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Dorothy Dandridge

Dorothy Dandridge

Actor · Died September 8, 1965, aged 42 · Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Dorothy Jean Dandridge (November 9, 1922 – September 8, 1965) was an American actress and singer. She was the first African-American film star to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, which was for her performance in Carmen Jones (1954). Dandridge also performed as a vocalist in venues such as the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater. During her early career, she performed as a part of The Wonder Children, later The Dandridge Sisters, and appeared in a succession of films, usually in uncredited roles. In 1959, Dandridge was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Porgy and Bess. She is the subject of the 1999 biographical film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, with Halle Berry portraying her. She has been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 9, 1922
Died
September 8, 1965 (aged 42)
From
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
10 on MovieCove · 36 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 6% in 30 days

What are Dorothy Dandridge's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Bonds.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
24%
Bonds
23%
Self
22%
Power
12%
Morality
11%
Survival
8%
Romantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 2 · Dark 2

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 2 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 2 of 3 analyzed roles.

Hero
2 of 3
Shadow
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
4
Romantic
4
Melancholic
3
Joyful
2
Warm
2
Other
4

How their films linger

Feel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet1
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Dorothy Dandridge's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 1 of their 10 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Subscription and free streaming for Dorothy Dandridge's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

36 credits, 10 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Sarah Vaughan & Other Jazz Divas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • Cain's Hundred (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Norma Sherman

  • The Murder Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Norma Sherman

  • Moment of Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Gianna

  • Porgy and Bess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Bess

  • The Decks Ran Red(1958)

    as Mahia

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Tamango (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Aiché, Reiker's mistress

  • Island in the Sun(1957)

    as Margot Seaton

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Carmen Jones(1954)

    as Carmen Jones

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Remains to Be Seen(1953)

    as Dorothy Dandridge

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Bright Road(1953)

    as Jane Richards

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Harlem Globetrotters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Ann Carpenter

  • Tarzan's Peril (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Melmendi, Queen of the Ashuba

  • Atlantic City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Singer

  • Since You Went Away(1944)

    as Black Officer's Wife in Train Station (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Hit Parade of 1943 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Count Basie Band Singer

  • Happy Go Lucky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Showgirl (uncredited)

  • Moo Cow Boogie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Singer

  • Lucky Jordan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Hollyhock School Maid

  • Orchestra Wives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Singer/Dancer

  • Drums of the Congo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Princess Malimi

  • Night in New Orleans (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Sal, Shadrach's Girl (uncredited)

  • Bahama Passage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Thalia

  • Ride 'Em Cowboy(1942)

    as Dancer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Sundown(1941)

    as Kipsang's Wife

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Sun Valley Serenade(1941)

    as Specialty Act

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Lady from Louisiana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Felice

  • Easy Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Actor

  • Four Shall Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Helen Fielding

  • Irene (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as One of the Dandridge Sisters (uncredited)

  • Going Places (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Member of The Dandridge Sisters

  • Snow Gets in Your Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as One of the Dandridge Sisters (uncredited)

  • It Can't Last Forever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Dandridge Sisters Act (uncredited)

  • A Day at the Races(1937)

    as Singer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Teacher's Beau (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Student

  • Ebony Parade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as (archive footage)

Career shape

Star power in the 84th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 36 titles, 35 of them dated from 1935 to 2005.

Highest rated

Sun Valley Serenade (1941)

Midcredits 80th

Most popular right now

Carmen Jones (1954)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting36 of 36: 36 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score65th

By decade

1930s5 · acting1940s17 · acting1950s9 · acting1960s3 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 11th · top billed in 0% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Dorothy Dandridge's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 65th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 10 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th3

Shape of the crowd

None of their 10 titles divides audiences: 4 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed2

Most loved · actor

A Day at the Races (1937)

Midcredits 92nd · 82% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Dorothy Dandridge work with?

People who share at least 2 of Dorothy Dandridge's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Harry Belafonte shares the most, 4.

Actors

Producers