Doris Day
Biography
Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff was born on April 3, 1922, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Initially, she aspired to be a dancer, but a leg injury in a car accident in 1937 shifted her focus to singing. During her recovery, she began taking vocal lessons and was influenced by singers like Ella Fitzgerald. She started her professional singing career on local radio programs before joining big bands.
Early Career and Musical Success
In 1939, while working with bandleader Barney Rapp, she adopted the stage name Doris Day. She went on to sing with bands led by Bob Crosby and Les Brown. It was with Les Brown and His Band of Renown that she achieved her first major success. In 1945, they released the hit song "Sentimental Journey," which became an anthem for soldiers returning from World War II. Another number one hit, "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time," followed soon after, solidifying her status as a popular singer. She recorded over 650 songs between 1947 and 1967.
Transition to Film and Stardom
Doris Day's film career began in 1948 with the musical "Romance on the High Seas," after she was chosen to replace Betty Hutton. The film featured the hit song "It's Magic," which further boosted her popularity. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she became one of Hollywood's biggest stars, known for her wholesome, "girl-next-door" image. She starred in a variety of film genres, including musicals, comedies, and dramas.
Notable Films
Her filmography includes a string of successful movies. She played the title role in the musical "Calamity Jane" (1953), which featured the Academy Award-winning song "Secret Love". In 1955, she starred in the dramatic musical "Love Me or Leave Me" alongside James Cagney. The following year, she appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's thriller "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1956) with James Stewart, where she sang her signature song, "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)". Her collaborations with Rock Hudson in romantic comedies like "Pillow Talk" (1959), "Lover Come Back" (1961), and "Send Me No Flowers" (1964) were particularly successful. Her role in "Pillow Talk" earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Later Career and Personal Life
Doris Day was married four times. Her first marriage was to trombonist Al Jorden from 1941 to 1943, with whom she had her only son, Terry Melcher. Subsequent marriages were to saxophonist George Weidler (1946-1949), producer Martin Melcher (1951-1968), and restaurateur Barry Comden (1976-1981). After her third husband's death, she discovered he had mismanaged and lost her fortune. From 1968 to 1973, she starred in the television sitcom "The Doris Day Show".
Retirement and Animal Welfare
After retiring from acting in 1975, Day dedicated her life to animal welfare. She was a founding member of Actors and Others for Animals and established the Doris Day Pet Foundation in 1978. She received numerous accolades for her career, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Doris Day passed away on May 13, 2019, at the age of 97 in Carmel Valley, California.