Marpessa Dawn, RIP

[GA Russell]

Back in the 60s I read many times that bossa nova started with the soundtrack to the movie Black Orpheus. Nowadays, the historians give the credit to the earliest Joao Gilberto recordings.

Marpessa Dawn, the female lead of Black Orpheus, has died. I have thought about her every time I listen to the soundtrack cd, because it includes her startled shriek when she comes upon Death for the first time.

I had no idea that she was born in Pittsburgh!

From the LA Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-...0,3709281.story

<h2 style="">Marpessa Dawn</h2>Actress in 1959's 'Black Orpheus'

Marpessa Dawn, the Pennsylvania-born actress who played the doomed Eurydice in the classic Brazilian movie "Black Orpheus," died Aug. 25 of a heart attack at her home near Paris, the New York Times reported, citing her daughter Dhyana Kulth.

Based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, "Black Orpheus" told the story of an innocent country girl, played by Dawn, and a trolley car driver and musician, played by Bruno Melo. The couple meet during Rio's carnival, but Eurydice is being stalked by Death. Orpheus later retrieves her body from the morgue and falls to his death from a cliff cradling her in his arms.

Directed by Marcel Camus, the film won the Palme d'Or at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Award and Golden Globe for best foreign film in 1960.

Gypsy Marpessa Dawn Menor was born in Pittsburgh in 1934. She was of American and Filipino heritage and moved to England as a teenager, where she had a few small television roles. She later moved to France, where she sang and danced in nightclubs and worked as a governess.

She appeared in several movies after "Black Orpheus," but none was as successful.

[ValerieB]

i remember this beautiful woman so well. i saw Black Orpheus while i was living in Greenwich Village in the early '60s and then found out that she lived there. used to see her on Macdougal Street.

it's a shame that she didn't go on to do some more film work. she was very special.

RIP, Ms. Dawn.

[Jazzmoose]

Can't say I ever saw the movie, but I've certainly spent my share of time listening to the soundtrack!

[Van Basten II]

Saw this movie a few months ago, my comments are burried somewhere in the film thread, she sure was a beautiful girl, enjoyed the somewhat naivety of this film. RP

[Niko]

funny i never would have guessed that actress to be alive... this speaks very much in favor of the films naturalistic qualities i'd say