Dorothy Bridges
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Louise Bridges (née Simpson; September 19, 1915 – February 16, 2009) was an American
actress and poet
. Bridges was the matriarch of an acting family, which included her late husband, actor
Lloyd Bridges
, and her sons, actors Beau Bridges
and Jeff Bridges
. Bridges was sometimes credited as Dorothy Dean.
on September 19, 1915. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was two years old. Bridges made her film debut in the movie Finders Keepers at the age of six.
She attended the University of California, Los Angeles
. It was at UCLA that she met her future husband, Lloyd Bridges, while acting in a small theatrical play
on campus. Lloyd Bridges, who was a UCLA upperclassman at the time, appeared in the production as her "leading man."
The couple married in 1938 in New York City. Dorothy and Lloyd Bridges remained married for 60 years, until he died in 1998 at the age of 85. They had four children: Beau Vernet
, Garrett Myles, Jeffrey Leon
, and Lucinda Louise. Their son, Garrett, died of sudden infant death syndrome
on August 3, 1948.
Bridges and her husband moved to New York City
, where they continued to pursue their acting studies and careers. Dorothy and Lloyd Bridges both studied under the acting teacher Michael Chekhov
.
They returned to Hollywood in the early 1940s when Lloyd Bridges was signed to Columbia Pictures
.
, a television series which starred her husband. Bridges also appeared in The Thanksgiving Promise, a 1986 television movie
directed by her son, Beau Bridges, and the 1989 film, See You in the Morning
, which co-starred her son, Jeff Bridges. Dorothy Bridges credits also included the 1993 television movie, Secret Sins of the Father, which was directed by Beau Bridges, who cast several other members of the Bridges family in main and supporting roles.
In addition to raising her children, Bridges also introduced them to the acting profession as their first drama teacher. She encouraged each of her children to "pretend" for an hour each day. Her son, Jeff Bridges, would later say that the playtime "pretend" games were "basically the basis of acting." Jeff Bridges notes that both his parents studied under Michael Chekhov
and that "and a lot of things my mom learned with him were passed down to all of us." Two of Dorothy Bridges' sons, Jeff and Beau, ultimately became actors while her daughter, Lucinda, is an artist
.
Bridges also wrote poetry
, later publishing some of her work. She was known to write love poems to her husband every Valentine's Day
during their 59 year marriage.
Dorothy Bridges released her memoirs, You Caught Me Kissing: A Love Story, in 2005. Much of the book centered on her marriage to Lloyd Bridges. It included commentary from her children and family photos. Bridges was 89 years old at the time of the book's release.
on February 16, 2009, in the same home where she and her husband raised their children. She was 93 years old.
Her son, Jeff Bridges, called her the "hub" of their family in an interview with the Los Angeles Times
following her death.
She was survived by her brother; sons, Beau Bridges and Jeff Bridges; and her daughter, Lucinda. Her eleven grandchildren include actors Jordan Bridges
, Casey, Dylan and Emily. She was also survived by two great-grandchildren.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. Bridges was the matriarch of an acting family, which included her late husband, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Vernet Bridges, Jr. was an American actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. Bridges is best known for his role of Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt, the most-popular syndicated American TV series in 1958...
, and her sons, actors Beau Bridges
Beau Bridges
Lloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III is an American actor and director.- Early life :Bridges was born in Los Angeles, the son of actor Lloyd Bridges and his college sweetheart, Dorothy Bridges . He was nicknamed "Beau" by his mother and father after Ashley Wilkes's son in Gone with the Wind, the book...
and Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
. Bridges was sometimes credited as Dorothy Dean.
Early life
Bridges was born Dorothy Louise Simpson in Worcester, MassachusettsWorcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
on September 19, 1915. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was two years old. Bridges made her film debut in the movie Finders Keepers at the age of six.
She attended the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
. It was at UCLA that she met her future husband, Lloyd Bridges, while acting in a small theatrical play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
on campus. Lloyd Bridges, who was a UCLA upperclassman at the time, appeared in the production as her "leading man."
The couple married in 1938 in New York City. Dorothy and Lloyd Bridges remained married for 60 years, until he died in 1998 at the age of 85. They had four children: Beau Vernet
Beau Bridges
Lloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III is an American actor and director.- Early life :Bridges was born in Los Angeles, the son of actor Lloyd Bridges and his college sweetheart, Dorothy Bridges . He was nicknamed "Beau" by his mother and father after Ashley Wilkes's son in Gone with the Wind, the book...
, Garrett Myles, Jeffrey Leon
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
, and Lucinda Louise. Their son, Garrett, died of sudden infant death syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome is marked by the sudden death of an infant that is unexpected by medical history, and remains unexplained after a thorough forensic autopsy and a detailed death scene investigation. An infant is at the highest risk for SIDS during sleep, which is why it is sometimes...
on August 3, 1948.
Bridges and her husband moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where they continued to pursue their acting studies and careers. Dorothy and Lloyd Bridges both studied under the acting teacher Michael Chekhov
Michael Chekhov
Michael Chekhov was a Russian-American actor, director, author, and theatre practitioner. His acting technique has been used by actors such as Clint Eastwood, Marilyn Monroe, Yul Brynner, and Robert Stack. Constantin Stanislavski referred to him as his most brilliant student...
.
They returned to Hollywood in the early 1940s when Lloyd Bridges was signed to Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
.
Career
Bridges occasionally returned to acting throughout her life, often in roles where she was able to work with members of her family. She was sometimes credited as Dorothy Dean. She appeared in Sea HuntSea Hunt
Sea Hunt was an American adventure television series that was aired in syndication by Ziv Television Programs from 1958 to 1961 and was popular in syndication for decades afterwards. The series originally aired for four seasons, with 155 episodes produced...
, a television series which starred her husband. Bridges also appeared in The Thanksgiving Promise, a 1986 television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
directed by her son, Beau Bridges, and the 1989 film, See You in the Morning
See You in the Morning
See You in the Morning is the third studio album by Mint Royale, which was released in 2005 on the Faith & Hope label. The album featured a then-unknown Duffy singing vocals on the tracks The Effect on Me and Little Words....
, which co-starred her son, Jeff Bridges. Dorothy Bridges credits also included the 1993 television movie, Secret Sins of the Father, which was directed by Beau Bridges, who cast several other members of the Bridges family in main and supporting roles.
In addition to raising her children, Bridges also introduced them to the acting profession as their first drama teacher. She encouraged each of her children to "pretend" for an hour each day. Her son, Jeff Bridges, would later say that the playtime "pretend" games were "basically the basis of acting." Jeff Bridges notes that both his parents studied under Michael Chekhov
Michael Chekhov
Michael Chekhov was a Russian-American actor, director, author, and theatre practitioner. His acting technique has been used by actors such as Clint Eastwood, Marilyn Monroe, Yul Brynner, and Robert Stack. Constantin Stanislavski referred to him as his most brilliant student...
and that "and a lot of things my mom learned with him were passed down to all of us." Two of Dorothy Bridges' sons, Jeff and Beau, ultimately became actors while her daughter, Lucinda, is an artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
.
Bridges also wrote poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, later publishing some of her work. She was known to write love poems to her husband every Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
during their 59 year marriage.
Dorothy Bridges released her memoirs, You Caught Me Kissing: A Love Story, in 2005. Much of the book centered on her marriage to Lloyd Bridges. It included commentary from her children and family photos. Bridges was 89 years old at the time of the book's release.
Death
Dorothy Bridges died of "age-related causes" in Holmby Hills, Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on February 16, 2009, in the same home where she and her husband raised their children. She was 93 years old.
Her son, Jeff Bridges, called her the "hub" of their family in an interview with the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
following her death.
She was survived by her brother; sons, Beau Bridges and Jeff Bridges; and her daughter, Lucinda. Her eleven grandchildren include actors Jordan Bridges
Jordan Bridges
-Early life:Bridges was born in California, and is the son of actor Beau Bridges and wife Julie Landfield. He is the nephew of Jeff Bridges and grandson of Lloyd Bridges and Dorothy Bridges.-Career:...
, Casey, Dylan and Emily. She was also survived by two great-grandchildren.