After all these years, I don’t think there’s ever been a more charismatic or relatable Rizzo than Stockard Channing.
Channing was a great artist and her singing was just fantastic in Grease – but nowadays, the 80-year-old looks almost unrecognizable.
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The first movie I ever saw Stockard Channing in was called The Big Bus and I thought it was hilarious. But back then, I could never imagine that she would go on and have such a remarkable career.
Today, Stockard Channing is best known for her iconic portrayal of Betty Rizzo in Grease, the 1978 American musical romantic comedy film based on the 1971 musical of the same name. Like many before me have pointed out, Channing was by far the best Rizzo out of all that have played the part.
Many probably also recognize Channing from the series The West Wing, where she starred as First Lady Abbey Bartlet. The experienced actress was praised for her instant chemistry with Martin Sheen, who played President Josiah Barlet.
“It just worked,” she told Entertainment Weekly in 2020.
“We had this chemistry from the beginning. I don’t know what it was, but we had it and it didn’t go away. It was a happy accident.”
Starring as Beth Rizzo
But let’s take a deeper look at the highlight of Channing’s career. Because in the name of honesty, she hasn’t appeared in any major motion picture since Grease, even though she has continued to act in films and on Broadway.
The 13-time Emmy Award nominee and seven-time Tony Award nominee appears to be totally fine with being most remembered for her portrayal of bad girl Beth Rizzo, one of the Pink Ladies in Grease.
But is that really the whole truth?
Back in 1973, Channing had little breakthrough starring in the TV-movie The Girl Most Likely to…, a black comedy about revenge.
“A lot of people talk about the G-word [Grease] and all of that, but back in the day, I had as many people stop me in the street about that one movie. Because it’s about revenge, and people would sit in their living rooms and go, ‘Oh, I’m the only person watching this’ or ‘this person understands me.’ I’m not kidding. It was a million years ago, and then it was the highest-rated movie of the week. Revenge always works,” she says.
According to Channing, she has only watched Grease only two times.
“I used to be grumpy about Grease because I thought it was a kids’ movie or something. But now it’s sort of amazing. I’m very proud of it,” she told The Times in 2019.
The Manhattan-born actress was 33 years old when she played Rizzo and playing a high school teenager wasn’t so easy for her.
”I was so much older than she was in life, but I could not think about that so I sort of threw myself back to what I felt when I was her age over, even younger. The complexity of adolescents and hormones and sexuality and all of that other stuff. Seeing that I really was older I think that added to the isolation of Rizzo,” Channing told Broadway World.
Channing, who became interested in acting at an early age, was thrilled when she was offered the role of Rizzo, and her performance made her a top-ranking star in the late 1970s. She earned a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture Supporting Actress, but the New York native had difficulty achieving similar success after Grease.
The beloved actress was handed two sitcoms of her own, Stockard Channing in Just Friends (1979) and The Stockard Channing Show (1980), but neither was successful and her career halted.
But with her look of Elizabeth Taylor and air of calm confidence, Channing didn’t give up and she continued to work as an actress, appearing in many highly-praised movies and stage plays. Her latest appearance on the big screen came was in Angry Neighbors, which premiered in 2022.
Woman Summoned to School Over Her Son’s Misconduct and Is Stunned to Discover Who His Teacher Is
It was a tough life for Molly. Her main concern was her son, Tommy. The constant changing of schools and towns wasn’t good for him. He started bullying other kids and starting fights. She never imagined that one call to the principal’s office would restore a part of her life she thought was lost.
Molly sat quietly across the table from her husband, Nigel, as they shared a tense lunch. The clinking of cutlery was the only sound breaking the heavy silence between them.
Nigel’s frustration was evident in the way he poked at his food, barely taking a bite. His brow was furrowed, and his mouth was set in a tight line.
Finally, he muttered under his breath, “This is overcooked,” pushing his plate away with a look of disdain.
Molly felt her heart sink at his words. She had tried her best with the meal, but it seemed nothing she did ever pleased Nigel anymore. His next words cut even deeper.
“And why can’t you get your son to behave? He’s always causing trouble, and it’s making our lives more difficult.”
The way Nigel referred to Tommy as “your son” stung. He never called Tommy “our son,” always distancing himself from the boy.
Despite being together for so many years, Nigel had never fully embraced Tommy as his own.
Tommy wasn’t Nigel’s biological child, but Molly had hoped that, with time, he would come to love him as a father should.
But instead, the constant moving and instability seemed to be tearing their family apart, with Nigel’s impatience growing more pronounced with each passing day.
Nigel had struggled to find stable work, bouncing from one city to another, taking on whatever part-time jobs he could find.
Each time he lost a job, they would uproot their lives again, packing up their belongings and moving to a new place.
Molly had tried to be supportive, taking care of Tommy and doing her best to keep their small family together. But for Tommy, who was only eight, the constant upheaval was taking a toll.
Every time they moved, Tommy had to adjust to a new school, new friends, and new teachers.
It wasn’t surprising that he had started acting out in school. He had changed schools three times in the past year alone, and it was becoming harder and harder for him to keep up.
The frequent relocations meant that he never had a chance to settle in, to feel like he belonged anywhere.
Molly worried about him constantly, knowing how much he was struggling but feeling powerless to help.
The phone rang suddenly, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled over the table.
Molly reached for it, dreading what the call might bring.
When she heard the voice on the other end, her heart sank further.
“Mrs. Jones, we need to talk about Tommy,” came the voice of Mrs. Kolinz, the school principal. Her tone was serious, and Molly knew what was coming.
“His behavior has been disruptive, and we’d like you to come to the school tomorrow to speak with his teacher.”
Molly sighed, her heart heavy. This conversation was inevitable. She agreed to meet with the teacher, hoping against hope that this wouldn’t lead to another expulsion.
If Tommy was kicked out of this school, finding another one willing to take him in would be nearly impossible.
The weight of the situation pressed down on her as she hung up the phone, feeling more alone and helpless than ever.
The next day, Molly walked into the school with Tommy’s small hand firmly in hers. The halls were quiet, but her heart pounded with each step they took toward the principal’s office.
The walls seemed to close in on her, amplifying her anxiety. She could feel Tommy’s grip tightening, a reflection of his own unease.
She wished she could comfort him, but her own nerves were too overwhelming.
As they approached the door at the end of the hallway, Molly noticed that it was slightly ajar.
She took a deep breath and peeked inside, seeing the familiar figure of Mrs. Kolinz, the school principal, seated behind her desk.
Standing next to her was a man with his back turned toward the door. Molly’s breath caught in her throat as she realized who it was.
It was him. Christian. Her ex-boyfriend from nearly nine years ago. The man she had once loved deeply and the man who left her.
Christian looked right into her eyes, and she knew he recognized her too. But they both understood it was better to keep it to themselves for now.
Molly quickly pushed her thoughts of Christian aside, forcing herself to focus on the situation at hand. This wasn’t the time to dwell on the past.
Mrs. Kolinz glanced up as Molly and Tommy entered the room.
“Mrs. Jones,” she began, her tone professional and firm, “thank you for coming. Mr Rogers, the boy’s teacher, and I need to talk with you about Tommy’s behavior.”
“It’s been quite concerning lately, and we can’t tolerate any more disruptions in the classroom. If this continues, we may have to ask him to leave the school.”
Molly’s heart sank as she heard those words. She had been dreading this conversation, knowing that Tommy’s behavior had been getting worse with each move they made.
But this school was their last hope, the only place that had agreed to take Tommy in after so many rejections. If he got expelled from here, she didn’t know what they would do.
“Please, Mrs. Kolinz,” Molly pleaded, her voice trembling with emotion. “Tommy just needs more time to adjust.
“We’ve moved so much, and it’s been really hard on him. He’s not a bad kid; he’s just struggling to find his place. This school is our last hope. If he has to leave, I don’t know where we’ll go.”
Mrs. Kolinz softened slightly, her eyes showing a hint of sympathy, but she remained firm in her stance.
“We understand that Tommy has been through a lot, Mrs. Jones. But we have to think about the other students as well. We’ll give him one more chance, but if there’s another incident, it will be his last.”
Molly nodded, her heart heavy with worry. She knew the odds were stacked against them, but she had no choice but to hope that Tommy could turn things around.
As the meeting ended, she gently guided Tommy out of the office and down the hallway toward the car.
Her mind was racing, filled with fears about the future and the challenges that lay ahead.
Just as they reached the car, she heard a voice call out to her, a voice that sent a shiver down her spine.
“Molly, wait.”
She turned around slowly, her heart pounding as she faced Christian.
“Tommy, get in the car and wait for me,” she said softly to her son, who obediently climbed into the backseat.
Molly watched him shut the door before turning back to face the man she never expected to see again.
Christian’s voice was soft, but the weight of his words hit Molly like a ton of bricks.
She could see the genuine concern in his eyes, a concern she hadn’t expected to find after all these years.
He had always been a caring persson, but hearing him now, admitting his regrets, was something she hadn’t prepared for.
“Christian…” Molly began, her voice barely above a whisper. She struggled to keep her emotions in check.
“You made it very clear back then that you didn’t want the responsibility. You walked away without looking back. What’s different now?”
Christian’s expression softened, and he took a deep breath, as if trying to gather the right words.
“I was scared, Molly. I was young and stupid, and I didn’t realize what I was giving up. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about you… about what we could have had.”
He exhaled.
“When I saw Tommy, it all clicked. I see so much of myself in him, and it made me realize what I missed out on. I can’t undo the past, but I want to make things right now.”
“Nigel is Tommy’s father now,” Molly said, though her voice lacked conviction.
“I’ve made a life with him, and I can’t just throw that away.”
“I’m not asking you to throw anything away, Molly. I just want to be there for Tommy. He deserves to know his real father, and I want to help him in any way I can.”
He came closer.
“I’ve seen kids like him before—kids who are acting out because they’re missing something important in their lives. I know I can be that for him, and maybe… maybe we can find a way to make this work.”
Molly’s heart ached with the weight of the decision she faced. She knew Christian was right—Tommy needed more than what Nigel was providing. But admitting that felt like betraying the life she had tried so hard to build.
“Please, just think about it,” Christian said, his voice gentle but pleading.
“I’m not asking for an answer right now. But I want you to know that I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere this time.”
Molly nodded slowly, her mind racing. “I’ll think about it,” she whispered, her voice filled with uncertainty.
Christian gave her a small, hopeful smile. “That’s all I ask. Take your time, Molly. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
Molly returned home with Tommy later in the evening. She decided to take her son for a ride after school and have dinner out. As she opened the door, the familiar sight of Nigel sprawled on the couch greeted her.
His shirt was rumpled, and a half-empty bottle of whiskey sat on the table beside him. The room was dim, and the air smelled of alcohol and stale air.
Nigel had lost yet another job, and rather than facing his problems, he had chosen to numb himself with drink.
Molly sighed deeply, her heart heavy. This wasn’t the life she had envisioned for herself or her son. She walked him to the bed; he was already sleepy, and as soon as he touched the sheets, he closed his eyes.
She glanced around the small, cluttered apartment, filled with items they had collected over years of moving from one place to another, never really settling.
The decision she had been avoiding for so long suddenly became clear. It was time to leave, to give Tommy a better life, one where he could feel stable and loved.
Quietly, Molly packed a few bags, gathering Tommy’s clothes and his favorite toys. She checked if Nigel woke up, and after seeing that he was still asleep she went for her son.
She moved with a sense of purpose she hadn’t felt in years. When everything was ready, she gently shook Tommy awake.
“Come on, Tommy. We’re leaving,” she said softly.
Tommy rubbed his eyes, still half-asleep. “Where are we going, Mom?”
Molly smiled, her heart swelling with a newfound sense of hope. “We’re going to stay with someone who cares about us. Someone who wants to be part of our lives.”
As they left the apartment, Molly felt an enormous weight lift off her shoulders.
For the first time in a long while, she felt like they were on the right path, heading toward a future that held promise and happiness—a new beginning for both of them.
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