Marpessa Dawn

Acting

Marpessa Dawn

Born — Died

1934-01-03 — 2008-08-25

Place of birth

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

15 titles

Marpessa Dawn (January 3, 1934 — August 25, 2008), also known as Gypsy Marpessa Dawn Menor was an American-born French actress, singer, and dancer. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania of African-American and Filipino heritage, she is best-remembered for her role as "Eurydice" in the film Black Orpheus. She and her fellow lead from that film, Brazilian actor Breno Mello, died just 42 days apart in 2008, both from heart attacks.

Known for

Film credits

1970s · 4 titles

Sweet Movie poster
5.3

The winner of the Miss World Virginity contest marries, escapes from her masochistic husband and ends up involved in a world of debauchery.

Sweet Movie

1974

Private Collections poster
5.9

Three stories. A solitary sailor falls from his boat and washes ashore on a tropical island. While seeking rescue, he's found by a nearly naked woman who is playful and compliant. He decides to erase his signs of distress and remain on the island. What awaits? In the second, an adolescent searches for the words of a nursery rime he remembers bits of. His journey takes him into dreams, sexual awakening, and Oedipal fantasy. Third, a man of wealth in late-nineteenth century Paris hires a prostitute for the night. She's also cabaret performer and takes him to her room. He fears he's about to be robbed. What's her secret?

Private Collections

1979

Le Bal du comte d'Orgel poster
5.8

Nobles try desperately to cling to the crumbling aristocracy in the days following World War I. The Count (Jean-Claude Brialy) and his Countess Mahe (Sylvia Fennec) delight in throwing lavish costume balls. The couple develops a friendship with a young boy who delights in the parties thrown by the noble couple. Love soon blooms between the Countess and the boy as she searches for something more than a string of endless parties and social affairs. The masquerades are an attempt to freeze time and hold on to the nostalgia of a bygone era. For fear of losing her, the Count allows the Countess to continue her love affair.

Le Bal du comte d'Orgel

1970

Boubou cravate poster
NR

An African diplomat who has returned to his native country after a long stay in Europe realizes that perhaps he has assimilated too much white culture.

Boubou cravate

1972

1950s · 4 titles

Series credits