endeavor is a long-overdue. The Broadway Walk of Stars will celebrate the talent, vitality, and rich cultural history of New York City and is a wonderful testimony to the enduring spirit of New York.”