DANCER

    The beautiful 5',5" Dorothy Dandridge was the first African-American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and the first black woman to grace the cover of Life Magazine. Dandridge was an African-American actress who married the famous dancer Harold Nicholas (Nicholas Brothers.) Dorothy, along with her sister Vivian Dandridge and Etta James were originally called "the Dandridge Sisters."

   Dorothy's mother Ruby was already an entertainer when her children were born. During the depression, her family moved to Los Angeles in hopes of finding work. Dorothy was already talented by doing shows with her mother. Dorothy could act as well as sing and dance when they arove in Hollywood and it didn't take long for her to be noticed. However, because of the racial thinking in Hollywood, many of her roles were stereotypically negro roles of the day which made it very difficult to land major roles.

She would keep herself busy in between acting by singing and dancing in many of the best nightclubs and Hotels around the country and even performed with the legendary Desi Arnez band.

   Her first film was in the 1935 film "Teacher's Beau" and by 1937 would appear in her first major film, a Marx Brothers comedy called "A Day at the Races." Dorothy is best remembered in the all-black production of Carmen Jones (1954) in the title role as well as her song and dance with the Nicholas Borthers in Sun Valley Serenade.

   Like Marilyn Monroe she was found dead in her West Hollywood apartment on September 8, 1965, the victim of a barbiturate poisoning, she died pennyless and very deeply in debt.