Ruby Dandridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruby Dandridge
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Dandridge in Home in Oklahoma (1946)
|
|
| Born |
Ruby Jean Butler
March 3, 1900 Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
|
| Died | October 17, 1987 (aged 87) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
|
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1917–1962 |
| Spouse(s) |
Cyril Dandridge
(m. 1919; div. 1922) |
| Partner(s) | Geneva Williams |
| Children | Vivian Dandridge Dorothy Dandridge |
| Family | Nayo Wallace (great-granddaughter) |
Ruby Jean Dandridge (born Butler; March 3, 1900 – October 17, 1987) was an American actress. She was active from the early 1900s to the late 1950s. Ruby Dandridge was well-known for her roles on radio shows. She played Sadie Blake and Harriet Crawford on Amos 'n Andy. She was also Geranium on the Judy Canova Show. People also remember her for her role as Sally in the 1959 movie A Hole in the Head.
Contents
Early life
Ruby Jean Butler was born in Wichita, Kansas, on March 3, 1900. She was one of four children in her family. Her mother, Nellie Simon, worked as a maid. Her father, George Butler, was a janitor, grocer, and entertainer. He was also a famous minstrel performer.
Acting career
In 1937, Ruby Dandridge acted in a special version of Macbeth. This play was performed in Los Angeles, California. Five years later, she appeared in a show called Hit the Deck. This musical was staged in San Francisco, California.
One of Ruby's first movie appearances was in King Kong (1933). She played a native dancer in this film. She often had small roles in movies. She played Dabby in Tap Roots (1948). She was also the housekeeper in Three Little Girls in Blue (1946). Other roles included Mrs. Kelso in Cabin in the Sky (1943) and Violet in Tish (1942).
Ruby Dandridge played the character Oriole on both the radio and TV versions of The Beulah Show. She was also Geranium on The Judy Canova Show. She was a regular actress on a show called Tonight at Hoagy's. From 1961 to 1962, she played the maid on the TV show Father Knows Best.
Other activities
In 1955, Ruby Dandridge and her business partner, Dorothy Foster, bought land. They planned to build 250 homes in Twentynine Palms, California. In the 1950s, Ruby also started a nightclub act. She performed in clubs around Los Angeles. People who saw her act said she had "sparkling showmanship." They also noted her "charming personality."
Personal life and passing
On September 30, 1919, Ruby married Cyril Dandridge. They moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Their first daughter, actress Vivian Dandridge (1921–1991), was born there. Their second daughter, Academy Award-nominated actress Dorothy Dandridge, was born in 1922. This was five months after Ruby and Cyril divorced.
Ruby Dandridge passed away on October 17, 1987. She died from a heart attack at a nursing home in Los Angeles, California. She was buried next to her daughter Dorothy. They are at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. In the 1999 movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, actress Loretta Devine played Ruby.
Selected film and television roles
- King Kong (1933) - Native Dancer
- Midnight Shadow (1939) - Mrs. Lingley
- Gallant Lady (1942) - Sarah
- Tish (1942) - Violet
- Cabin in the Sky (1943) - Mrs. Kelso
- Home in Oklahoma (1946) - Devoria
- Three Little Girls in Blue (1946) - Mammy
- Tap Roots (1948) - Dabby
- A Hole in the Head (1959) - Sally
- The Beulah Show (1952–1953) - Oriole
- The Amos 'n' Andy Show (1951-1953) - various roles
See also
In Spanish: Ruby Dandridge para niños
