Dorothy Dell, a remarkable individual, was born to Elbert and Lillan Goff on January 30, 1915, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Her early life was marked by achievement, as she won the "Most Beautiful Baby in Hattiesburg" beauty contest at just thirteen months of age.
As she grew older, Dorothy relocated to New Orleans at the age of ten, where she attended the prestigious Sophie Wright High School for girls. Her beauty and talent did not go unnoticed, and at the tender age of fifteen, she won the coveted Miss New Orleans title.
This success led to a six-month vaudeville tour with Fanchon and Marco, after which she landed a job with the renowned Ziegfeld Follies of 1931 upon her arrival in New York City. Her solo performance, "Was I Drunk?", was a highlight of the production.
Dorothy's film career with Paramount was marked by a series of releases in 1934. Tragically, her life was cut short in an automobile accident on June 8, 1934. She had attended an all-night party at an inn in Altadena and was driving to Pasadena in the early hours when the car veered off the highway, striking a telephone pole, a palm tree, and a boulder. Dorothy was killed instantly, and her date, Dr. Carl Wagner, who was driving, succumbed to his injuries several hours later.
