Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (2025)

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto...

October 31, 2015

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (1)

Dorothy Dandridge and Rita Moreno, LIFE Magazine Covers 1954. Rita's came out in March and Dorothy's came out in November. Am so glad Dorothy did not meet Otto until the film 'Carmen Jones' was in the making. Could have seen the role going to Rita even though Joyce Bryant and others were looking to be cast as Carmen.

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (2)

Rita Moreno as Tuptim in the 1956 film 'The King and I'. A role Otto convinced Dorothy to turn down.

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (3)

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (4)

Rita Moreno won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in West Side Story (1961) for her role as Anita

If Dorothy did not listen to Otto, this would have been her win.

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (5)

Above left is Dorothy as Melmendi, Queen of the Ashuba in Tarzan's Perils (1951). To the right is Rita as Tuptim.

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (6)

Rita looks like 'Carmen Jones' in this photo.

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (7)

Anita with the fire of 'Carmen'

Link to more of Rita

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (8)

Rita's dark complexion attracted Brando, who had never got over his first object of desire — a Danish-Indonesian nanny — and craved exotic, darker-skinned women for the rest of his life. Brando lusted after Dorothy Dandridge as well.

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (9)

Dorothy (l), Rita (r)

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (10)

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (11)


Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (12)

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (13)

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (14)

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (15)

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (16)


Labels

AnitaMarlon BrandoOtto PremingerRita MorenoTuptimWest Side Story

Labels:AnitaMarlon BrandoOtto PremingerRita MorenoTuptimWest Side Story

Comments

  1. Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (17)

    jackApril 5, 2016 at 11:01 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete

  2. Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (18)

    Gg57February 18, 2020 at 8:50 PM

    Dorothy was supposed to be in West Side Story????

    ReplyDelete

    Replies

    1. Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (19)

      Karmen MarliseFebruary 19, 2020 at 7:22 AM

      Yes, Otto of course told her to turn it down...that she should have the leading role, and she listened to him

      Delete

  3. Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (20)

    meritofapprovalMarch 18, 2020 at 8:56 AM

    It wasn't "West Side Story" Dandridge was told to turn down, but "The King and I".

    ReplyDelete

    Replies

    1. Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (21)

      Karmen MarliseSeptember 13, 2021 at 11:06 PM

      Yes she turned down the West Side Story too..

      Delete

  4. Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (22)

    Mona LizaJuly 13, 2020 at 1:36 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete

  5. Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (23)

    Mona LizaJuly 13, 2020 at 1:43 PM

    Yes it was the King and I, not West Side Story, that Otto Preminger told Dorothy to turn down. She wasn't considered for West Side Story. Otto convinced her the role in King and I was too small for an actress who had just been nominated for an Academy Award. Plus the role was of a slave/servant so that wouldn'appeal to her anyway. Though the role of Tuptim was a little glamorous and helped Rita some, Dorothy for turning the role down was ostracized and received few roles after. Taking the role would have probably changed the trajectory of her career.

    ReplyDelete

    Replies

    1. Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (24)

      Karmen MarliseSeptember 13, 2021 at 11:07 PM

      It was both. She was suppose to play Maria.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jack Denison, Husband 2

August 18, 2012

Receiving marriage license in Santa Monica on morning of wedding day, Jack Denison happily kisses Dorothy after signing. Jack Denison kneels in prayer before wedding. It had taken Jack more than four years to get Dorothy to say yes, and maybe because it was a second marriage for both or took too long to come about. The bride war a gown of white mousseline de soie and Chantilly lace, designed by Berman of London. The dress was ballerina-length, with a V-neckline, three-quarter-length pouffe sleeves and a full skirt. She carried a modest bouquet of lilies of the valley and violets. They were married in the ancient Greek rite ceremony at Los Angeles St. Sophia Orthodox Cathedral and 200 attended. Dorothy was attended by Mrs. Gerry Branton and Miss Mary Denison, sister of the groom, while his brother, William, was best man. w/ Nat King Cole Thirty minutes after the wedding began, the pair were Mr. and Mrs. ...

12 comments

Read more

About Dorothy Dandridge

November 01, 2011

Lena Horne called Dorothy Dandridge"Our Marilyn Monroe" Click on photos to get full view :) I am so grateful that my mother introduced me to Dorothy Dandridge at a very young age (4years old to be exact). My mom even named me after Dorothy's Carmen Jones, only with a "K" i nstead. Ever since I can remember I have admired her hypnotic beauty and couldn't wait to see her work when I got older. One of the first times I viewed many of her movies was on TNT. Ted Turner honored Black History Month by showing alot of our movies on that channel over ten years ago. When Dorothy was featured, I made su re I taped them. Was fortunate to get the Cain's Hundred episode that Dorothy did (Blue's For A Junkm an). For this I must Thank Ted Turner. Now am an avid fan of TCM. Author Donald Bogle has been featured on there many times giving his opinion and expertise on all of his favorite flix and artists ; Dorothy without question is always one of ...

4 comments

Read more

Otto Preminger

August 23, 2012

On the set of 'Carmen Jones', Dandridge usually kept to herself when not working in a scene, partly because she felt that others in the company mistrusted her and suspected her relationship with Preminger. Preminger originally wanted Dorothy for the role of 'Cindy Lou' in the film Carmen Jones (1954). Dorothy laughed, and insisted that she could play a hellcat or a nun. Orly Airport (May 9,1955) Preminger paid the down payment on her new showplace house in the Hollywood Hills and kept her checking account replenished. Like Otto, Dorothy matched him in his meticulousness and discipline. Otto bullied everyone on the set with the exception of Pearl Bailey. Dorothy got it the worse, but according to Geri, Dorothy's best friend, Dorothy handled Otto off the set ,"She gave him hell for two weeks. She didn't yell back on the set, but i'm telling you she gave him hell." "He couldn't get me out o...

Post a Comment

Read more

Rita Moreno, If Only Dorothy Did Not Listen to Otto... (2025)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Rubie Ullrich

Last Updated:

Views: 6685

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (72 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rubie Ullrich

Birthday: 1998-02-02

Address: 743 Stoltenberg Center, Genovevaville, NJ 59925-3119

Phone: +2202978377583

Job: Administration Engineer

Hobby: Surfing, Sailing, Listening to music, Web surfing, Kitesurfing, Geocaching, Backpacking

Introduction: My name is Rubie Ullrich, I am a enthusiastic, perfect, tender, vivacious, talented, famous, delightful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.