Dorothy Dandridge (1922 – 1965)

Dorothy Dandridge: American actress born 9 November 1922, Cleveland Ohio; died 8 September 1965, age 42, West Hollywood California; drug overdose.

Starting in the family dance troupe The Dandridge Sisters, Dandridge appeared on screen 1940 – 1962, mostly famously in the title role of Carmen Jones (1954), earning an Academy Award nomination.

Suffering entrenched racism, alcoholism, and a deadbeat husband, Dandridge was broke and without any work prospects when she died from an accidental overdose of sleeping pills.