Doris Day in the Life
Doris Day is an interesting person in Hollywood lore. I think she would be a good topic for the You Must Remember This podcast. She is the image of wholesome entertainment, but she isn't blah.
Doris Day started as a midwest singer that sang one of the best torch songs of all time. She went to Hollywood and played ingenues in nostalgia piece movies. She would get an Academy Award nomination in a dramatic role, something was wasn't known for. Then she would make sex-less romantic comedies. She became the epitome of wholesomeness and sweetness.
I’m not going to write a blog that disputes her image. I’m not going to troll. I'm going to tell you that she was a person not an image.
Day was born Doris MaryAnn Kappelhoff on April 3, 1922. She could sing and made a name for herself on a small level. She started with the Barney Rapp orchestra. Then she joined the Les Brown Orchestra. Together in 1945, they recorded the song, "Sentimental Journey." It was the perfect song for a war-weary country full of men that wanted to go home, go back. The lead vocalist is a woman that sounds welcoming but not boring. Come back and we'll go on our own journey. The song is slow and simmering, but those last fifteen seconds when the horns rise and she competes with them ending with the word “journey” that she holds. It’s like the last notes of the song are when the journey begins.
At the time this classic song made millions swoon, Day’s first marriage would end. She married Al Jordan in March 1941. He committed suicide in 1945. She would marry George William Weidler in March 1946 till May 1949. They would have a son, named Terry. He’ll be important later.
Day would make her first movie in 1948 with Romance on the High Sea. (totally unintentional is that the movie Abby wants to see in Dream Dancing is Romance of the River II.) She would get an Academy Award nomination for the movie “Love Me or Leave Me.” Her co-star James Cagney would get his third nomination for the same movie. At the same time, she would make the first of her romantic comedies with Rock Hudson. The movie, “Pillow Talk” would get her a second Academy Award nomination.
By this time, she married for the third time to Martin Melcher. They married April 3, 1951. Her career took off. Martin adopted Terry and they became a family. Her movies continued to make money. Martin managed her career.
The romantic movies are safe movies with good looking people, flirting, and no sex. In the 1960’s even though she is seen as bland and a relic to a younger swinging demographic, she continues to make money. Her co-stars are all big names. Terry becomes a music producer.
Sounds as sweet as her movies, doesn't it?
Sadly, Martin passed away in 1968. That’s when Doris finds out that he wasn’t a great manager. Actually in spite of the movies and music, she’s broke. Terry, who produced the Byrds records, friends with the Beach Boys and has music connections in California decides to back away from music to help his mother.
Just in time for Terry to back away because he was introduced to a cult-leader who said he wanted a music career. The guy was crazy scary. The cult-leader would become famous as leader of the Manson family, Charlie Manson. It is believed that Terry Melcher was the intended target for murder not Sharon Tate when the Manson family went on a killing spree.
Terry got his mother a feel-good television show that lasted five years. He revived her music career and got her financial status cleaned up.
Doris Day has recorded 650 songs. She has a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In the end, this old time fuddy-duddy symbol of 1950’s bland, actually had several marriages, money trouble, and made career choices based on finances rather than her desire. Her hip son made her relevant. Up and downs, she kept going. It's the reason we remember her today. She just celebrated a birthday and is doing well.
What a full life.
This information came from IMDB and wikipedia.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26263816-dream-dancing
www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com