Home > Dorothy Dandridge

Dandridge began singing in her church's choir and, with the prodding of her mother, moved to Hollywood, where she had a small part in the Marx Brothers' A Day at the Races in 1937. She did not receive another role until 1940, when she appeared in Four Shall Die . 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 BrothersThe Mills Brothers were an American jazz and pop vocal group of the 20th century. The group was originally composed of four brothers from Piqua, Ohio: John, Herbert, Harry and Donald. They began performing together in the 1920s, and first became commercia and Cow Cow Boogie.

In 1954Events January events January 14 The Hudson Motor Car Company merges with Nash-Kelvinator forming the American Motors Corporation January 14 Marilyn Monroe weds Joe DiMaggio. January 15 Mau Mau leader Waruhiu Itote is captured in Kenya January 20 The Nati, Dandridge was cast in Carmen JonesCarmen Jones is a musical which is a modern look at the Georges Bizet opera Carmen from an African-American viewpoint. It was later made into a film. The Broadway musical was produced by Billy Rose, using an all-black cast, and was an instant hit. The mus, the remake of the operaCharles Garnier's Opera, Paris, opened 1875 Opera is an art form consisting of a dramatic stage performance set to music. The drama is presented using the typical elements of theater such as scenery, costumes, and acting. However, the words of the opera, CarmenCarmen is a French opera by Georges Bizet, with text by Meilhac and Halevy, based on the novel by Prosper Merimee. Its first production was in Paris in 1875. During its time, the opera was considered a failure, denounced as “immoral” and “superficial. by Georges BizetGeorges Bizet ( October 25, 1838 June 3, 1875), was a French composer of the romantic era best known for his opera Carmen. Born Alexandre-Cesar-Leopold, but baptized Georges, Bizet, a child prodigy, entered the prestegious Paris Conservatory of Music at t. It gave her her Academy AwardBob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. The Academy Awards (often better known as Oscars) are the most prominent film award in the United States. The Awards are granted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a p nomination. Despite the nomination, she had to go to Italy to make her next movie, Tamango , in 1956.

In 1957 she made Island in the Sun and in 1959 Porgy and Bess.

In 1965, Dandridge was found dead in her home of an overdose of barbiturates. Modern analysts believe that she may have suffered from manic depression. She is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California.

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