Skip to main content

Cyril Dandridge

Dorothy was scarred by her childhood. She once said she regretted never having gotten to know her father, a cabinet maker /  draftsman named Cyril Dandridge, who her mother left before Dorothy was born in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Cyril was a quiet man, unassuming and sensitive.  Ruby, on the other hand was all energy and chatter. Not a usual match.  



Dorothy did not get a chance to find out what her father was like until she was sixteen and performing at New York's Cotton Club.  Through a star of the show, Bill (Bojangles) Robinson, Cyril made arrangements to see Dorothy and Vivian.

According to Dorothy, her mother Ruby was both mother and father to her.  Ruby walked out on Cyril shortly after having Vivian.  Cyril did get her to come back and she gave birth to Dottie, then left again.




Vivian Dandridge born in 1921.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jack Denison, Husband 2

Receiving marriage license in Santa Monica on morning of wedding day, Jack Denison happily kisses Dorothy after signing. Jack Denison kneels in prayer before wedding. It had taken Jack more than four years to get Dorothy to say yes, and maybe because it was a second marriage for both or took too long to come about.  The bride war a gown of white mousseline de soie and Chantilly lace, designed by Berman of London.  The dress was ballerina-length, with a V-neckline, three-quarter-length pouffe sleeves and a full skirt.  She carried a modest bouquet of lilies of the valley and violets. They were married in the ancient Greek rite ceremony at Los Angeles St. Sophia Orthodox Cathedral and 200 attended.  Dorothy was attended by Mrs. Gerry Branton and Miss Mary Denison, sister of the groom, while his brother, William, was best man.   w/ Nat King Cole Thirty minutes after the wedding began, the pair were Mr. and Mrs. Jack drove his bride awa
11 comments
Read more

About Dorothy Dandridge

Lena Horne called Dorothy Dandridge"Our Marilyn Monroe" Click on photos to get full view :) I am so grateful that my mother introduced me to Dorothy Dandridge at a very young age (4years old to be exact). My mom even named me after Dorothy's Carmen Jones, only with a "K" i nstead. Ever since I can remember I have admired her hypnotic beauty and couldn't wait to see her work when I got older. One of the first times I viewed many of her movies was on TNT. Ted Turner honored Black History Month by showing alot of our movies on that channel over ten years ago. When Dorothy was featured, I made su re I taped them. Was fortunate to get the Cain's Hundred episode that Dorothy did (Blue's For A Junkm an). For this I must Thank Ted Turner. Now am an avid fan of TCM. Author Donald Bogle has been featured on there many times giving his opinion and expertise on all of his favorite flix and artists ; Dorothy without question is always one of
4 comments
Read more

Otto Preminger

On the set of 'Carmen Jones', Dandridge usually kept to herself when not working in a scene, partly because she felt that others in the company mistrusted her and suspected her relationship with Preminger. Preminger originally wanted Dorothy for the role of 'Cindy Lou' in the film Carmen Jones (1954).  Dorothy laughed, and insisted that she could play a hellcat or a nun.   Orly Airport (May 9,1955) Preminger paid the down payment on her new showplace house in the Hollywood Hills and kept her checking account replenished.   Like Otto, Dorothy matched him in his meticulousness and discipline. Otto bullied everyone on the set with the exception of Pearl Bailey.  Dorothy got it the worse, but according to Geri, Dorothy's best friend, Dorothy handled Otto off the set ,"She gave him hell for two weeks. She didn't yell back on the set, but i'm telling you she gave him hell." "He couldn't get me out o
Post a Comment
Read more