DOROTHY DANDRIDGE

• Born: November 9, 1922
• Died: September 8, 1965
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Actress, Singer, Dancer

Dorothy Jean Dandridge was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is the first African-American film star to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, which was for her performance in Carmen Jones (1954). Dandridge performed as a vocalist in venues such as the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater. During her early career, she performed as a part of The Wonder Children, later The Dandridge Sisters, and appeared in a succession of films, usually in uncredited roles.