Photos from the event here
Video recap of event here
Entire event here
Columbus, Ohio (April 3, 2025) – Ohio Goes to the Movies, a 2026 signature event of the America 250-Ohio Commission, honored legendary movie stars Dorothy Dandridge, Clark Gable and Paul Newman, the class of 2025 Great Ohioans at a reception this week at the Ohio Statehouse. More than 400 family and friends of the actors, Ohio legislators and leadership from the America 250-Ohio Commission attended the event.
Dorothy Dandridge was an actress, singer and dancer, born on November 9, 1922, in Cleveland, Ohio. Notable for her work in the 1945 film musical “Carmen Jones,” she became the first African American to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award. Dandridge continued to break barriers as the first Black woman featured on Life magazine’s cover, and the first Black performer to headline the Waldorf-Astoria’s prestigious Empire Room in 1955.
Clark Gable was born in Cadiz, Ohio on February 1, 1901. After landing a role in “The Painted Desert,” MGM offered him a contract where he went on to star in “Dance, Fools, Dance” and eventually win an Academy Award for “It happened One Night.” Known for his charm and charisma, he quickly became one of the largest names in Hollywood after appearing in many films during Hollywood’s Golden Age. During World War II, he served as a pilot in the Air Force, where he achieved the rank of major.
Paul Newman was an actor, philanthropist and film director raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio. After serving in the Navy, Newman attended Kenyon College and played football before majoring in theatre. After beginning a family, Newman found success on television and film. He went on to win multiple Academy Award nominations, and one Academy award for “The Color of Money.” He later began his own food company that has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for charity. Newman’s Original Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Hospital Outreach Programs and the Serious Fun Children’s Network (which spans more than 19 countries) all continue to create joyful and nurturing experiences for children with serious medical diagnoses and their families.
Special guests spoke about each of the inductees: for Dorothy Dandridge, film historian Donald Bogle, author of the critically acclaimed “Dorothy Dandridge: A Biography”; for Clark Gable, Mike Cole, founding president and current vice president of the Clark Gable Foundation; and for Paul Newman, his daughter, Melissa Newman, who authored “Head Over Heels: Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman: A Love Affair in Words and Pictures,” a tribute to her parents.
The Capitol Square Foundation selected the three honorees from nominations submitted by citizens and organizations across Ohio for 2025 class of Great Ohioans. The award’s selection criteria rely on whether the nominee was born in Ohio or lived in Ohio for at least five years and whether the commemorated event the nominee participated in took place 25 years ago. There have been 62 Great Ohioans previously recognized for this award for their essential contributions to history, ranging from politicians, astronauts, healthcare pioneers, writers, athletes and abolitionists.
“Ohio has an extensive list of incredible film and television stars,” said Capitol Square Foundation Chairman Charles Moses. “Ohio’s contribution to the arts should be appreciated, and we are proud to recognize these three Ohioans for their work.”
The movie stars were recommended by Molly P. Kreuzman, the Program Director of Ohio Goes to the Movies, a 2026 signature event of the America 250-Ohio Commission. Ohio Goes to the Movies will celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday next year, movies will be presented in all 88 counties to celebrate Ohio’s actors, directors, writers, composers, animators and more.
To learn more about Ohio Goes to the Movies, visit the website: https://ohiogoestothemovies.org.
Media Contact:
Jackie Reau, Game Day
(513) 708-5822 | [email protected]
