Dorothy Dandridge: A Biograpy [J0149]

1997 - PB With minor wear, 611-pages including 32-pages of photographs. The definitive biography of a pioneering Black performer. She captured America's hearts in such stunning films as Carmen Jones and Porgy and Bess. Finally, the true story of America's first Black movie star is revealed in this brilliant, in-depth biography-from her turbulent childhood in Cleveland, to her Hollywood girlhood, her battles against racism, her rise to fame, her marriage and affairs, and her professional and personal decline. The first Black woman nominated for an Academy Award, Dorothy Dandridge (1922-1965) paved the way for thousands of Black women entertainers. She toured the South with "The Dandridge Sisters," appeared in dozens of movies and on Broadway, played the Cotton Club, and worked with such luminaries as Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Maxine Sullivan. But Dandridge's stardom only seemed to exacerbate her deep-seated insecurities-shadowing her success until she died of an overdose at the age of 42. Filled with photographs, and rich with research as well as personal anecdotes from Harry Belafonte, Etta James and others, Dorothy's biography is not only a fascinating study of the woman and the performer, but also a riveting look at Black Hollywood as it existed within the larger culture.

From recent-ish Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "A well examined life in book form, of a women who can be described as beautiful, depressed, talented, and human. She deserved better in her later years of life.", "Donald Bogle chronicles Dorothy's life until her untimely death in 1965. A beautiful and talented performer, her life was fraught with family issues, insecurities, bad advice and addiction. Through interviews with family members, friends, and acquaintances, Bogle digs deep into Dandridge's short life and also chronicles the Hollywood of 1930's through the 1960's, the prejudices that were still strong in the US, and its effect on Negro performers. If you're into Hollywood, then this is a must read.", "This may be a sad read for some but I enjoyed learning about this wonderful actress from the earlier days of Black Hollywood."; "Donald Bogle has written a wonderful book, that is the closest that we'll ever get to knowing who this wonderful woman was. If it had not been for her and her pain and struggles in Hollywood, we may not be able to enjoy our current black actresses. When I turned the last page, I had to take a moment to meditate on how sad it was but also how triumphant it was that we once had a great lady like Ms. Dandridge in our midst."