Golden Age of Hollywood
Dorothy Dandridge and Lex Barker in Tarzan’s Peril
Lex Barker, Virginia Huston, George Macready, and Dorothy Dandridge star in the 1951 adventure drama Tarzan’s Peril. Unfortunately, Dorothy Dandridge doesn’t have a lot of screen time, the film would have been even better more of her regal presence!
Dorothy Dandridge
You can find Tarzan’s Peril (link to the dvd on Amazon) on dvd or watch the film on Prime Video.
Dorothy Dandridge, Tarzan’s Peril
One of the most beautiful stars of all time is pictured here.. the stunningly lovely and stunningly talented Dorothy Dandridge.
This publicity photo is for the 1951 film Tarzan’s Peril (directed by Byron Haskin). The film starred Lex Barker, Virginia Huston, George Macready, Douglas Fowley, Glenn Anders, Dorothy Dandridge, and Alan Napier.
You can find Tarzan’s Peril (link to the dvd on Amazon) on dvd or watch the film on Prime Video.
Dorothy Dandridge
Dorothy Dandridge and Curt Jurgens
Dorothy Dandridge was such an incredibly talented and beautiful actress – I wish she had gotten all the chances and opportunities she deserved, as opposed to those others would allow her to have. I can’t spend too much time with the regret, or I’ll go nuts. So I’ll just focus on the positives and say that she took the opportunities given to her and made that absolute most with them.
No matter what movie she was in, she commanded each and every scene. The more you watch this talented lady, the crazier it makes you that she wasn’t given more films.
Uh, oh.. regret is sneaking in again.
If you’re unfamiliar with this extraordinary lady, I hope you’ll search out her movies. You’ll soon be as smitten with her as I am.
That’s a promise.
Tamango Lobby Card
The 1958 film Tamango, while not one of her better films (Carmen Jones, Bright Road, Porgy and Bess, and The Decks Ran Red are all better, IMO), is still absolutely a good (albeit hard to watch, given the subject) film and Dorothy is outstanding.
While Tamango (link to the dvd) is on Amazon, if you look below the image – in the Frequently bought together section, you’ll find this movie, Carmen Jones, and The Decks Ran Red combined for a better deal. A great deal, if we’re being honest!
Bright Road, With Dorothy Dandridge, Philip Hepburn, and Harry Belafonte
Two of my all-time favorite stars are Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte – so, the fact that they teamed up for a couple of movies feels like a gift that keeps giving for me! Their chemistry was as good as it gets – second to none – and each star’s talent will blow you away. Belafonte has always had a certain dynamic – charisma on steroids, if you will – that makes his every screen presence an especially powerful thing.
If you aren’t familiar with Harry Belafonte as an actor, I hope you’ll see this movie, the wonderful Carmen Jones (I’ll be honest… I’m obsessed with Carmen Jones!), and The World, the Flesh, and the Devil (link to a post where I rave and rave about this one) ASAP, if not sooner.
The essence of my being is to focus on positivity (my family doesn’t call me Mary Poppins for nothing), but some things just have to be said – the fact that stars such as Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Philip Hepburn, Rex Ingram, Lena Horne, Hattie McDaniel, etc… weren’t given more films, more diverse roles, and more of an opportunity to shine isn’t just maddening and infuriating – it’s heart-breaking. Not just for the stars who more than deserved as many opportunities as everyone else, but also for those of us who were robbed of seeing more of their work.
I can’t tell you how often I think about other roles and opportunities Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte should have had! They would have been delicious in a film-noir – either together (my personal dream) or apart.
Again, I am “bent” toward focusing on the positives in life, so I will simply say that I am forever thankful that Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte had a chance to shine in the films they were given. They took their opportunities and absolutely blew everyone away! Philip Hepburn did the same in the extraordinary movie Bright Road. Seeing the three of them in one movie is a very special treat.
I wish there had been more, but I am more grateful than I can say for this film. Like Dorothy Dandridge, it’s a beauty you won’t forget.
You can find Bright Road (link to Amazon) on dvd on Amazon or watch on Prime Video. It’s a very, very special movie with wonderful stars who deserved so much more.
Bright Road, Starring Dorothy Dandridge, Philip Hepburn, and Harry Belafonte
Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte: Carmen Jones Lobby Card
Do you happen to have a favorite movie (literally, one of your all-time favorites) that hardly anyone you talk to has ever seen? You want to talk about its stars, quotes, and scenes with someone but…. it seems only you, within your circle of family and friends… has even seen it?!
Carmen Jones is one of mine that fits this description as perfectly as Dorothy Dandridge fit a dress (A Woman’s Secret and The World, the Flesh, and the Devil are two more).
Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte are two of my absolute favorites. One of my greatest “old Hollywood” regrets is that these charismatic and talented stars weren’t in more. I can’t tell you how much I’d LOVE to have shelves filled with their dvds. There’s just something about the acting styles and charisma of these two that lights up the room for me.
Carmen Jones is a fascinating film. It’s almost like director Otto Preminger took an old black and white film-noir, added color… then took a musical and added it to the mix. Then, for good measure grabbed a sexy mystery and threw it in the pot. The result is fascinating, in every sense of the word.
When I first watched Carmen Jones (years ago), I was really upset that Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte were dubbed by opera singers. I mean… come on… Belafonte can MORE THAN sing for himself and Dorothy Dandridge had a lovely singing voice. At the time, I thought this “dubbing” was the one drawback of the film.
However, when I watched it a second time (and then third, fourth, fifth…), I actually “got” what Otto Preminger was selling. The opera absolutely, positively adds to the entire ambiance of the film and helps it to stand out as an even more unique and mesmerizing work of art.
Many movies you can say, “THIS film is a lot like THAT one…” but not with Carmen Jones. Why? There is absolutely not another film like it and I’m certain there never will be. This cast and its director and writers struck pure gold. The film and its stars should have won as many awards as were available. Seriously, the Academy Awards that year should have been a Carmen Jones invitational.
(Continued below Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte)
Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte
Dorothy Dandridge was, at least, nominated as lead actress – but she wasn’t given the award. I refuse to say, “..she lost” because that’s not quite true. She wasn’t given her award – and, make no mistake about it, it was her award and should have been in her hands.
I often wonder what winning would have done for this beautiful actress.Her troubled life ended far too soon (she was only 42 when she died) and she was never given the type of (or number of) roles she deserved. I often wonder if she had been given this award if her life would have changed.
For that matter, I often wonder what a win would have meant for black actors and actresses – would they have earned the respect and chance they deserved sooner? Questions like that frustrate me because, trust me, the award should have been Dorothy’s. I’ve seen each of the films from which the actresses in the category with her were in – and Carmen Jones multiple times.
The Oscar was given to the wrong lady. Period.
What’s even more frustrating – more should have been nominated! Harry Belafonte gave an absolutely phenomenal performance. He took his character on one heck of a journey and did so flawlessly. He begins the film as such an innocent young man… then here comes beautiful Carmen and my guy didn’t stand a chance!
If you love great acting, great chemistry, film-noirs, musicals, wonderful stories, and movies with endings that leave you speechless (and thinking about them for days!), I am begging you to see Carmen Jones.
Watch Carmen Jones on Amazon Prime.
Buy Carmen Jones on DVD (Amazon link).
Buy Carmen Jones on Blu-Ray (Amazon link).
Dorothy Dandridge, Tarzan’s Peril (1951)
One of my all-time favorite actresses is the beautiful and talented Dorothy Dandridge. I would feature her more here on the Old Hollywood blog (and on Twitter for that matter) but it’s tough to get pictures of her. Sadly, she wasn’t used in as many movies as she should have been – so there aren’t a lot of opportunities to screencap her movies either.
I’m looking, daily, for more photos, however, and hope to have many more to add here soon.
This beautiful photo is from the 1951 movie Tarzan’s Peril.
How stunningly beautiful was she?!?
Tragically, Dorothy died at the devastatingly young age of 42.
You can find Tarzan’s Peril on dvd (link to the dvd on Amazon) on Amazon or watch the film on Prime.
Porgy and Bess (1959)
Sadly, the movie is next to impossible to find on television. If you ever get the opportunity to watch it, be sure to check it out. The performances will blow you away.
Do Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte make a beautiful couple or what?! They had so much chemistry in their films – as much chemistry as any film couple I’ve ever seen.
If you’ve never watched Carmen Jones, I hope you’ll make a point of doing that ASAP. These stars are outstanding in this fantastic film. Dorothy Dandridge was nominated for an Oscar for her performance but she didn’t win.
She should have. That’s a hill I will die on. She was robbed.
Harry Belafonte should also have gotten an Oscar. They were both mesmerizing in this film. Olga James and Pearl Bailey are also excellent. I wish Olga had been onscreen more. She was adorable and so very, very talented.
Please see the movie soon!
Dorothy Dandridge, Porgy and Bess (1959)
Dorothy Dandridge is, by far, one of my favorite actresses. She didn’t have many opportunities come her way, but the ones she did have she made the absolute most of.
The frustrating thing for me is that, as I said, she’s one of my favorites, but I have a lot of trouble finding pictures of her to share on Hollywood Yesterday. This is the only reason she isn’t featured in more posts.
Believe me, however, I am always on the look out for pictures I can buy and/or scan to add. I’m also in the process of collecting her movies (the ones that are in circulation anyway), so I can at least add screencaps of her.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the rare and wonderful pictures I CAN find.
See also: Sidney Poitier and Dorohy Dandridge, Porgy and Bess
I love my family. Okay, that should probably go without saying, but seriously… I really, really love my family.
Not only because they’re the coolest, most colorful, and lovable group of people you could ever hope to meet but also because they’re uncommonly thoughtful, kind, generous, and… well…. DARN good. Not just good. DARN good.
The book you see here is an early Christmas gift from my youngest daughter Stephany. She and her two sisters (Emily and Brittany) have contributed to my Old Hollywood book and dvd collections tremendously and I love that they love supporting my obsessive habit!
They’ve helped create the monster behind these words.
Renegade Women in Film & TV is an absolutely remarkable book. Not only is it gorgeous (hardcover and packed with colorful illustrations of the women it celebrates), it is an exceptionally inspiring read.
Within the pages I was reminded of just how remarkable some of my favorites are (Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Dorothy Dandridge, Hedy Lamarr, Hattie McDaniel, Dorothy Arzner, Mary Pickford, Rita Moreno, Anna May Wong, Marlo Thomas, Oprah…). I also learned a lot about some ground-breaking women I knew very little about (Ida Lupino, Mae West, Edith Head, Barbra Streisand, Susan Harris, Mary Tyler Moore, Lesley Visser, Barbara Walters, Geena Davis…) and met ladies I knew nothing about and a few I’d never heard of before but will never forget now.
(Continued Below Lucille Ball… how mesmerizing are those eyes??)
Lucille Ball
As expected, there are outstanding women who are missing that I’d have LOVED for them to have included..
However, the ones who AREN’T there should not and do not detract from the ones who are. Besides, maybe there’ll be a follow-up. I certainly hope so!
Renegade Women in Film & TV would make the most wonderful gift for fans of Old Hollywood and/or Classic TV imaginable. You will, however, want to get your hands on a copy for yourself, too, trust me.
But, here’s the thing… you may want TWO copies. I know I do. One for enjoying and keeping whole (it would make a perfect coffee table book) and one for removing the gorgeous photos for framing. They are truly stunning.
See Renegade Women in Film & TV for more information.
The beauty above is Silent Film star Mildred Davis. She was a frequent co-star (and longtime wife) of legendary actor Harold Lloyd. She’s one of my favorite silent film actresses and one I can’t understand not being a household name!
Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright, charismatic, and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!
There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, Film Noir, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn and raspberry tea in hand and a couple of cats nearby.
Below are a few Old Hollywood movie reviews I’ve done on the blog. There are, as you’d imagine, a lot more to come. – Joi (“Joy”)
We’re in the Money (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell)
The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Janet Leigh)
The Prince and the Showgirl (Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier)
The White Sister (Helen Hayes, Clark Gable)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Newmar)
Rio Bravo (John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan)
El Dorado (John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey)
Rio Grande (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara)
Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (What is it With Me and These Movies??)
The Stooge (Jerry Lewis’ favorite Lewis and Martin Movie… for good reason.)
Critic’s Choice (Hilarious movie starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball)
To Please a Lady (Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck team up in a fast track movie)
Grand Hotel (Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore)
Hearts Divided (Marion Davies, Dick Powell)
The Quiet Man (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald)
More Old Hollywood Movie Reviews
Find out just how much I (truly) Love Lucy in the Lucille Ball category. I’m warning you, I call it an obsession for a very good reason…
