Originated the role of Dolly Levi on Broadway in 1938, when Dolly was
just a minor character in
Thornton Wilder's original play "The Merchant
of Yonkers." Seventeen years later, Wilder reworked the play as "The
Matchmaker" with Mrs. Levi as the main character, and that became the
source of the musical "Hello, Dolly!".