Dorothy Jean Dandridge November 9 1922 September 8 1965 was an American actress and singer She was the first AfricanAmerican film star to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress which was for her performance in Carmen Jones 1954 Dandridge also performed as a vocalist in venues such as the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater During her early career she performed as a part of The Wonder Children later The Dandridge Sisters and appeared in a succession of films usually in uncredited roles In 1959 Dandridge was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Porgy and Bess She is the subject of the 1999 biographical film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge with Halle Berry portraying her She has been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame