Vivian Dandridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vivian Dandridge
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Dandridge, 1951
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| Born |
Vivian Alferetta Dandridge
April 22, 1921 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
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| Died | October 26, 1991 (aged 70) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
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| Years active | 1933–1970 |
| Spouse(s) |
Jack Montgomery
(m. 1942; div. 1943)Warren Bracken
(m. 1945; ann. 1945)Ralph Bledsoe
(m. 1946; div. 1948)Forace Stead
(m. 1951; div. 1953)Gustav Friedrich
(m. 1958; div. 1968) |
| Partner(s) | Emmett "Babe" Wallace |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) |
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| Family | Nayo Wallace (granddaughter) Dorothy Dandridge (sister) |
Vivian Alferetta Dandridge (born April 22, 1921 – died October 26, 1991) was an American singer, actress, and dancer. She is best known as the older sister of famous actress and singer Dorothy Dandridge. Vivian was also the daughter of actress Ruby Dandridge.
From 1934 to 1940, Vivian was a member of a musical group called the Dandridge Sisters. The group included Vivian, her sister Dorothy, and Etta Jones. After the group broke up, Vivian appeared in smaller roles in movies and on television. This was from 1940 through the early 1960s. She did not become as famous as her younger sister. Vivian Dandridge stopped appearing in public by 1970. She passed away on October 26, 1991, at the age of 70.
Contents
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Vivian Dandridge was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Her parents were Cyril Dandridge and Ruby Jean Butler. Ruby was an aspiring entertainer. Vivian's parents separated not long before her sister Dorothy was born.
At first, Ruby Dandridge had her two daughters perform acrobatics, songs, and skits. She called them the "Wonder Children." Ruby saw that her girls had a chance to become stars. She and her friend Geneva Williams decided to take the girls on a tour across the United States.
Under Geneva's guidance, the Wonder Children earned a lot of money. They made $400–$500 for each show in the late 1920s. They toured through states like Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia. Geneva played the piano for the girls. She also managed them and was very strict. Both Dorothy and Vivian often faced her angry outbursts.
Because their earnings were important for the family, Dorothy and Vivian did not go to regular school until the 8th grade. Tutors taught them instead. This was because they were the main people earning money for their family. After the stock market crash in 1929, the Wonder Children lost their jobs. Ruby Dandridge still hoped for a film career for herself and her daughters. She bought bus tickets and moved the family to Los Angeles.
Ruby tried to find work in the black Hollywood community. But there were not many chances for her or her girls. Clarence Muse, a black actor who was friends with the family, told Ruby that her daughters might not find success in California. So, she enrolled them in a dancing school run by Laurette Butler.
The Dandridge Sisters Group
In California, the Dandridge sisters became friends with another girl named Etta Jones. They started singing together. After Etta's father heard them sing, Ruby Dandridge decided they should form a singing group. This is how the Dandridge Sisters group began.
While Neva and Ruby got small parts in movies, the Dandridge Sisters started appearing in musical scenes in films. They also toured across the United States. They performed with famous artists like Nat King Cole, Mantan Moreland, and Marie Bryant. This female trio was like a black version of The Andrews Sisters. They sang songs in three-part harmony.
The group eventually became headliners at the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York. They even appeared in a short Broadway musical show called Swingin' The Dream in 1939. The Dandridge Sisters also toured in London and Hawaii. They recorded four songs with the famous big band leader Jimmie Lunceford. These songs included "You Ain't Nowhere" and "That's Your Red Wagon," which was a minor hit.
After touring for about a year and a half, the Dandridge Sisters group suddenly broke up. Dorothy wanted to become an actress and was not happy with just small parts in movies. This left Vivian in a difficult situation. She tried to find work in clubs, but many were not interested. She did find some acting jobs in films, but she did not become as successful as her sister Dorothy.
Vivian's Solo Career in Film and TV
Vivian Dandridge appeared in some minor film roles. She co-starred with Frances Dee as a native girl named Melisse in the 1943 movie I Walked with a Zombie. She also appeared with her sister in the 1953 film Bright Road. In this movie, she played a small role as a schoolteacher, Ms. Nelson. She was not credited for these roles. Vivian also worked as Dorothy's hairdresser on the Bright Road film set.
She appeared with the Dandridge Sisters in musical parts of several films:
- The Big Broadcast of 1936 (with George Burns and Gracie Allen)
- A Day at the Races (with the Marx Brothers)
- It Can't Last Forever (with Ralph Bellamy and Betty Furness)
- Irene (with Ray Milland, Anna Neagle, and Billie Burke)
- Going Places (with Louis Armstrong and Maxine Sullivan)
Vivian also appeared in the short film Snow Gets in Your Eyes as a member of the Dandridge Sisters. She was the voice of "So White" in the cartoon Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs, alongside her mother Ruby Dandridge. In 1943, Vivian appeared as an uncredited extra in Stormy Weather.
In the summer of 1955, Vivian replaced Thelma Carpenter in the Broadway play Ankles Aweigh. She moved to the Alvin Hotel in New York City. After this job, she mostly disappeared from show business. Vivian attended the Academy Awards in 1955 with Dorothy Dandridge. Dorothy was nominated for Best Actress for her role in Carmen Jones.
Later Life and Disappearance
By 1956, Vivian Dandridge's friends and family were worried about her. She moved away and became very private. Her sister Dorothy tried to find her, but it was difficult. Dorothy later found out that Vivian was in the south of France looking for work. Later, she learned Vivian was living in New York City.
At this point, Dorothy and Vivian did not stay in close contact. However, Dorothy sometimes helped Vivian and her son Michael Wallace with money. Other than a few messages, Dorothy and Vivian remained apart. When Dorothy passed away in 1965, Vivian found it too painful to go to the funeral. Instead, she stayed out of the public eye.
Solo Recording Album
In 1968, Vivian signed a recording contract with Jubilee Records. She released a jazz LP album called The Look of Love that same year. Bob Stephens produced the album, and Charles Coleman conducted it. The album included songs like "Love is Blue", "Try to Remember", "Sunny", "Strange Fruit", and "Lover Man". The album was not a big success.
Personal Life and Legacy
Vivian Dandridge later settled in Seattle, Washington, using the name "Marina Rozell." She lived there for the rest of her life. Author Donald Bogle interviewed Vivian in 1991 about her sister and mother. Later that year, Bogle learned that Vivian had passed away from a serious stroke.
Vivian was married several times. She also had a son, Michael Emmett Wallace, with actor Emmett "Babe" Wallace. Vivian did not attend her sister's funeral because it was too painful. She said, "I grieved in my own way, in my privacy. Dottie knew that I loved her." Vivian later reconnected with her mother, Ruby, though their relationship was sometimes difficult. Ruby passed away in 1987. Vivian Dandridge's granddaughter, Nayo Wallace, is also an actress today. She appears on television, in films, and on Broadway.
See also
In Spanish: Vivian Dandridge para niños
