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Dorothy Dandridge |
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Dandridge was born in Cheveland, Ohio during the year of 1922. Before making a name for herself in Los Angeles, she belonged to a dancing trio called the Dandridge Sisters.(1) Even though the singing act performed regularly at the Cotton Club and for a short while in Europe, the girls split up as Dorothy persued her heart's desire, acting. She desperately wanted to be an actress but would refused casting in stereotypical black roles such as maid. Her fame comes from her ability to secure roles that were unheard of at that time for a Colored actress. These include "Carmen Jones" (1954) a production by Otto Preminger and Island in the Sun.. |
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"If I were white, I could capture the world" |
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Raising to the top of her profession with her first starring role, Dorothy became the first black woman to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.(2) She was aware of the difficulties a Black actress faced while trying to maintain a successful career in Hollywood.
When Dorothy heard rumors of an all black production being made, she knew this was the role she had dreamed of. The movie Carmen Jones was an Americanized version of the Bizet opera.(1) Dorothy longed for the role of Carmen, the lead character and a sultry vixen who loves several men but then leaves them. |
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Her next starring role was of Margot Seaton in the film, Island in the Sun 1957.(1) This movie was based on a controversial book about interracial relationships. The two relationships involved Dorothy's character and John Justin and between Joan Fontaine and Harry Belafonte. Since Dorothy and Harry were both Black the producers would not allow intimacy during the love scenes. Even though the film proved to be successful, critics dismissed it as being simply boring. |
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Dorothy Dandridge as Carmen
Courtesy of Phllip Oliver |
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As one of the first Colored movie stars to grace the cover of Life Magazine, this actress/ singer defiently challenged and overcame boundaries |
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Dorothy Dandridge 1922-1965
Courtsey of Phillip Oliver
Picture to the far left: Island in the Sun (1957)
Courtsey of SeparateCinema.com
Picture to the left: Life Magazine
Courtsey of Phillip Oliver |
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1. Dorothy Dandridge. Philip Oliver. <http://home.hiwaay.net/~oliver/dandridge.html>
2. Dorothy Dandridge. African Americans in Motion Pictures. <http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/african/movies.htm#dandridge> |
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