Who was Cyril Dandridge?
Regarding career and celebrity status, nothing has given Cyril Dandridge the limelight. However, his daughter is the one that has made people to still want to dig deeper and get information about him. He was the father of the late Dorothy Dandridge who created a successful career as an American actress and singer.
Besides, Cyril’s daughter became the first African-American film star to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. With such reputation, her daughter quickly became a star and people’s curiosity are what pushes Cyril Dandridge into the limelight. So, what do we know about him
Biography of Cyril Dandridge
Dorothy Dandridge’s father was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He was born on October 25. 1895 to parents James Henry Dandridge and Florence Jessie Locke.
Cyril then married Ruby Jean Dandridge and the couple welcomed four children. He then passed away on July 9, 1989 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
Cyril was an American national and he was never in the limelight for most part of his life. As such, there is very little information about him. He never shared anything about himself from details of his birth to his growing up. Even his educational background is unknown. We have no details on where he attended his education or even the highest level completed.
Cyril also never talked about his career. His sources of income remain unknown but he did a great job in raising his children to the point that they managed to get on their feet.
Meet Dorothy Dandridge, Cyril Dandridge’s Celebrity Daughter
Among Cyril’s children, Dorothy Dandridge is the one who got the most limelight because of her career. Dorothy Jean Dandridge was born on November 9, 1922. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States.
Dorothy Dandridge mentioned that her mother was an entertainer and that her father was cabinetmaker and Baptist minister. However, her parents ended up separating before she was born. Her mother even created a song-and-dance act for her two young daughters and named it The Wonder Children.
Her mother then moved the children to California after the Great Depression which came with less work forcing her to relocate and get other smaller jobs. It was during this period when Dorothy Dandridge attended McKinley Junior High School.
Career Life of Dorothy Dandridge
Dorothy and her sister were named The Dandridge Sisters and thy continued together for several years and even got booked in several New York nightclubs to perform, including Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater.
Dorothy first appeared on screen at the age of 12 when she got a small role in the comedy short “Teacher’s Beau” in 1935. She also appeared in The Big Broadcast of 1936 as part of The Dandridge Sisters.
She then worked on her firs credited film role in Four Shall Die in 1940. Her career then progressed well to the point that she became the first African-American film star to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and this was because of her role in Carmen Jones (1954).