Biography
Dorothy Dandridge was an American actress and singer. Born on 9 November 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio, she began performing as a child with her sister in The Wonder Children, later The Dandridge Sisters, appearing in nightclubs including the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater. She made early uncredited film appearances, including in A Day at the Races (1937).
Dandridge achieved her breakthrough in the title role of Carmen Jones (1954), becoming the first African American nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She received a Golden Globe nomination for Porgy and Bess (1959). Other credits include Island in the Sun (1957) and Tamango (1958). She died on 8 September 1965 in West Hollywood, California.
She was the subject of the 1999 biographical film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
