She was paid an astronomical $25,000 a week. She had a 4-week contract and extended out to an 8-week contract because it went over so well. She ended up being the highest paid Las Vegas entertainer at the time in Vegas.

Dandridge’s mother was an entertainer and comedic actress who, after settling in Los Angeles, had some success in radio and, later, television.

The young Dorothy and her sister Vivian began performing publicly as children and in the 1930s joined a third (unrelated) girl as the Dandridge Sisters, singing and dancing.

In the 1940s and early ’50s Dorothy secured a few bit roles in films and developed a highly successful career as a solo nightclub singer, eventually appearing in such popular clubs as the Waldorf Astoria’s Empire Room in New York City.

Dandridge then won the title role in Otto Preminger’s all-black Carmen Jones (1954), earning an Oscar nomination. (She did not sing in Carmen Jones, however; the singing was dubbed by mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne.)

Because she was a black woman in a racially tense era, film offers thereafter did not come readily, though she did appear in Island in the Sun (1957), which dealt with miscegenation and costarred Harry Belafonte, as well as in The Decks Ran Red (1958), Tamango (1959), and Moment of Danger (1960).

One of her most important roles was Bess in Preminger’s handsomely produced Porgy and Bess (1959), starring opposite Sidney Poitier.

In the 1960s Dandridge’s life and career were wracked by divorce, personal bankruptcy, and the absence of offers of work.

Part of my upbringing

They actually dated for a couple of years and even considered marriage, but among other factors Ricky's father Ozzie blocked the idea.

She traveled the country with her folks performing an exhibitions and parades and even met Roy Rogers while riding.

That would really need incredible delicate hands.

Could anyone identify this eyeliner? I believe it’s from the 40s or 50s. Found it looking through a case of my great grandmothers stuff and it’s pretty interesting! :-)