Let's all welcome Doris Day as she is the classic movie goddess of the month. Here are some notable facts about Ms. Day.
Was married four times.
It was during the location filming of The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), when she saw how camels, goats and other "animal extras" in a marketplace scene were being treated, that Day began her lifelong commitment to preventing animal abuse.
Reportedly did not like "swear words." As a recording artist, she would require anyone who said a swear word to put a quarter in a "swear jar." In addition, she does not allow her songs to be used in movies that contain swear words.
Childhood idol was Ginger Rogers, with whom she starred in Storm Warning (1951).
Went to the same Cincinnati ballroom dance studio as a child as Vera-Ellen. Their parents used to carpool together to the dance studio.
Her dreams of a dancing career were dashed when a car accident on 13 October 1937 badly damaged her legs. She spent most of her teenage years wheelchair-bound and during this time began singing on the radio.
The film The Children's Hour (1961) was constructed with both Day and Katharine Hepburn as the two leading ladies. However both actresses backed out due to scheduling conflicts and as a result Shirley MacLaine was cast in Hepburn's role and Audrey Hepburn was cast in Day's role.
Has often cited Calamity Jane (1953) as her personal favorite of the 39 films she appeared in.
Her mother named her after her favorite silent film star, Doris Kenyon. By coincidence, in the mid 1970's when Day wrote her autobiography, Kenyon was her neighbor on Crescent Drive in Beverly Hills.
I love Doris, and love the facts you put here. I never knew about the "animal extras" and how she came to devote her life to animals. I loved reading that. And that's very cool that she got to star in a movie with her childhood idol :)
ReplyDeleteHooray for Doris Day! She's the tops!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Laura
Great post - and I love the pictures you picked - of course the last one the most..
ReplyDeleteWho could possibly not love Doris Day???? Such a delightful personality - and she could sing. I like her '60s bedroom comedies best (I think that's what they're called) and my favorite of those is "The Thrill of it All" with James Garner. Another (earlier) favorite - "Young at Heart" with Frank Sinatra.
ReplyDeleteBeyond her film and music career, Doris Day has been very active in the animal welfare arena. Here's a link to her Doris Day Animal League:
http://www.ddal.org/