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Dorothy Jean Dandridge (born November 9, 1922 in
Cleveland, Ohio; died September 8, 1965 in West
Hollywood, California) was an United
States|American actress.  Born in Cleveland, Ohio,
she was the first African American to be
nomination|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 friend) moved to Hollywood. Her first
on-screen appearance was as an extra in a 1935 Our
Gang short  film|short, Teacher's Beau. Dorothy
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 later marry Harold
Nicholas and have one child, Harolyn, with him
before they divorced.

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 lead 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 in her home of
an overdose of Imipramine, a tricyclic
antidepressant.  Modern analysts believe that she
may have suffered from bipolar disorder, commonly
called manic depression. She is interred in Forest
Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale,
California. After her mother Ruby passed away she
was placed 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). Ironically, though Dandrige was
the first African-American woman to be nominated
for a Best Actress Oscar, Berry was the first to
win.

==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

==External links==

*imdb name|id=0199268|name=Dorothy Dandridge

lived | b=1922 | d=1965 | key=Dandridge, Dorothy