Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (TV 1999)

This biography of Dorothy Dandridge follows her career through early days on the club circuit with her sister to her turn in movies, including becoming the first black actress to win a Best... See full summary »

Director:

Martha Coolidge

Writers:

Earl Mills (book), Shonda Rhimes (teleplay),

Stars:

Halle Berry, Brent Spiner, Klaus Maria Brandauer

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 17 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Halle Berry	...	Dorothy Dandridge
Brent Spiner	...	Earl Mills
Klaus Maria Brandauer	...	Otto Preminger
Obba Babatundé	...	Harold Nicholas (as Obba Babatunde)
Loretta Devine	...	Ruby Dandridge
Cynda Williams	...	Vivian Dandridge
LaTanya Richardson	...	Auntie
Tamara Taylor	...	Geri Nicholas
William Atherton	...	Darryl Zanuck
D.B. Sweeney	...	Jack Denison
Don Gettinger	...	Hotel Clerk
Nicholas Hormann	...	Oscar Emcee
Sharon Brown	...	Etta Jones
Darrian C. Ford	...	Fayard Nicholas
M.J. Sawyer	...	B&W Movie Actress

Storyline

This biography of Dorothy Dandridge follows her career through early days on the club circuit with her sister to her turn in movies, including becoming the first black actress to win a Best Actress Nomination in 1954 for "Carmen Jones", to her final demise to prescription drugs, which was debated whether it was suicide or accidental. Brent Spiner plays her faithful manager who stood beside her through all of the roller coaster of her career. The film also examines her love affair with director Otto Preminger, which is shown to have probably initially helped her career, but later probably led her to some wrong decisions. The film also examines 50's racism as the black star is not permitted to use white bathrooms or the Vegas pool. In the first situation, she was given a bathroom cup to pee in. In the second situation, the hotel drained the pool and scrubbed it after she dared put her foot in the water.

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Plot Keywords:

career | actress | suicide | overdose | dandridge sisters | 

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Taglines:

She was everything America wanted a movie star to be... except white.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexual content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 August 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dorothy Dandridge

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel - 7000 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

City Entertainment, Esparza / Katz Productions, Home Box Office (HBO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dorothy Dandridge was the first African-American woman to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award (Carmen Jones). Halle Berry is the first African-American to win a Best Actress Academy Award (Monster's Ball).

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Goofs

Sprite soft drink bottles on set of a movie being shot in early Forties; Sprite wasn't marketed until 1961.

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Quotes

Harold Nicholas: Dottie, it's a whole different ballgame over there! They don't know the difference between black and white, and when they do, it's because they're treating us better than they treat their own!
Dorothy Dandridge: I can't go to Paris! Lynn is going to need special care!
Harold Nicholas: Then get special care.
Dorothy Dandridge: Not in an institution!
Harold Nicholas: Dottie, she doesn't even know we're here.
Dorothy Dandridge: I'm her mother. And you are her father.
Harold Nicholas: And I married you. Not this.
Dorothy Dandridge: Well, I am this! What are you?
Harold Nicholas: I'm Harold Nicholas, of the Nicholas Brothers. And maybe ...

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Connections

Referenced in Jeopardy!: Episode #22.196 (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Streamliner"
Written by Bill Elliott
Performed by Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra

User Reviews

Halle Berry's performance was wonderful

I've been a fan of Dorothy Dandridge for years and when I saw that Halle Berry brought her life to the big screen, her performance was very credible. If someone other than Halle would have done that part, the movie wouldn't have been as great as it was. It takes a hell of a lot of talent to pull off someone else's life and that couldn't have been very many actress in Hollywood. So, any old' actress wouldn't have done the job that Halle did. There were some aspects of Dorothy's life that weren't covered, but those weren't as important as the one's capture in the movie. When I saw Halle Berry playing Dorothy Dandridge, it was like I was seeing the real thing, because Halle Berry was very convincible. Plus, I see Halle and Dorothy Dandridge having a lot in common within their lives, and what Halle gave off wasn't anything rinky-dink, but the real thing. And it gives others who knew nothing about Dorothy Dandridge an insight on her life. Of course there were going to be things left out, of course there were going to things exaggerated, it wasn't going to be perfect, if you want to know how Dorothy was in temperament, read books on her, because those are where the real information comes from. Movies don't always tell everything, but Halle's performance wasn't based on looks, but how she gave off the image of Dorothy Dandridge on screen. So, Halle Berry did work hard to that story to life, and her I found it amazing that she went to such lengths and did it.