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Who Is Angie Dickinson?
Angie Dickinson is a celebrated American actress known for her compelling performances in film and television. Her breakout role came in Howard Hawks’ classic western Rio Bravo, where she starred alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin. In the 1970s, Dickinson gained further recognition for her role as Suzanne “Pepper” Anderson in the groundbreaking television series Police Woman. She later appeared in Brian De Palma’s acclaimed film Dressed to Kill (1980) and starred in the 1993 miniseries Wild Palms. Her more recent film credits include Pay It Forward (2000) and Big Bad Love (2001).
Early Life
Born Angeline Brown on September 30, 1931, in Kulm, North Dakota, Dickinson is one of three daughters. Her father was a newspaper editor, and the family relocated to California when she was around ten years old. Dickinson pursued her education at Glendale College and Immaculate Heart College. It was at Glendale College that she met Gene Dickinson, a star athlete on the football team. The couple married in 1952 but divorced in 1959. Following her marriage, Dickinson began her career as a secretary, but a victory in a beauty pageant propelled her into the entertainment industry. She soon made appearances on The Colgate Comedy Hour and decided to pursue acting full-time.
Film and Television Career
Dickinson’s career began with small television roles, but her significant breakthrough came with her portrayal of Feathers in Rio Bravo. This role solidified her status as an emerging sex symbol in Hollywood. Despite this early success, Dickinson faced challenges in capitalizing on her fame. After being sold to Warner Brothers by Howard Hawks, she found herself in supporting roles, including as Frank Sinatra’s wife in Ocean’s Eleven (1960). Her tenure at Universal did not yield substantial advancement, though she starred in the notable crime drama The Killers (1964) alongside Lee Marvin and John Cassavetes, and worked with Marlon Brando in The Chase (1966).
In the 1970s, Dickinson achieved iconic status with her role as Suzanne “Pepper” Anderson in the crime drama Police Woman, which first aired in 1974 after her character’s debut in Police Story. This role was pivotal, as it portrayed a female lead who was not only tough but also sexual and humorous. Dickinson’s portrayal of Pepper Anderson broke new ground for women in television, contrasting sharply with the traditional portrayals of women at the time. The series concluded in 1978.
Around the same time, Dickinson starred in Roger Corman’s Big Bad Mama alongside William Shatner and Tom Skerritt, further cementing her image as a sex symbol. Following Police Woman, she appeared in Dressed to Kill (1980), where she showcased her seductive persona once more. She later returned to television with the short-lived series Cassie & Co..
In the early 1990s, Dickinson made a notable comeback with her role in Oliver Stone’s miniseries Wild Palms (1993), where she portrayed a seductive antagonist. Although her appearances in films and television became less frequent thereafter, she still contributed to notable projects such as Pay It Forward (2000) and Big Bad Love (2001).
Personal Life
Renowned as one of Hollywood’s most alluring stars, Dickinson has been rumored to have had relationships with several prominent figures, including Frank Sinatra and President John F. Kennedy. She was married to composer Burt Bacharach from 1965 until their divorce in 1981, and they had a daughter, Lea Nikki, born in 1966. Tragically, Nikki passed away in 2007 after a long battle with vision impairment and Asperger’s syndrome.