Dorothy Dandridge
Dorothy Jean Dandridge ( born November 9, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio; † September 8, 1965 in Hollywood) was an American actress and singer.
Life
Mother and grandmother of Dorothy Dandridge Been actresses. As a child, she appeared as a singer on in Baptist churches in Ohio. Her mother Ruby Dandridge also wrote a piece for her two daughters, Vivian and Dorothy, The Wonder Children. Later the two sisters went to the south of the USA on tour.
During the world economic crisis of the early 1930s the family moved to Los Angeles. There, Dorothy quickly found small roles in radio and film; The Wonder Kids renamed themselves The Dandridge Sisters and also appeared in New York's Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater. Dandridges first film appearance was in 1935 a supporting role in the short film Our Gang; In 1937 she joined forces with her sister in The Marx Brothers: A Day at the Races on.
In her early films, she usually got the stereotypical roles that were provided for African-American women; 1940 Dandridge played a murderer in the film Four Shall Die. They quickly became known through her film appearances and had successful appearances as a singer in nightclubs. During this time, some Soundies like " Paper Doll" the Mills Brothers were taken, in which she sang her hits, mostly cover versions by other artists, " Cow Cow Boogie" by Freddie Slack and Ella Mae Morse and " Jig in the Jungle " and" Mr. & Mrs. Carpenter's Rent Party. "
Your greatest successes they had in the 1950s under director Otto Preminger. She played the title role in Carmen Jones and was nominated for this role as first black actress in history for the Academy Award for Best Actress. For the role of Bess in the film Porgy and Bess, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Your last film she made in 1961.
Burdened by depression, financial problems and alcohol addiction took in 1965 with an overdose of sleeping pills life. Before her death, she was talking to the role of Billie Holiday in a movie. This film, however, was not realized until some years after her death with Diana Ross in the lead role.
For their achievements in the film industry, Dorothy Dandridge with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ( 6719 Hollywood Boulevard) was honored. In the film Rising Star (1999) her career also was filmed. Halle Berry played the role of Dandridge, for which she won an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.
Discography
Singles
- You Is not Nowhere ( 1940)
- That's Your Red Wagon (1940 )
- Watcha Say (1944 )
- Blow Out the Candle ( 1951)
- Talk Sweet Talk To Me (1951 )
- Taking a Chance On Love (1953 )
- It's a Beautiful Evening (1961 )
Album
- Smooth Operatar (1958-1961, first published in 1999 )