Dorothy Dare (born Dorothy Herskind, August 6, 1911 – October 4, 1981) was an American actress and singer.

Early life

Dare was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. As a child, she often sang in church and developed good vocability. She first appeared on stage at the age of seven.

Hollywood years

She began her singing and acting career in several of

Ziegfeld Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the ''Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He also p ...

's shows and then appeared in Vitaphone shorts. By 1934 she was under contract to Warner Bros. Studios and made her debut in ''Very Close Veins'' (1934). During the 1930s, she starred in a string of successful films such as ''

Gold Diggers of 1935 ''Gold Diggers of 1935'' is an American musical film directed and choreographed by Busby Berkeley, and starring Dick Powell, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria Stuart and Alice Brady. Winifred Shaw, Hugh Herbert and Glenda Farrell are also featured. The son ...

'', '' Front Page Woman'' (1935), '' High Hat'' (1937), and ''

Clothes and the Woman ''Clothes and the Woman'' is a 1937 British romance film directed by Albert de Courville and starring Rod La Rocque, Tucker McGuire and Constance Collier. It was made at Elstree Studios.Wood p.89 While enjoying a holiday in the resort of Cannes, ...

'' (1937). She sang such songs as "Red Headed and Blue" and "Yoo Hoo Hoo". By the late 1930s and early 1940s, Dare began to lose parts. In 1942, she made her final film appearance as Peggy in '' The Yanks Are Coming'' and in 1944 she sang her last musical number in ''Musical Movieland''.

Later years

Dare left movies and moved to

Orange County, California Orange County is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, ...

. She seldom granted interviews or wrote about her Hollywood years.

Death

Dare died in

Newport Beach, California Newport Beach is a coastal city in South Orange County, California. Newport Beach is known for swimming and sandy beaches. Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries however today, it is used mostly for recreation. Balboa Island draws v ...

, on October 4, 1981, and was buried at Pacific View Memorial Park in

Corona del Mar, California Corona del Mar ( Spanish for "Crown of the Sea") is a seaside neighborhood in the city of Newport Beach, California. It generally consists of all the land on the seaward face of the San Joaquin Hills south of Avocado Avenue to the city limits, ...

Filmography

*''Nearly Naked'' (1933 short) *''Very Close Veins'' (1934 short) *''Private Lessons'' (1934 short) .... Babs Henderson *''The Winnah!'' (1934 short) .... Dorothy *''Syncopated City'' (1934 hort) .... Hal's Assistant/The New Mayor *'' Happiness Ahead'' (1934) .... Josie *''

The St. Louis Kid ''The St. Louis Kid'' is a 1934 drama film directed by Ray Enright and starring James Cagney. Plot A truck driver A truck driver (commonly referred to as a trucker, teamster, or driver in the United States and Canada; a truckie in Aus ...

'' (1934) .... Gracie Smith *'' Sweet Adeline'' (1934) .... Dot/Band Leader *'' Maybe It's Love'' (1935) .... Lila *''

'' .... Arline Davis *''Springtime in Holland'' (1935 short) *'' Front Page Woman'' (1935) .... Mae LaRue *''Romance of the West'' (1935 short) *'' High Hat'' (1937) .... Elanda Lee *'' Rose of Tralee'' (1937) .... Jean Hale *''

'' (1937) .... Carol Dixon *''Cut Out for Love'' (1937) .... Dorothy *'' The Yanks Are Coming'' (1942) .... Peggy *''Musical Movieland'' (1944 short)

Stage appearances

*''The Only Girl'' (1934) *''Strike Me Pink'' (1933) *''Manhattan Vanities'' (1932) *''Here Comes the Groom'' (1931) *''America's Sweetheart'' (1931)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dare, Dorothy 1911 births 1981 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Philadelphia American film actresses American stage actresses Actors from Orange County, California Burials at Pacific View Memorial Park Traditional pop music singers Ziegfeld girls 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers