Film Actor/Film Actress, Actress, Film Actress, Classic Pin-Ups, Singer (1922–1965)
Dorothy Dandridge was born in 1922 Cleveland, Ohio and her early success’s included preforming with your sister, leading up to the soon later appearances in film. She became the first African American to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award.
Her mother was an actress named Ruby Dandridge, left her husband while she was pregnant, and as such Dorothy never knew her father. She later suffered at the hands of her mother's girlfriend, Geneva Williams, a disciplinarian with a cruel side.
Dorothy was pushed into show business when she was young and with her sister Vivian by her side, they where called the Wonder Children. They played black churches and other places.
She moved to LA in California with her family. Soon then she went to a musical group, with Friend Etta Jones and Vivian. The group and in particularly Dandridge was confronted by race and segregation at a young age. The ironic part was she could preform at venues but was banned from eating and drinking just bluntly because she is black.
She grew up and during her youth she got into film and dancing. In 1942 she married Harold Nicholas. Dandridge gave birth to daughter Harold in 1943, they discovered that the girl had brain damage. Seeking to find a cure, Dandridge had Harold received expensive private care for many years. After her daughter and Harold divorced in 1951, she went back into show business.
Dandridge had trouble finding film roles that suited her talents. She wanted strong leading roles, but found her opportunities limited because of her race. According to The New York Times, Dandridge once said, "If I were Betty Grable, I could capture the world." Belafonte also addressed this issue, noting that his former co-star "was the right person in the right place at the wrong time.”
That was exactly the point no matter how good she was, segregation and public limitation would stop her from ever becoming an Icon for the world.
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