Travilla & Dorothy Dandridge: From Vegas to London to Palm Springs

Since her early teens, Dorothy Dandridge was a singer and dancer who started as a young teenager at the famed Harlem Cotton Club Harlem in a sister act. From the late 1930s until after the war, Dorothy's film appearances included numerous "Soundies," a few minor ethnic roles, and musical numbers that could be edited out for showings in the South. A failed marriage to one of the Nicholas Brothers resulted in a mentally challenged daughter Dorothy had to support. Her 1951 appearance at West Hollywood's Mocambo nightclub led to her being cast as Melmendi, Queen of the Ashuba, in the latest Tarzan epic. She followed that, playing the wife of a Harlem Globetrotter, and returned to the nightclub circuit until Fox came calling.

Dorothy met Travilla when she stepped onto the studio lot to film Carmen Jones, an all-Black film version of Georges Bizet's opera. Travilla could appreciate Dandridge's beauty and grace as he did Marilyn's. The women were very similar and, in fact, had been friends since 1947. Travilla had worked with Ruby Dandridge at Warner's for 1950's The Daughters of Rosie O'Grady. Fox released Carmen Jones to great acclaim, but despite her Best Actress Academy Award nomination, no offers came in for Dorothy as black leading ladies were not a Hollywood staple.

In November of 1955, Dorothy headed to Las Vegas for a two-week engagement at the Last Frontier Hotel with her accompanist, manager Earl Mills, and a new Travilla wardrobe to wow the crowds. The designer's business and life partner, Bill Sarris, recounted how he and "T" (the designer's pet nickname) headed to Vegas to see his wardrobe in action on stage. They had great seats for incredible Dorothy's performance. Afterward, they met up in her dressing room. Bill bitterly remembered Dandridge refusing their invitation to go to the casino for a drink. She explained to the young Sarris that although she was the headliner, management wouldn't allow her to be seen out front.

The trio decided to go to Dorothy's suite and the trio headed towards the guest elevators just off the main lobby, but were stopped and informed by management. "As registered guests, the gentlemen could use the elevators, but Miss Dandridge would have to take the service elevator." Sarris lit a cigarette and laughed as he remembered Travilla's reaction. "Well, "T" gave that manager such a look that he immediately backed off. We walked to the lobby elevators, pushed the button, and waited. The doors opened, we got in, turned around. I pushed the button for Dorothy's floor, and the doors closed. That was it."

On the last night of her engagement, Dandridge was photographed wearing Travilla in front of a record crowd of twelve hundred patrons. The form-fitting, strapless evening gown was accentuated with a matching back panel starting at her hips and cascading behind her onto the floor.

Dandridge onstage in Havana.

Even though she signed a three-picture deal with Fox, Dandridge's race created casting difficulties, so she went back on the road. According to the Miami Herald, Travilla was given special permission to make the wardrobe for her upcoming April 1956 appearance at the Souci Club in Havana, Cuba, and then at London's Savoy Hotel.

According to Eileen Ascroft of London's Evening Standard, Dandridge arrived with a fifty piece wardrobe, including ten evening gowns. Ascroft described Dorothy's favorite gown, a "full-length sheath gown in fine cream wool that clung to her like a second skin and was glamorised with an Empire strapless top in shocking pink." Another of Dorothy's gowns strongly resembled a design created for Marilyn in The Seven Year Itch. Monroe's entrance dress was a form-fitting white crepe dress with blue polka dots. The front had a slight drape front with a crisscross neckline. Dorothy's was also floor-length with sequins and beads rather than calf-high with polka dots. The rest of the singer's costumes were "a basic white sheath adding touches of startling colour, drapery, and glitter to make them different." according to Ascroft.

With few film roles, Dandridge continued touring with her small revue. One of her frequent stops was Club Chi-Chi's intimate Starlight Room in Palm Springs, a mere two hours outside of Los Angeles. She was always a favorite of both residents and tourists of the desert resort town. In November 1959, two years later, she appeared in 1961 when Dorothy stepped in for Kathryn Grayson, who had pneumonia.

The third week in July 1962, Travilla threw a Greek-themed party for Ann Sheridan with authentic food, a belly dance,r and a band from the Torch Restaurant. Dorothy was among the guests, including Barbara Eden, Shirley Jones, and Jack Lemmon. It was only a short time before they were dancing traditional folk dances. Women's Wear Daily's West Coast reporter/photographer Max Shapiro fondly remembered holding Lemmon's hand while dancing in the circle. According to the local gossip columns, the shindig broke up at 10 am.

In April 1964, Dorothy returned to the Chi-Chi, booked for a nine-day engagement. Press reports and reviews spoke of her "new $10,000 Travilla wardrobe," including both a body-hugging white sheath and a sleeveless evening gown of cerise silk with reverse pleats, a low decolletage and a panel from hip to floor in the back.

Dorothy died of an accidental drug overdose in 1965.