Day, Doris (1922-2019), was an American singer and motion-picture actress who gained fame for her wholesome good looks, clean-cut personality, and clear singing voice. Day was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars during the 1950’s and early 1960’s, appearing in musicals, dramas, and romantic comedies.
Day was born on April 3, 1922, in Cincinnati. Her real name was Doris Mary Ann von Kappelhoff. She sang in nightclubs and on radio as a teenager. She took her professional name from a song, “Day After Day.” She first gained recognition as a singer with the Bob Crosby and Les Brown bands during the early 1940’s. Her recording of “Sentimental Journey” (1944) with Les Brown became a hit.
Day made her movie debut in the musical Romance on the High Seas (1948). In the film, she sang one of her biggest hits, “It’s Magic.” She sang another hit song, “Secret Love,” in the musical Calamity Jane (1953). During the 1950’s and early 1960’s, she starred in several light comedies opposite Cary Grant or Rock Hudson, including Pillow Talk (1959) and That Touch of Mink (1962). She played dramatic roles in Storm Warning (1950), Love Me or Leave Me (1955), and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). In the 1956 film, she sang another of her hits, “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be).”
Day starred in a popular television comedy series, “The Doris Day Show” (1968-1973). Her autobiography, Doris Day: Her Own Story (1975), revealed that she had many unhappy experiences, including two failed marriages, despite her wholesome, cheerful manner. Terry Melcher, her only child, became a successful record producer who helped popularize the rock groups Paul Revere and the Raiders and the Byrds.
Day was also an activist for the welfare of animals. In 1971, she cofounded Actors and Others for Animals. In 1987, she founded the Doris Day Animal League. In 2006, it merged with the Humane Society of the United States. Day died on May 13, 2019, in Carmel Valley, California.
