Three of Ohio’s best-known actors have been named 2025 Great Ohioans by the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) and the Capitol Square Foundation: Dorothy Dandridge, Clark Gable and Paul Newman.
“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.”
Below is the nomination submitted by OGTTM Program Director Molly Kreuzman to CSRAB and Capital Square Foundation.
Dorothy Dandridge: A Groundbreaking Star
Dorothy Jean Dandridge, born November 9, 1922, in Cleveland, Ohio, rose from local vocal performer to international movie star, breaking racial barriers and paving the way for future generations of Black performers. Her artistic journey began in Cleveland, where she performed with her sister Vivian as The Wonder Children singers and later The Dandridge Sisters, later earning acclaim at prestigious venues like Harlem’s Cotton Club and Apollo Theater.
Dandridge’s path to stardom required extraordinary determination in an era of limited opportunities for Black artists. After making her screen debut at age 13 in “Teacher’s Beau” (1935), she consistently rejected stereotypical roles while building her career through small parts in films like “Lady from Louisiana” (1941) and memorable appearances in musical shorts, including “Chattanooga Choo Choo” in “Sun Valley Serenade” (1941). Dandridge also appeared in a succession of “soundies” (film clips that were displayed on jukeboxes), including “Paper Doll” by the popular Mills Brothers, originally of Piqua, Ohio.
Her breakthrough came in May 1951 with a record-setting opening at West Hollywood’s Mocambo nightclub, which introduced her to the larger Hollywood community. This success led to her starring role opposite Harry Belafonte in “Bright Road” (1953), followed by her career-defining performance in “Carmen Jones” (1954). The film’s worldwide success, earning over $10 million, made history when Dandridge became the first Black woman nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her achievements extended beyond film: on November 1, 1954, she became the first Black woman featured on Life magazine’s cover, and on April 11, 1955, she broke another barrier as the first Black performer to headline the Waldorf-Astoria’s prestigious Empire Room.
Though her career was tragically cut short by her death in 1965 at age 42, Dandridge’s legacy proved enduring. Her pioneering achievements helped create opportunities for future Ohio performers, including Halle Berry, another Cleveland native, who in 2002 — 47 years after Dandridge’s Oscar nomination — became the first Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, fulfilling a dream Dandridge had helped make possible.
Clark Gable: The King of Hollywood
William Clark Gable’s journey from Ohio factory worker to Hollywood royalty embodied the American dream. Born on February 1, 1901, in Cadiz, Ohio, Gable’s early life was marked by loss and resilience. After his mother’s death when he
was just seven months old, he spent his early years between Pennsylvania and Ohio before his father settled the family
in Palmyra Township, Ohio. At 16, young Gable quit high school to work at Akron’s Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. While in Akron, a fateful viewing of “The Bird of Paradise” sparked his acting ambitions.
After years of perseverance, Gable signed with MGM in 1930, launching a career that would span 37 years and more than 60 films. His natural charm and masculine appeal resonated with audiences, particularly in roles that showcased his trademark combination of swagger and vulnerability. At one point, he refused an assignment, and the studio punished him by loaning him out to (at the time) low-rent Columbia Pictures. That move put him in Frank Capra’s “It Happened One Night” (1934), which won him an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance and established him as a versatile actor capable of both drama and comedy.
Gable’s portrayal of Rhett Butler in 1939’s “Gone with the Wind” became his most iconic role, helping create what would become cinema’s highest-grossing film at an estimated $4.4 billion (adjusted for inflation).
In March 1939 Clark married Carole Lombard, but tragedy struck again in January 1942 when the plane in which Carole and her mother were flying crashed, killing them both. A grief-stricken yet patriotic Gable joined the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II and was off the screen for three years, flying combat missions in Europe and achieving the rank of major.
Throughout his career, Gable remained one of Hollywood’s most reliable box-office draws, appearing on Quigley Publishing’s annual Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll 16 times. The American Film Institute ranked him the seventh-greatest male star of classic American cinema. His final performance came in “The Misfits” (1961). He died in 1960 before its release, leaving an indelible mark on American culture.
Paul Newman: Actor, Philanthropist, Visionary
Paul Leonard Newman, born January 26, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio, transformed himself from
a Shaker Heights schoolboy into one of cinema’s most beloved and influential figures. His early years in Ohio shaped his character: working at his family’s sporting goods store, Newman-Stern, while nurturing his passion for acting through school performances. After studying drama and economics at Kenyon College and attending Yale School of Drama, Newman emerged as one of Hollywood’s most versatile talents.
Following his inauspicious debut in “The Silver Chalice” (1954), Newman established himself as a compelling leading man in “Somebody Up There Likes Me” (1956). Over the next three decades, he earned eight Academy Award nominations, winning Best Actor for “The Color of Money” (1986). His collaborations with Robert Redford in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969) and “The Sting” (1973) rank among cinema’s greatest partnerships.
Newman’s impact extended far beyond entertainment. His passion for auto racing led him to co-found Newman-Haas Racing in 1982, frequently competing at Mansfield’s Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. His greatest legacy, however, may be his pioneering approach to philanthropic entrepreneurship. Through Newman’s Own, established in 1982, he transformed salad dressing into a vehicle for social change, generating over $600 million for charitable causes to date. 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.
Newman never forgot his Ohio roots and was especially generous to Kenyon College. In 1978, Newman returned to Gambier to christen the new Bolton Theater with its inaugural production of “C.C. Pyle and the Bunion Derby,” whose cast featured then-student Allison Janney ’82. Newman came up with the idea of directing the play and spending time with the students at a time when college administrators were pursuing him to make a “meaningful contribution” to the school. According to an Erie (Pennsylvania) Daily Times reporter, College President Philip Jordan Jr. admitted to Newman that they had hoped for a monetary gift, but that Newman had in fact given so much more — working hard with the students, eating with them, sharing with them the secrets of his stagecraft. Newman replied, “Money is cheap. If it was all you wanted, you should have said so. I tried to give something that had meaning.” He then gave a $10 million leadership gift to the “We Are Kenyon” campaign for financial aid to the neediest students.
Before his death in 2008, Newman established a model for artists using their success to create lasting social impact.
His legacy lives on through his philanthropic innovations and the countless lives he touched both on and off screen.
About the Great Ohioans Exhibit
“The Ohio Statehouse is excited to add three stars to the Great Ohioans exhibit,” said Phil Miller, CSRAB Assistant Director, “We welcome visitors to learn about these and all the Great Ohioans who made an impact in people’s lives.”
Sixty-two Great Ohioans have previously been recognized for this award for their essential contributions to history, ranging from politicians, astronauts, healthcare pioneers, writers, athletes, abolitionists and more. To learn about the other awardees, visit the Ohio Statehouse website.
The Ohio Statehouse Museum exhibit allows visitors better to understand the recipients of the Great Ohioan Award and discover how they affected local, national and world history. The exhibit uses videos, photos, facts and web-based technology to explore the life and legacy of each Great Ohioan. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open every day of the week except on state holidays.
