Marpessa Dawn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marpessa Dawn
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Dawn in 1959
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| Born | January 3, 1934 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Died | August 25, 2008 (aged 74) |
| Other names | Gypsy Marpessa Dawn Menor |
| Occupation | Actress, singer, dancer |
| Years active | 1955–1995 |
Marpessa Dawn (born January 3, 1934 – died August 25, 2008) was an American-born French actress. She was also a talented singer and dancer. Many people remember her best for her main role in the famous 1959 film Black Orpheus.
About Marpessa Dawn
Marpessa Dawn was born on a farm near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her family had African-American and Filipino backgrounds. Before she moved to Europe as a teenager, she worked as a laboratory technician in New York.
She started her acting career in England. There, she had a few small roles on TV. In 1953, she moved to France. While in France, she sometimes worked as a governess. She also sang and danced in nightclubs. This is where she met the director Marcel Camus.
When she was 24, Marpessa got the part of "Eurydice" in Camus's film Black Orpheus. This movie became very successful. It won the Palme d'Or award at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival. It also won an Academy Award in 1960 for Best Foreign Language Film.
Marpessa Dawn was known for her beauty. In November 1959, Ebony magazine featured her. She was called "one of Ebony magazine's prettiest cover girls." Other famous cover girls included Dorothy Dandridge and Lena Horne.
Marpessa stayed in Europe and worked in French films and television. She also acted in several plays. One play, Chérie Noire, was a very popular comedy. It ran for seven years and toured many countries. These included France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Morocco.
Her later acting career was not as famous. In 2005, she appeared in a documentary. This film was about Vinicius de Moraes, who wrote the original play that Black Orpheus was based on.
Marpessa Dawn and Breno Mello, her co-star from Black Orpheus, both died in 2008. They passed away just 45 days apart from heart attacks. Marpessa was 74 years old when she died in Paris. She had five children and four grandchildren.
Marpessa Dawn's Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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| 1957 | Élisa | La négresse | |
| 1958 | The Woman Eater | Native Sacrifice Girl | |
| 1959 | Black Orpheus | Eurydice | |
| 1961 | El secreto de los hombres azules | Malika | |
| 1963 | Canzoni nel mondo | Herself | |
| 1966 | Au théâtre ce soir | French theater | Episode: "Cherie Noire" |
| 1970 | Le Bal du Comte d'Orgel | Marie | |
| 1971 | Traîté du rossignol | La femme du train | |
| 1973 | Bel ordure | La prostituée aux jouets | |
| 1974 | Sweet Movie | Mama Communa | |
| 1995 | Sept En Attente | (final film role) |
See also
In Spanish: Marpessa Dawn para niños
