Judge Paul Dandridge

Former Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Paul Dandridge, one of the city's first African American judges, is being remembered as a man who achieved greatly and knew people in high places—such as his friend Denzel Washington—but never forgot his West Philadelphia roots.

Dandridge died at the age of 93 on April 23. Those who knew him best said he led a dynamic life with experience in multiple professions until finally embarking on a legal career, where he started out as a prosecutor under then-District Attorney Arlen Specter.

Dandridge grew up in West Philadelphia around 55th and Market. After graduating high school he briefly attended college before being drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps. in 1945, where he served locally.

After his discharge he attended and graduated from Lincoln University. From that point on he worked an eclectic series of jobs.

"He worked at the post office, as a bartender, at the medical examiner's office," his nephew, former Bar Association Chancellor Albert Dandridge, said.

It was on duty at the medical examiner's office one evening when Paul Dandridge received some devastating news. "When his mother died in 1959 and he was on duty at the ME's office, and he gets a call that somebody just passed away. 'Did you know a Charity Dandridge?' they asked him. He said, 'Yes, that's my mother.'"

After working at the medical examiner's office, the elder Dandridge attended Temple Law School and graduated in 1965. His legal career began when he was hired by Specter to be an assistant district attorney. He became a city magistrate judge just three years later, and in 1971, was elected to the Court of Common Pleas bench, where he would stay until his retirement in 1984.

In the early 1970s, Dandridge was a member of the Liacouras Committee, impaneled to investigate racial bias in the Pennsylvania Bar Admissions process.

As a judge, his nephew said, "what made him stand out was that he had a lot of life experience before he went to law school. He brought that life experience to the bench. He was very compassionate. He knew the trials and tribulations of a working person, and he brought that insight with him."

Longtime friend and Philadelphia lawyer Bernard Smalley said Dandridge was his mentor, who he met through family members who worked at the post office with Dandridge.

One of his favorite memories about the judge was when he introduced Smalley to Denzel Washington, who was in town filming "Philadelphia" in 1992.

"It was because of Judge Dandridge that I got to meet Denzel Washington," Smalley said. "Paul knew Denzel Washington. Denzel, who was filming 'Philadelphia' at the time, was very thorough [and] wanted to meet a trial lawyer."

Smalley continued, "[Dandridge] called me and said Denzel Washington wants to meet me. I thought he was teasing. But then he put Denzel on the phone and as soon I heard the voice I knew it was him."

He added, "It's clear that they had a relationship that continued after 'Philadelphia' was completed."

Despite his successful career, Smalley said Dandridge never forgot where he came from.

"Paul was low key and knew a lot of people in various areas—Denzel being one of them—but never forgot where he came from. He never forgot his family or friends," Smalley said. "It was my privilege to have known him."