Dorothy had aspirations to succeed on her own and in the fall of 1940, her prospects looked promising. 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. She was teamed with the Nicholas Brothers for a lively rendition of "Chattanooga Choo Choo" in the film Sun Valley Serenade. Dorothy wanted desperately to be a film actress but she adamantly refused to portray stereotypical black roles such as maids.
Both Dorothy and Vivian worked steadily on their own but they longed to break free from Ruby and Geneva. In 1942, both sisters married. It would be Vivian's first of many marriages but Dorothy dreamed of having a fairytale marriage that would last. On September 6, 1942, she married Harold Nicholas at the home of Harold's mother.
The couple bought a beautiful house not far from Harold's mother. After a lifetime of non-stop hard work and striving to please others, Dorothy decided that she could be perfectly happy leading a quiet home life. She proved to be the 1940's image of the ideal wife - she was an excellent cook and their home was beautifully decorated and always immaculate. She was also a wonderful hostess and they often had small parties and dinners. Dorothy became very good friends with her sister-in-law, Geri Branton. Harold Nicholas, on the other hand, did not prove to be the ideal husband. He spend most of his free time on the golf course and eventually he started seeing other women. Dorothy blamed her lack of sexual experience for Harold's wanderings. When she became pregnant, she hoped that their child was keep Harold at home. A daughter, Lynn (short for Harolyn), was born on September 2, 1943.
Dorothy appeared in a brief scene in David O. Selznick's Since You Went Away and as a singer in Pillow to Post in 1944 but she mostly devoted her time to her daughter Lynn. By the time Lynn was two, however, Dorothy could not help but notice that Lynn was not acting normally. She was a very hyper child who cried incessantly. She was not learning to talk and worse, she acted as though she did not recognize those around her. Dorothy was determined to find out what was wrong with Lynn and took her to every doctor she could find. All of them could give her no answer except to say that Lynn was retarded. Harold was often on the road touring and he did not offer much solace. Dorothy, with her marriage a shambles and a daughter who was getting out of control, began to see a therapist.
In 1949, Dorothy informed Harold that their marriage was over. Ruby and Geneva agreed to look after Lynn while Dorothy tried to re-establish her career. She still wanted to act in films but she realized that that possibility was slim. She did not relish the thought of returning to nightclubs, but felt that she had little other choice. She met with Phil Moore, an arranger she had worked with while in The Dandridge Sisters, and he was optimistic about working with her again.
Phil Moore helped Dorothy with her songs and image. The result was a smoldering and sexy Dorothy that left audiences mesmerized. Their act was booked in clubs throughout southern California and in Las Vegas. Dorothy hated doing the nightclubs, especially in Las Vegas where racism was almost as bad as in the south. She was only allowed to do her act and was forbidden to talk with patrons or use any of the hotel facilities such as the elevator, lobby, swimming pool or bath rooms. Her dressing room was often an office or a storage room.
The nightclub reviews were very good and gave her the much needed publicity that would help her get film work in Hollywood. She was offered the role of Melmendi in Tarzan's Peril in 1951. Dorothy first balked at playing a jungle queen but after reading the script she didn't think it was that bad. Next up, she played an athlete's girlfriend in the low budget but successful The Harlem Globetrotters.
She returned to the nightclub scene in May of 1951 and opened in Hollywood's top club, The Mocambo. This very successful appearance led to offers to appear in Paris (Cafe de Paris), New York (La Vie en Rose) as well as numerous guest television appearances. She was the first black woman to perform at the Waldorf Astoria in New York.
MGM planned to make an all black drama called Bright Road, which was based on a short story by Mary Elizabeth Vronam and dealt with a young schoolteacher's experiences in Alabama. Dorothy enthusiastically accepted the role and filming began in August of 1952. Her co-star was another up and coming actor named Harry Belafonte. They become very close friends. The filming of Bright Road was very rewarding to Dorothy but heartbreaking as well. She was constantly reminded of Lynn, who was now being kept by a family friend named Helen Calhoun.
Dorothy resumed her nightclub act and she also began to date again. She had brief affairs with Gerald Mayer (director of Bright Road), the actor Peter Lawford, and a millionaire from Rio de Janeiro whom she met while playing there.
Bright Road opened in April of 1953 to good reviews. Dorothy, especially, got good notices. There was a role just over the horizon that Dorothy had been dreaming of for many years. And Dorothy was determined to get it.
Scenes from Bright Road