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.
