Doris Day: The Life and Career of a Hollywood Legend
Childhood and Early Career
Doris Day, whose real name is Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff, was born on April 3, 1922, in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. She grew up in a family of German descent and showed early artistic talent. Doris Day initially dreamed of becoming a professional dancer, but a car accident in 1937 forced her to give up this dream. During her recovery, she discovered her passion for singing and began pursuing a musical career.
Musical Career
Doris Day began her singing career in the late 1930s as a big band singer. She quickly rose to fame when she collaborated with the band of Barney Rapp, Bob Crosby and Les Brown. Her first hit, Sentimental Journey (1945), became an iconic song for American soldiers during World War II. With her sweet, warm voice, Doris Day became one of the most beloved female singers of the period.
During her decades-long musical career, she released more than 600 songs, including hits such as Que Será, Será (Whatever Will Be, Will Be), Secret Love and Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps.
Film career
With her radiant appearance and seductive voice, Doris Day quickly moved into the film industry. She debuted on the big screen in 1948 with the film Romance on the High Seas. This success paved the way for her series of popular musical comedies in the 1950s, such as Calamity Jane (1953), The Pajama Game (1957) and Love Me or Leave Me (1955), which helped her establish her acting talent.
Doris Day was particularly successful in romantic comedies in the 1960s, starring alongside Hollywood’s top stars such as Rock Hudson and Cary Grant. Pillow Talk (1959) not only earned her an Oscar nomination but also helped shape her image as an independent, playful yet charming woman. Some of her other notable films include Lover Come Back (1961), That Touch of Mink (1962) and Move Over, Darling (1963).
In addition to romantic comedies, Doris Day also showed impressive acting ability in psychological films such as Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), in which she sang the immortal song Que Será, Será.
Doris Day is known as an elegant, sweet Hollywood icon, but her life was not entirely smooth. Beneath her image as the “romantic comedy queen,” she also faced controversy, legal troubles, and personal tragedy.
– Financial fraud from her third husband
One of the biggest shocks in Doris Day’s life was the loss of almost all of her assets due to the mismanagement of her third husband, Martin Melcher. He not only spent lavishly but also made bad investments, which nearly depleted her fortune. After Melcher died in 1968, Doris Day discovered that he had secretly signed her to a television series without her knowledge. This forced her to make The Doris Day Show (1968–1973) to pay off her debts.
She later sued her husband’s lawyer, Jerome Rosenthal, for fraud and financial mismanagement. The lawsuit dragged on until 1974, and she won the case with a settlement of $22 million, a huge sum at the time. However, she only got a small portion of the money back because Rosenthal went bankrupt.
– A turbulent marriage
Doris Day had four marriages, but none of them were truly happy.
Her first husband, Al Jorden, was a musician but also an abuser. He often beat Doris Day and even forced her to have an abortion. This marriage ended quickly after a year.
Her second husband, George Weidler, was a musician but could not handle her fame, leading to a divorce after only three years.
Her third husband, Martin Melcher, not only ruined her financially but was also accused of controlling and manipulating her life.
Her last husband, Barry Comden, married Doris Day in 1976 but they divorced shortly after in 1981. He complained that she cared more about animals than her husband.
– A strained relationship with her son Terry Melcher
Terry Melcher, Doris Day’s only son, is a talented music producer. However, the relationship between mother and son was sometimes rocky, especially when Terry tried to distance herself from her mother’s fame and establish herself in the music industry.
One of the most notable events was Terry Melcher’s association with Charles Manson. Before committing the horrific murder at Sharon Tate’s home in 1969, Manson had hoped that Terry Melcher would help him become a singer. When Melcher refused, Manson became angry and then carried out the Hollywood hit. It was this event that made Doris Day even more worried about her son’s safety and tried to control Terry’s life more.
Decline in her career and decision to leave Hollywood
Although she was one of the leading actresses of the 1950s–1960s, Doris Day began to lose her appeal in the late 1960s as film trends changed. The romantic comedies she was famous for gradually became outdated compared to Hollywood’s increasingly bold and new style.
After completing The Doris Day Show, she decided to leave Hollywood to focus on animal protection activities. Although fans wanted her to return to the screen, Doris Day refused all invitations, even when she received lucrative offers from famous directors.
Despite her image as the “perfect woman” on screen, Doris Day also experienced many sad events in real life, from domestic violence, loss of property, family tensions and declining career. However, she is still remembered as an icon of grace and kindness, especially for her contributions to animal protection after leaving Hollywood.
Later career and animal activism
After leaving Hollywood in the 1970s, Doris Day devoted much of her time to animal protection activities. She founded the Doris Day Animal Foundation and the Doris Day Animal League to fight for animal rights, a passion she pursued until the end of her life.
Legacy and influence
Doris Day is one of the great cultural icons of the 20th century. Not only was she successful in all three fields of music, film and television, but she also left a deep impression on the audience with her pure, graceful image and emotional voice.
She passed away on May 13, 2019, at the age of 97. Even though she has passed away, Doris Day remains an immortal icon of American entertainment and a woman of great influence in the field of animal protection.
