Profile of Dorothy Dandridge on Famous Like Me

Dorothy Jean Dandridge (born November 9, 1922 or 1923 in Cleveland, Ohio; died September 8, 1965 in West Hollywood, California) was an American actress. Born in Cleveland, Ohio to Cyril Dandridge and Ruby Jean Butler (both of whom were of African descent), she was the first African American to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Dandridge began singing in her church's choir and, with the prodding of her mother, she and her sister began to perform as "The Wonder Children." After the Depression Ruby, Vivian, Dorothy and Neva (Ruby's lesbian lover/friend) moved to Hollywood. Her first on-screen appearance was as an extra in a 1935 Our Gang short called Teacher's Beau.

Dorothy's first important role was a small part in the Marx Brothers' A Day at the Races (movie) in 1937 which her sister, Vivian and Etta Jones appear as "The Dandridge Sisters". The Dandridge Sisters traveled all over the world and even perfomed at the world famous Cotton Club with the Nicholas Brothers; Dorothy would eventually marry Harold Nicholas on September 6, 1942, who was abusive towards her, and they had one child, Harolyn Nicholas, Dandridge's only child, who was born severely handicapped, before they divorced in October, 1951.

Dorothy Dandridge did not receive another role until 1940, when she appeared in Four Shall Die a so-called "race film" in which she played a murderer at the age of 19. All of her early roles were stereotypical parts for African American actresses, but her singing ability brought her popularity in nightclubs around the country. During this period, she starred in several "soundies", video films designed to be displayed on juke boxes, including Paper Doll by the Mills Brothers Cow Cow Boogie, "Jig In The Jungle," "Mr. & Mrs. Carpenters (Rent Party)".

In 1954, Dandridge was cast in Carmen Jones, the remake of the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. For this performance, she received an Academy Award nomination. The Negro community had high hopes for Dorothy Dandridge at this time because of the Civil Rights Movement. Dorothy worked tirelessly to help the Movement in any way that she could. When Carmen Jones was released it was a financial success but despite the Oscar nomination, she had to go to Italy to make her next movie, Tamango, in 1956. Dorothy agreed to play "Tuptim" in The King and I but later changed her mind; Rita Moreno got the part instead. This may have led to her lack of work in Hollywood and she was once again forced to go on tour and perform at clubs across the nation. In 1957 she made Island in the Sun and in 1959 Porgy and Bess.

In 1965, Dandridge was found dead at the age of 41 or 42 in her home from an overdose of Imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant. Modern analysts believe that she may have suffered from bipolar disorder, commonly called manic depression. Depressed and apparently destitute, there is great speculation that her death was a suicide but the official coroner's report did not make a final determination.

She is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California. After her mother Ruby passed away she was interred with Dorothy at Forest Lawn.

She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6719 Hollywood Blvd.

Fellow Clevelander Halle Berry played Dandridge in the made-for-TV movie, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999), for which she won an Emmy Award.

Filmography

• Teacher's Beau Hal Roach, 1935
• The Big Broadcast of 1936 Paramount, 1936
• A Day at the Races (movie) MGM, 1937
• It Can't Last Forever Columbia, 1937
• Going Places Warner Bros., 1938
• Irene RKO, 1940
• Four Shall Die Million Dollar, 1940
• Lady from Louisiana Republic, 1941
• Sun Valley Serenade 20th Century-Fox, 1941
• Sundown United Artists, 1941
• Bahama Passage Paramount, 1941
• Ride 'Em Cowboy Universal, 1942
• Night in New Orleans Paramount, 1942
• Drums of the Congo Universal, 1942
• Lucky Jordan Paramount, 1942
• Happy Go Lucky Paramount, 1943
• Hit Parade of 1943 Republic, 1943
• Since You Went Away Selznick, 1944
• Atlantic City Republic, 1944
• Pillow to Post Warner Bros., 1945
• Ebony Parade Astor, 1947
• Tarzan's Peril RKO, 1951
• The Harlem Globetrotters Columbia, 1951
• Bright Road MGM, 1953
• Remains to Be Seen MGM, 1953
• Carmen Jones 20th Century-Fox, 1954
• Tamango Hal Roach, 1957
• Island in the Sun 20th Century-Fox, 1957
• The Happy Road MGM, 1957
• The Decks Ran Red MGM, 1958
• Porgy and Bess Goldwyn, 1959
• Moment of Danger Warner Bros., 1960
• The Murder Men MGM, 1961

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