Dorothy Dandridge Biography (1922-1965)

Full name, Dorothy Jean Dandridge; born November 9, 1922, in Cleveland, OH; died of acute drug intoxication, September 8, 1965, in West Hollywood, CA; buried in Forest Lawn, Glendale, CA: daughter of Cyril and Ruby (an actress; maiden name, Butler) Dandridge; married Harold Nicholas (a dancer and actor), 1944 (divorced, 1951); married Jack Denison (a restaurateur), 1959 (divorced 1962); children: (first marriage) Harolyn. Career: Actress and singer. The Wonder Children (song and dance duo), member (with sister Vivian Dandridge), c. 1926-34; The Dandridge Sisters (musical group), member, c. 1934-42; regularly appeared in nightclubs, c. late 1940s-65. Awards, Honors: Academy Award nomination, best actress, 1954, British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award, best foreign actress, 1956, both for Carmen Jones; Golden Globe Award, best actress in a musical, for Porgy and Bess..

Nationality: American
Gender: Female
Occupation: actress, singer
Birth Details: November 9, 1922; Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Death Details: September 8, 1965; West Hollywood, California, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
(Film debut) A Day at the Races, 1937
Four Shall Die (also known as Condemned Men), 1940
Thalia, Bahama Passage, 1941
Felice, Lady from Louisiana (also known as Lady from New Orleans), 1941
Specialty, Sun Valley Serenade, 1941
Kipsang's Bride, Sundown, 1941
(Uncredited) Congoroo, Ride "Em Cowboy, 1942
(Uncredited) Hollyhock school maid, Lucky Jordan, 1942
Malimi, Drums of the Congo, 1942
Change of Heart (also known as Hit Parade of 1943), 1943
Officer's wife, Since You Went Away, 1944

Herself (singer), Atlantic City, 1944
Herself (singer), Pillow to Post, 1945
(As Dorothy Daindridge) Ebony Parade, 1947
Jungle Queen, 1951
Harlem Globetrotters, 1951
Melmendi, Queen of the Ashuba, Tarzan's Peril (also known as Tarzan and the Jungle Goddess), 1951
Herself, Remains to be Seen, 1953
Jane Richards, Bright Road, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1953
Title role, Carmen Jones, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1954
Aiche, mistress, Tamango (also known as La Rivolta dell'esperanza), Hal Roach, 1956
The Happy Road, 1957
Margo Seaton, Island in the Sun, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1957
Mahia, The Decks Ran Red, 1958
Bess, Porgy and Bess, Columbia, 1959
Gianna, Malaga (also known as Moment of Danger), 1960
The Murder Men, 1961
RECORDINGS
Albums
Appeared on Carmen Jones (soundtrack).

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Bogle, Donald, Dorothy Dandridge, Amistad Press, 1997.
Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 3, Gale Research, 1993, pp. 43-46.
Encyclopedia of World Biography, Volume 18, Gale Group, 1999, pp.112-14.

Periodicals:

Ebony, December 1993, p. 36; August 1997, p. 52; August 1999, p. 100.
Time, September 1, 1997, p. 73.*

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