Dorothy Jean Dandridge and Harold Nicholas both suffered from severe mental illness. The Nicholas family tried everything to help their daughter become better, including putting millions of dollars into her medications. Despite their efforts, Dorothy Nicholas became bankrupt and eventually gave up all parental rights to a state-run mental hospital. In 1959, her mother had another marriage with Denison. She was not the only one to suffer from mental illness, and even died of it in 1999.
Dorothy Jean Dandridge
Born to Dorothy Jean Dandridge and Harold Nicholas in Los Angeles in 1943, Harolyn had a rough start in life. She was born with cerebral anoxia and damaged speech centers. Her mother tried desperately to improve her child’s health, spending thousands of dollars on specialists and doctors. But raising a child with a disability complicated her parents’ marriage. Her father barely saw her until she was three and abandoned the family after the divorce.
After her marriage to a famous dancer, she had two children. One of them was Harold Nicholas, the father of Harolyn. She was divorced from Jack Denison, a hotel owner. She was 42 when she died suddenly. Harolyn Nicholas was born a year after her mother. Dorothy Jean Dandridge and Harolyn Suzanne Nicholas were separated in 1975.
The children were born on October 19, 1961, and they were separated when Harolyn was only three years old. Her father had died of an embolism in 1965, while Harolyn remained in a mental institution for the rest of her life. The parents of Harolyn, who was born blind, had been divorced twice. Harolyn would have turned septuagenarian if she survived.
While a teenager, Dandridge began earning small roles in films. She appeared with her sisters in the Marx Brothers classic A Day at the Races. She also appeared in Going Places, a musical starring Louis Armstrong. She then acted opposite Harry Belafonte as a schoolteacher. She also starred in a series of TV variety shows. But she was best known for her role in the classic 1957 film, The Island in the Sun.
Dorothy Jean Dandridge met her husband Harold Nicholas in 1938 at the Cotton Club in Harlem. The two were married on September 6, 1942. They welcomed a baby girl named Harolyn Suzanne Nicholas. However, the couple separated nine years later. Harolyn Suzanne Nicholas died in September 1965 of a drug overdose and embolism. The couple had an affair in the years before her death, but her death remains a mystery.
Harolyn Suzanne Nicolas was born in Los Angeles to a mother who was a popular dancer and actress. Her mother, Dorothy Jean Dandridge, was the first black actress to receive an Oscar nomination for the film Carmen Jones. She performed at the Apollo Theatre and Cotton Club, and is also known as the first black actress to be nominated for Best Actress. They divorced in 1951, but had one child.
As a child, Harolyn Suzanne Nicholas’ mother was a famous African American actress, who died in 2003. Harolyn was a star in the Nicholas Brothers’ tap dance troupe. She also had an affair with director Otto Preminger, who was a director of Porgy and Bess. While her mother and father were supportive and protective of her, they were not ready to live apart.
The mystery surrounding Harolyn’s death is complicated by the fact that her mother died in 2003 and she would have been a septuagenarian by then. The child’s fate is unknown, but there are rumors of a mental institution where she is being held. In some cases, her mother gave her up to the state because she was unable to care for her. Some reports claim that she died in 2003. Others suggest that Harolyn is still alive.
Harold Nicholas
Harold Nicholas was an American tap dancer and the younger half of the legendary Nicholas Brothers. The Nicholas Brothers were considered to be the greatest dancers in the world. His brother, Fayard, was the elder brother of the famed tap dancers. Harold Nicholas was born in Brooklyn, New York. He died in New York City in 1931. His death is remembered fondly by tap dancers and fans. However, he will be most fondly remembered as the brother who inspired many young people to learn to dance.
Born in New York City, Harold Nicholas and his brother Fayard studied under the tutelage of a classical musician and the great dancers of their time. After learning to tap dance, the brothers took the same approach and developed their own spectacular act. In 1932, they were booked into the Cotton Club and wowed audiences with their jazzy tap dance. The brothers had a short film, Kid Millions, in which Eddie Cantor wore blackface makeup. This was a common practice at the time, but the racist aspects of the blackface makeup were not taken into consideration when casting the brothers. As a result, the Nicholas brothers were cast as adorable and charming innocents.
After retiring from stage performances, Mr. Nicholas had a long and successful career on stage. His stage appearances included the classic ballad “Come Rain or Come Shine,” as well as the acclaimed musicals, such as “Ragtime in the Valley” (1944).
The Nicholas Brothers became an instant hit in Philadelphia. By 1932, they were appearing at the legendary Cotton Club in top hats and tails. The brothers performed in nightclubs, Broadway, and vaudeville. They also appeared in more than 50 films. It is not known if they had a love child, but a brother named Fayard Nicholas survived him. His brother and daughter survived him. This tragic event left the world in mourning.
Despite the tragic loss of his brother, Harold Nicholas’ legacy lives on. His work has been immortalized in several films about jazz dance. His footage was included in the 1974 anthology, That’s Entertainment!, alongside other stars. In the same year, the dance documentary That’s Dancing also featured his work. His work was also featured in the 1989 film Tap. In the movie, Harold Nicholas credited actor Gregory Hines with the introduction of tap dancing to the new generation.
After the death of his wife, he married Dorothy Dandridge, a celebrated actress and singer. They had one daughter, Harolyn Suzanne. Unfortunately, the child’s brain damage caused her to be unable to talk or interact with her parents. The marriage lasted only nine years, and the couple divorced in 1951. Despite his success, Harold Nicholas’ wife was not the one to do well financially. His two children with his third wife, Rigmor Newman, were born after his marriage.
After performing with his brother, Harold Nicholas continued to perform as a raconteur, singer, and member of the jazz tap ensemble Lynn Dally’s troupe. His ragtime career spanned the 20th century, and Harold Nicholas’ fame in the 1970s was based on the performances in movie musicals. They continued to perform as guest artists and tribute acts until the end of their lives. The brothers’ famed careers started in vaudeville and continued into their 80s and 90s.
Although the two brothers were born on the same day, the brothers had very different backgrounds. Harold’s parents were musicians who performed regularly together in the theater. His father conducted live orchestra performances, and his mother played the piano. The two siblings spent most of their childhood days learning music and dancing. Their mastery of tap dancing earned them much fame, as did their talent for blending acrobatics with dance. If you are looking for a career in tap dancing, consider becoming a member of the Harold Nicholas Alumni Association.
Besides performing solo concerts, Harold Nicholas was also involved in numerous films, including the movies Tap and The Five Heartbeats. His sons, Tony, and Fayard Nicholas became acknowledged masters of classical tap. Their dances were hailed as masterpieces and have inspired generations of tap dancers. So, it is no surprise that his dancers are celebrated today. So, take a moment to remember the legacy of this legendary dancer.
