Actress. After learning her art on the stage, she appeared in several dozen Hollywood features during the 1930s. Raised initially in Los Angeles where her father was in the transportation business, she studied painting and sculpture in New York, then got her theatrical start as a bit-player and dancer in productions that featured her maternal aunt Fay Bainter. Her 'official' New York debut came with 1926's "The Adorable Liar"; after performing in stock productions in Rochester, New York, she was seen on Broadway in "The Squall", and received top billing in both New York and Los Angeles as a Harlem temptress in the 1929 "Lulu Belle". (This was an era in which black leads were often taken by whites). Dorothy found herself typecast as a Mexican or Spanish beauty in such fare as "The Broken Wing", leading to her silver screen bow as 'Tonia Maria' in Fox's "In Old Arizona" (1928), an early talking-picture effort. She had substantial roles in 1931's "Beyond Victory", and the 1932 "Play Girl"; among her other appearances were "Taxi" (1932), "Strictly Personal (1933), and the role of 'Dorothy Kane' in 1934's "Gambling", which featured George M. Cohan. Dorothy reprised her dance hall girl image for the part of 'Trixie' in "Lone Star Ranger" (1942), and retired from performing following her turn as 'Toodles' in the 1943 "West Side Kid". She resided in Southern California, and died of tuberculosis.
Actress. After learning her art on the stage, she appeared in several dozen Hollywood features during the 1930s. Raised initially in Los Angeles where her father was in the transportation business, she studied painting and sculpture in New York, then got her theatrical start as a bit-player and dancer in productions that featured her maternal aunt Fay Bainter. Her 'official' New York debut came with 1926's "The Adorable Liar"; after performing in stock productions in Rochester, New York, she was seen on Broadway in "The Squall", and received top billing in both New York and Los Angeles as a Harlem temptress in the 1929 "Lulu Belle". (This was an era in which black leads were often taken by whites). Dorothy found herself typecast as a Mexican or Spanish beauty in such fare as "The Broken Wing", leading to her silver screen bow as 'Tonia Maria' in Fox's "In Old Arizona" (1928), an early talking-picture effort. She had substantial roles in 1931's "Beyond Victory", and the 1932 "Play Girl"; among her other appearances were "Taxi" (1932), "Strictly Personal (1933), and the role of 'Dorothy Kane' in 1934's "Gambling", which featured George M. Cohan. Dorothy reprised her dance hall girl image for the part of 'Trixie' in "Lone Star Ranger" (1942), and retired from performing following her turn as 'Toodles' in the 1943 "West Side Kid". She resided in Southern California, and died of tuberculosis.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
Gravesite Details
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