The oxygen deficit could have been a result of Dorothy delaying her delivery to wait for Harold. She always blamed herself for Harolyn's condition, though it wasn't certain what had caused the condition. She resisted putting her in a state home, but it was a customary practice for the times. Dorothy finally put her into the custody of a full-time caretaker.
Dorothy's marriage to Harold was also on the wane. He went to perform with his brother in Europe. When she stopped receiving checks from him, she knew that she had to get a divorce and return to her career.
Though Dorothy's priority was to make money for Harolyn, she also wanted very much to be a successful dramatic actress. She took dance classes and joined the Actor's Lab. During the day she auditioned constantly.
Though she had promising roles in The Harlem Globetrotters and Bright Road, Dorothy had difficulty finding work. There were roles for mammies and musical stars, but not for African American dramatic actresses. Dorothy needed to find a way to make money and once again singing would save her.
Coming up in part two: Nightclubs, racial tension, and the role of lifetime.
Thanks to Phillip Oliver for permission to use the beautiful photographs of Dorothy. Check out his terrific Dorothy Dandridge site "A Life Unfulfilled".
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