Born As: Dorothy Jean Dandridge Date of Birth: November 9, 1922 Place of Birth: Cleveland, Ohio, USA Date of Death: September 8, 1965 Place of Death: West Hollywood, California, USA
Dated music composer Phil Moore, who was instrumental in launching her career as a nightclub singer in the 1940s.
Her best friend was Geraldine Pate Nicholas Branton, former wife of Fayard Nicholas of the tap dancing duo The Nicholas Brothers.
She loved soul food. Her favorite was chitterlings and greens, which she ate only once a week.
Suffered from near paralyzing stage fright whenever she had to perform.
Although she was a top-notch nightclub/caberet singer, she despised it.
In September 1965 the New York Times reported that her death was caused by bone marrow particles from a fractured metatarsal bone in her right foot entered her bloodstream and reached her brain and lungs.
First black woman to grace the cover of Life Magazine.
She was pursued for the role of Tuptim in "The King & I", but turned it down on the advice of Otto Preminger, who advised her not to accept a role in which she was not the star. Rita Moreno was then cast in the role.
Now thought to have suffered from manic depression.
