An appreciation of Dorothy Dandridge -- narrated by Janet Jackson for Turner Classic Movies (TCM); originally premiered September 1, 2020
A trailblazer and undeniable talent, Dorothy Dandridge began her career as part of a song-and-dance trio later billed as The Dandridge Sisters before her family relocated to Hollywood from Ohio. There, she refused stereotypical roles on film, which limited the actress to minor but memorable parts. Her breakthrough performance was in the tender classroom drama Bright Road (1953), which she starred alongside in with Harry Belafonte. This film sparked a short but significant career for Dandridge, and she became the first woman of color to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her role in Carmen Jones (1954). It would take another 40+ years before a person of color would actually win the award (Halle Berry in 2001′s Monster’s Ball). Dandridge died tragically at 42 years old in 1965.
