Friday, August 16, 2013

The Friendship of Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Dandridge

 Marilyn Monroe
 
I find it interesting that in ‘none of the biographies of Marilyn Monroe does it mention that she was very good friends with black actress Dorothy Dandridge.
 
Dorothy Dandridge
 
Dorothy Dandridge and James Dean were also very good friends.
 
 James Dean

Dorothy considered James Dean a ‘play brother’ to her. Marilyn and James tried to shield Dorothy from racism.
 
 Desi Arnez

After Dorothy would finish performing with Desi Arnez and his band in Hollywood, she would call Marilyn and they would talk for hours about their careers, problems with men and racism in Hollywood.
 
Ava Gardner

Dorothy Dandridge, Marilyn Monroe and another black friendly actress, Ava Gardner often went to parties together.
 
Marilyn and Dorothy also got a kick out of both their first names and last names started with the same initial.
 
Marilyn never tried to hide her friendship with Dorothy. It was so unpopular for whites to have black friends during segregation that white media outlets refused to report on their friendship, even if they were peers in the same field. This may be why biographers aren't familiar with their association.
  
Marlon Brando

Actor Marlon Brando was extremely attracted to Dorothy Dandridge and shocked an audience when he kissed Dandridge on the mouth during an awards ceremony. Interracial mixing in Hollywood; was unheard of in the 1950’s and was looked down upon.
 
   President John F. Kennedy

Marilyn Monroe was very ‘black friendly’ and it’s rumored that she tried to talk President John F. Kennedy into during more for civil rights before her death.

Ironically, both Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Dandridge would die in a similiar fashion. Both died of accidental pill overdoses.

12 comments:

  1. This made my heart hurt. Especially the end part :(

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    1. The last two sentences were grim, no doubt.

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  2. I was very proud of the friendship between Marylin and Dorothy and Ava also James and marlon they set a precedents in hollywood to have a friendship with Dorothy these 4 were trailblazer in Hollywood

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  3. It's nice to know that even though the moguls treated us like pure crap, talent looked pass color to make friends wherever and with whom ever they wanted. Go on Dorothy, Ava, Marilyn, Marlon, James and others.

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  4. It's nice to know that even though the moguls treated us like pure crap, talent looked pass color to make friends wherever and with whom ever they wanted. Go on Dorothy, Ava, Marilyn, Marlon, James and others.

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  5. This is so beautiful...I love them all...wished I was there with them.

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  6. Right?!? When and where I enter...in the quiet, undisputed dignity of my womanhood, without violence and without suing or special patronage, then and there the whole . . . race enters with me'". Paula Giddings

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  7. I hope you get your ass beat hoe

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  8. Dorothy dandridge was our first cousin thru the lumpkin family out of Cleveland Ohio rest in peace Dorothy and marilyn

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