4 years after she was born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dorothy's mother pushed and encouraged her children onstage..billed as The Wonder Children. In most articles and bios I have read, it is hinted that Dorothy was an abused child and did not have a nuturing home life. But, ahead to 1940 and things are looking up. She landed a small but significant role in a low budget film called Four Shall Die. She then went on to small parts in Lady From Louisiana and Sundown. Dorothy always wanted to be an actress but she was very opposed to playing stereotypical roles such as maids. She also longed to be a wife and mother. In 1942, she married Harold Nicolas. A daughter, Lynn, was born and eventually she was labeled retarded. A handicapped child and a crumbling marriage led Dorothy to seek counseling. Leading roles for black actors in Hollywood were very scarce so when Dorothy heard that an all black production of Carmen Jones was being planned, she knew this was the role she had dreamed of. The lead character, Carmen, is a sultry vixen whose independent inclinations to love her men and then leave them lead to her violent demise. Dorothy's success and fame changed her life tremendously. She bought a beautiful home overlooking Los Angeles Dorothy's life seemed to unravel in late 1959. First, she met a handsome white restaurant owner named Jack Denison who pursued her relentlessly. Not many people had kind words to describe Denison and most considered him a gold digger. Dorothy, however, basked in his attentions and when he proposed, she accepted. They were married on June 22, 1959. Denison not only took over Dorothy's career but he attempted to shut out her friends. He was also very abusive and it is known that he beat her. He was only interested in her money and he took it whenever he could. On top of this, an oil investment that Dorothy had entered into with other Hollywood stars turned out to be a scam and Dorothy lost a large amount of money. She had never handled her money very well and she always relied on other people to handle it for her. To alleviate her troubles, she began to drink heavily She was the first black woman ever to be nominated for best actress, for her role in Carmen Jones.She was also the first Black woman featured on cover of "Life" magazine. Earl Mills, her manager, found Dorothy dead in her apartment. The official cause of death was "Accident, suicide, undetermined." Dorothy was cremated and buried at the Little Church of the Flowers at Forest Lawn in Glendale, California.