Dorothy Dandridge, Angel Face

Dorothy Dandridge and Rita Moreno, LIFE Magazine Covers 1954.  Rita's came out in March and Dorothy's came out in November.  Am so glad Dorothy did not meet Otto until the film 'Carmen Jones' was in the making.  Could have seen the role going to Rita even though Joyce Bryant and others were looking to be cast as Carmen.   Rita Moreno as Tuptim in the 1956 film 'The King and I'. A role Otto convinced Dorothy to turn down.   Rita Moreno won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in West Side Story (1961) for her role as Anita If Dorothy did not listen to Otto, this would have been her win. Above left is Dorothy as Melmendi, Queen of the Ashuba in Tarzan's Perils (1951). To the right is Rita as Tuptim.   Rita looks like 'Carmen Jones' in this photo. Anita with the fire of  'Carmen' Link to more of Rita Rita's dark complexion attracted Brando, who had never got over

Earl Mills was Dorothy Dandridge's manager and friend during her successful professional life.  He celebrated victories with her and suffered with her when things were tough.  Their relationship often bordered on the romantic according to Earl.  Geri Branton, Dorothy's best friend disagrees with that. Earl wrote this biography as a labor of love.  Earl's love shines through for Dorothy in this biography. Birth Name: Dorothy Jean Dandridge DOB: November 9, 1922 Birth Place: Cleveland, Ohio "In the black ghetto there is a saying that black is disliked by two races; the white and the black." - Earl Mills.   So true, especially today.  Dorothy was born with what turned out to be two curses - she was light and she was beautiful. Those two curses gave her both triumph and tragedy.   Earl Mills with Geri Branton In this book Earl describes himself as Dorothy's manager, close friend and lover for many

With Cissy, Mongrel

Dorothy with MGM makeup artist Bob Dawn on the set of the film Bright Road (1953).

Bad Investment Rual Steddiman my lawyer got me to invest in oil wells in Arizona.  Mel Parker my accountant, told me to not invest any more money in the oil wells.  Rual convinced me to put all my film projects and future film projects money into the oil wells. Evie and Van Johnson  Evie, Van Johnson's wife warned me to stop dealing with Rual. Ruby Dandridge My mother Ruby warned me; she told me that I should have put it into real estate. Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas paid to get out of it.  I was in it for four years. If it is possible for any human being to be like a haunted house, maybe that would be me. If it weren't for my belief in God, I'd think none of it was worthwhile...

"Hollywood's first authentic love goddess of color." Author , Earl Conrad Many of her close friends told her that her autobiography was a disgrace and should be kept quiet ~  Earl Conrad The Tragedies Legally evicted from my showcase home in the Hollywood Hills, lost fortune (due to poor investments in Arizona oil wells), retarded 19 year old daughter returned to me, in court to divorce second husband (Jack Denison)....All of these events converged with paralyzing swiftness, with crisis upon crisis.  At the end, all I wanted was to tale a long walk off Malibu Beach.  My career seemed crushed and over with. Desiring death more than anything.  Pills to pep up.  Pills to pipe down.  Pills taken Benzedrine (dangerous if overdosed).  Dexamil and Dexedrine (appetite deterrents).  Thyroid pills and digitalis.   More on and about the drugs Dorothy took Dorothy used 3 trucks from Bekins Van and Storage Company, during the evict