One of the most remarkable personalities on the entertainment front was Doris Day. With hair like gold and a clear voice, she changed the way we view films and listen to songs. A few of the songs she sang then are still an evergreen favorite to most of us, and people look up to her, her songs, and movies for inspiration. But, she almost did not become a singer or actress because she was so focused on dancing early in her life. And that decided her fate and changed the entertainment scene forever.

Birth of A Singing Star

Born to Alma Sophia and William Joseph Kappelhoff on April 3, 1922, in Cincinnati Ohio, Doris Day had the right settings for learning music since she was only a toddler. Her father was a choir-master and music teacher so she had the perfect atmosphere for her music lessons. She got christened Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff and it was even believed before that she had been born in 1924. However, it was soon confirmed that her year of birth was indeed 1922, on account of the birth certificate discovered by the Associated Press by accident.

The Early Life & Her Siblings

Doris Day had two older brothers. One of them was Richard who, unfortunately, died before she was born. The other one was Paul who was two to three years older than Doris. Sadly, their parents’ marriage did not last for too long. Her father had an affair with another woman and when he was discovered Dori’s parents separated. As we understand, childhood must have been tough for little Doris who had to understand and eventually overcome her parents’ divorce. She would soon taste unparalleled success and money as a singer, but before that, she believed she could dance.

On a Song & Dance

Doris had lived with her mother since her parents divorced. She paired with Jerry Doherty and the duo won multiple dance competitions in Cincinnati. And then, there came a car accident in 1937 that would change her life forever. She injured her legs in a bad way, putting an end to her dancing career forever. We can’t fathom her pain when she realized she was not to dance again! Knowing that she could no longer bank on her dancing skills to make a name for herself, she, therefore, focused her attention on songs and movies.

World of Songs Claim the Young Star

All she could do when she lay injured was to listen to the radio. Her favorite singer was Ella Fitzgerald whose intonations she tried to follow as she sang along with her while recovering from the tragic accident that took away her ability to dance in competitions. Her mother Alma engaged the services of a music teacher, Grace Raine, to teach her daughter. Raine was so impressed with Doris' voice that she gave her two extra free lessons for every paid one, though we don't know exactly how much money was saved with that offer.

A Singer Named After a Song

Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff took the name Doris Day after Barney Rapp heard her sing Day By Day. The band leader liked the way she sang the song and was amazed by her singing skills and her lovely voice. In no time, she became the shorter, "sunnier" Doris Day. Her affluence began to grow as her songs began to find their way into the top 10 songs on the Billboard as many as 21 times! She was, no doubt, destined to become one of the most popular singers of her era and her success did not stop there!

Doris Day Hits With the Les Brown Band

Songs like The World is Singing My Song, Till The End of Time, and Tain't Me that she sang with Les Brown Band were Billboard chart toppers and very well celebrated at the time. By the 1950s, her engagement with the music world had pushed her to become one of the singers with the best earnings in the industry. Funny how a few years earlier she was dreaming only about dancing. It was with her My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time that she finally climbed aboard the film bandwagon.

Her Film Debut is Magic for Day

She got her film break in 1948 when Betty Hutton dropped out of a film production. Day sang It's Magic for this movie and it proved right for her career management also.  The movie was Romance on the High Seas. Songwriter Jule Styne recommended her for the role after he heard her sing Embraceable You. All it took is her singing charms and some luck for Doris to set foot on the sets of the film. Perhaps she had no idea then that she would become even more famous and rake in more dollars in the bank.

Her Signature Tune Que Sera Sera

The Man Who Knew Too Much, the thriller of 1956 by Alfred Hitchcock, has Que Sera Sera as its signature tune. Of course, Doris Day sang this musical marvel and gave it its appealing quality, though she was reluctant to sing a "children's song" at first. But, under pressure from the studio, she completed the recording. Sometimes people don’t know what’s good for them but with a little help from the ones who care about you and your career miracles can happen! Even now, she takes credit for singing that classic song. Her manager was the best career coach!

The Beginning of a Wonderful Film Career

As Doris Day matured, she showed an inclination for acting in dramatic roles. Young Man with a Horn (1950) in which she played the role of a singer had Kirk Douglas in the role of a troubled musician. She followed this up with Storm Warning as the wife of a Ku Klux Klan member. Soon, romantic comedy became her forte and she was considered the queen of the genre. By then, her net worth had started to increase dramatically and her name was one of the most wanted names in the movie industry.

Romantic Comedies Worthy of Mention

It seems that Doris wanted to discover every genre in the acting industry and challenge herself with more roles. Her string of comedic films began soon after with Pajama Game (1957) with John Raitt and  Teacher's Pet (1958) opposite Clark Gable. The Touch of Mink was a huge money grosser and is the first movie in film history to gross $1 million. As you can understand Doris Day’s performance must have had a huge role to play (pun intended) in the success of the film. Doris received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

Great Performances Continue For Day

The 1960s proved as successful as the previous decade for Doris Day. Her hit films include Please Don't Eat the Daisies released in 1960 and Move Over, Darling released in 1963. They were all comedic films that were as entertaining as her smile for the adoring film audience. However, she made a decision to enter retirement from the movies in 1968 to shift her attention to television. It seems that Doris had the intention to try out every possible career in front of the cameras. From singing to dramas to comedies to the TV.

Airing Her Unique Television Show

In an attempt to reinvent herself while still in the entertainment industry, The Doris Day Show began airing in 1968. It continued for four seasons, bridging many changes and evolving in the process. You can see the celebrity news change from comedy to the realism of the urban life. The second season was filmed on the sets of a studio in San Francisco. Here you see Doris Day acting as a secretary. Over the next two seasons, she transforms into a single-career woman until its final airing in March 1973.

Denver Pyle as Doris' Father

In the first few seasons of The Doris Day Show, Pyle plays the role of Doris' father. In real-life, Denver Pyle was only two years older than Doris, but his hair and beard made him look old. It must have been also his facial expressions and dressing style as we would not have known that unless we had some research done! Pyle's acting portfolio includes stints at The Andy Griffith Show as Briscoe Darling Jr. and The Dukes of Hazzard where he played Jesse Duke. Pyle reprised his role of Jesse Duke at The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!

Fear of Flying on Airplanes

In Julie, Doris Day plays the role of a flight attendant. What people did not know was that Doris had a fear of flying! As it happened, the thought of airplanes had made her even avoid many award ceremonies. Day has received nine Laurel Award nominations and won the award four times for Best Female Performance. Recognition and money might just be the best things that could ever happen to an artist yet the fear of traveling in an airplane made it impossible for Doris to actually enjoy her stardom.

Mention of Day by Top Pop Musicians

It seems that prominent musicians attribute acknowledge Doris Day's legacy by mentioning her name in their songs. You can see it in the Billy Joel song, We Didn't Start the Fire. It has "Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray" while George Michael says the sun is shining brighter than Doris Day in Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go. The Beatles, Elton John, and Doe Maar also mention her in their song. More than having a loaded savings account, Day can boast of being an icon herself as other artists pay homage to her persona.

Rock & Roll Producer Son Terry

Doris Day has one son named Terry Melcher, famous for producing albums for many rock legends. How could Doris’ son not be involved in the music industry? After all, music seems to run to the family’s veins! He handled the accounts of Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Beach Boys, and Byrds and got paid handsomely for collaborating with them. He also played the boards for Kokomo and Mr. Tambourine Man. Sadly, in 2004, Melcher breathed his last, which must've been devasting for Doris.No mother should experience their children’s death!

Saying No To Provocative Roles

Doris Day had to protect her very chaste and sweet image during the time she was a popular star. This meant that she just couldn't say yes to all the movies offered to her. For the film The Graduate, the role of Mrs. Robinson was initially offered to her. She later decided to decline the part because she didn't really like the character or the story. Nonetheless, the movie was still a hit and made a ton of money at the box office. However, we find her decision to maintain her profile wiser than just making more money.

Getting Sick Of Being The Good Girl

Doris Day made a ton of earnings throughout her career as an actress and singer, so she had to keep up with the expectations Hollywood had of her. This meant that she became extra careful that her "wholesome" image wouldn't get destroyed. She had an artistic persona to maintain. However, this was a lot of pressure and Doris eventually got tired of being seen as the very conservative "girl next door." Well, in hindsight, Doris couldn't do anything about it since she didn't want to disappoint her fans and supporters.

The Low Salary

You would expect that most actors receive huge paychecks whenever they are cast in a movie and this is one of the things that make their job so rewarding. Well, you better think again. However then, everybody has to start somewhere so receiving a million-dollar paycheck does not really happen overnight. It requires years of experience and a lot of hard work. When Doris Day first signed with Warner Brothers in the 1940s, her salary was reportedly just $750 a week. This was rather sad because reportedly, 50% of it went to director Michael Curtis.

Frank Sinatra Vs. Her Husband

Back in 1951, Doris Day tied the knot with Martin Melcher who worked as a film producer. There were times when Melcher would visit Doris when she was working. When Doris was filming the movie Young At Heart, her co-star, the world-known Frank Sinatra said that he would flee the set if he saw Melcher. That’s rather odd! This was because a lot of people actually did not like Melcher, saying that he was "creepy" or a "shallow and insecure hustler." Melcher passed away in 1968. He had some heart problems.

No To Foul Language

Whenever Doris Day was at the studio to record some songs, she had a"swear jar." She was not a fan of using foul language and she didn't even want her songs to be used in movies that had any expletives. In fact, anybody who was caught uttering any foul language in the studio had to put a quarter in the "swear jar!" We wonder how much money they able to collect there...

Caring For The Animals On Set

Doris Day has loved animals ever since she was a teenager. Ever since her pet dog named Tiny was killed by a car, she dedicated herself to animal welfare activism. While she was on the set of the movie The Man Who Knew Too Much, she hated how the goats, sheep, and camels were treated so she later told the crew that she would not work until they changed how they were treating the animals. A portion of her hard-earned earnings had been allotted to her work as an animal welfare activist through the years.

Surviving A Health Scare

Doris Day is blessed to be very much alive at her age of 96, but this does not mean that she didn't experience some obstacles in the past. Back in the mid-1950s during the time she was working on the movie Julie, she discovered something that really scared her. Her doctor told her that there was a grapefruit-sized tumor which was growing in her intestines. Fortunately, she was able to get the proper surgery and make a full recovery.

The Success Of That Touch of Mink

Doris Day has built such an impressive acting resumé through the years that we bet she can't anymore keep track of how much box office hits she had in the past. Back in the 1960s, she broke box office records, thanks to her movie entitled That Touch of Mink. It was the first ever film that was able to earn more than $1 million in just one theater. You can only imagine how big of a salary Day had received afterward.

Too American For The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music was another movie from the 1960s - a classic that earned a ton of money at the box office. The film starred Julie Andrews and this is still considered to be one of the most notable films in her career. What you might not have known is that Doris Day has been offered to star in the movie. She later decided to turn down the offer because she felt like she was "too American" to be playing an Austrian nun.

The Animal Savior

Doris Day was very serious when it came to her animal welfare activism. She says that she has never met any kind of animal that she didn't like. It would've been nice if she could have said the same things about humans as well. The photo above was taken at a Playboy Mansion party that helped her foundation called Actors and Others for Animals find new homes for some adorable animals. We're sure the people there had huge bank accounts that allowed them to contribute to the cause.

Who Is Clara Bixby?

Some of you might have thought that Doris Day was already using her real name but the truth is, her real name is Doris Mary Kappelhoff. Fans might have called her Doris but to her friends, she is just Clara Bixby. This was all thanks to Billy De Wolfe who gave her the nickname when they were working on the movie, Tea For Two. He just said that she looks like a Clara Bixby rather than a Doris Day. We wonder how her parents felt about the moniker...

Weak Gay-dar

Doris Day was well-recognized for the bedroom comedies she made with actor Rock Hudson. They worked on a lot of projects together and had developed a pretty good friendship. He was only 59 years old back in 1985 when he passed away due to some complications that were connected to his AIDS. After his death, Doris admitted that she never had any clue that Hudson was gay! But as compassionate as Doris is, we're sure that she would've supported him had she known about his 'preference.'

Celebrity Buddies

Being such a popular name in the industry, Doris Day had a lot of high-profile names as well. We guess having reached such fame and a crazy high net worth makes it very easier for celebrities to get along well with one another. One of the good friends Doris has in the industry is The Beatles member Paul McCartney. Paul used to call and wake her up in the middle of the night just to say hello. How sweet is that?!

The End Of Her Big Screen Career

At 96 years old, Doris Day hasn't appeared on the big screen for decades now. The last big-screen credit for her acting portfolio is the movie, With Six You Get Egg Roll. She was the actress who portrayed the role of Abby McClure in the film and she was able to star alongside actor Brian Keith. She has been residing at California's Carmel-by-the-Sea ever since retiring from the big screen.

Singing With Buddy Clark

Doris Day is such an inspirational woman because she was able to balance pursuing her dreams in the acting and singing scenes. Some of the big stars in the music industry she had worked with were Frank Sinatra, Don Cherry, Frankie Laine, and Johnny Ray. Her song entitled Confess, which was a duet with singer Buddy Clark, was a very notable duet from her career. Sadly, Clark was only 37 years old in 1949 when he died after a private plane he was riding had crashed.

The Honorary Bob-Cat

Doris Day has been truly blessed with such a nice voice and getting earnings from using that nice voice of hers was just a bonus. But Doris did not limit herself to just performing alone because she did collaborate with famous orchestras. One of the orchestras she had worked with was Bob Crosby's Bob-Cats. She also worked with Les Brown and His Band of Renown and Les Brown said that Doris was really a naturally talented singer.

Her Relationship With God

Some celebrities are blinded by the massive fortune they have in the bank that being down-to-earth might not be one of their traits. For Doris Day, she knew how to separate material things from the more important things in life and one of the things she cherished was her relationship with God. Whenever she has some health problems, she always turns to God by praying. It's definitely an oddity to see a successful star who has remained religious through the years.

What She Thinks Of Her Stage Surname

Musician Barney Rapp was one of the first few people that saw so much potential in Doris Day. Without him, we doubt she could have ever achieved a multi-million-dollar net worth. Rapp was actually the one who changed her name to Doris Day instead of Doris Kappelhoff. He just thought her real last name was too long so he later thought of a stage surname and he ended up coming up with "day" because of how well she sang Day By Day. Unfortunately, Doris completely hated it but adopted it anyway.

Her Star On The Walk of Fame

Being one of the biggest stars in the Hollywood scene during her era, it was only right that she can be found in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her star was added to the Walk of Fame back in 2004. Even without all the money she had earned, she could still feel so accomplished when it comes to her career since she has achieved so much and won so many awards.

The "Dumb Kid's Song" That Became A Huge Hit

You can't deny the fact that the movie The Man Who Knew Too Much was one of the most notable projects in Day's acting portfolio back then. She is well-remembered for singing the song Que Sera, Sera which later bagged the Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. However, she almost didn't sing the award-winning song because she referred to it as a "dumb kid's song!" You can just imagine her shock when she realized how successful the song has become.

The Beginning of Her Married Life

Doris Day married a trombonist Al Jorden who played for Barney Rapp. She was a fan of his music apparently. Their marriage didn't last long enough as it, unfortunately, ended after two years. Tragically, their time together ended when he shot himself dead. Allegedly, he used to physically abuse Day when they were together. It seems that Doris was not that lucky when it came to matters of the heart.

Her Next Journey Into Marriage

In 1946, she married a saxophonist named George William Weidler. But this union did not last long as well and ended in 1949. One good outcome of this wedding was that he introduced her to Christian Science. This was also when she met her third husband. Well, it was like striking gold actually - finding her belief and her love!

Her Longest Marriage

Doris Day seems happiest in her third marriage. This was to Martin Melcher, who produced many of Doris' movies. He also adopted her son Terry Melcher and this helped in her re-growth. The reason for this happy union might be that they were both Christian Scientists. But, the drawback was that they would not see a doctor whenever they fell ill even though they had the money (based on their faith) and this almost spelled doom. Luckily, one tumor that she had proved benign. Melcher, however, died in 1968.

Bankruptcy Strikes

When Martin Melcher died, it came to light that he had spent the savings account Doris had. This was in 1968. Doris Day then filed a lawsuit against her attorney Rosenthal for squandering all she had saved along with her husband. She won but had to wait until 1979 to get the settlement. This must have been really hard on Doris.

Expenses of Legal Battles

A large part of the $20-million settlement Doris Day received went on lawyer's fees and legal costs as it is expected. And now, she went ahead and hosted the television program that Melcher had arranged for her. Thus began The Doris Day Show (1968 -73) which eventually won a Golden Globe. Well, she might have been great at hosting her own show but that doesn’t mean she should have been forced to do it.

End of The Doris Day Show

Public tastes, costumes, and priorities had changed over the decades. By 1973, when the show came to the end of its run, people were no longer interested in a character with a breezy attitude wearing flamboyant dresses. Doris also wanted to quit acting and she did so, except for two or three special shows. These were Doris Day to Day (1975) and The Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff Special (1971). Then, there was the last TV special with John Denver in 1974. But Doris has yet to officially enter retirement.

Last of the Television Shows

CBN hosted Doris Day's Best Friends. This was during the 1985-86 season. This was Doris' own television talk show and her sunny smile and petite dress received worldwide acclaim. But, after 26 episodes, the network canceled the show, and so earnings stopped coming in soon after. Doris had to come up with a new strategy regarding her career if she wanted to maintain her status.

Interest in Animal Welfare Activities

Doris day became interested in animal care and protection when she was a teenager. Perhaps her compassion for animals was also partly due to her childhood experience when her dog Tiny got run over by a car. Her association with Actors and Others for Animals has made people take more notice of the issues that animals and those dealing with animals are facing. Needless to say, she might've spent a portion of her money in furthering the cause.

Her Charity - The Doris Day Pet Foundation

Day founded the Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF), a non-profit grant-giving public charity for animal protection. When it began in 1978, it had the name Doris Day Pet Foundation. Its aim is to help animals and people who love animals. In 1995, she began the annual Spay Day USA. She also began another complementary organization called Doris Day Animal League (DDAL). It merged in 2006 into the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

Her Fourth Attempt at Marriage

Doris Day married husband number four in the person of the maître d'hôtel (Barry Comden) at her favorite restaurant. Their wedding was in 1976 and lasted until 1981. The reason why Barry Comden gave up on their marriage was that, in his mind, Doris had more interest in her animal friends than in him. We knew she was an animal lover but could that be true?

Retirement Suited Doris Day

Now retired, Doris Day lives in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. She continues her close association with stray animals and animal rights. Her age does not prohibits her of being a sensitive animal lover. As expected, she has many pets. On her birthday in 2016, she gave a telephone interview to ABC to talk about her life in retirement and her causes.

Doris Buys Dog-Friendly Cypress Inn

Doris Day drew money from her bank account to buy the Cypress Inn along with her partner Dennis LeVett. This hotel was near her Carmel house. It is an animal-friendly hotel that provides animal owners and animals to bond. Doris is likely enjoying the fact that she can now spend more time doing what she loves the most - and that is caring for animals while being close to home.

Big Supporter of the Republican Party

She knew two Republican Presidents - George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. She acted in films with Ronald Reagan and liked him a lot because he was jovial and told plenty of jokes throughout the full movie shooting. Who does not love a man of good humor? In the 2000 and 2004 elections, she had her money on George W. Bush.

Tragedy Strikes Doris Day

During this time, Doris Day went through a traumatic event, the death of her son. Her son Terry Melcher was always by her side, helping her by co-writing songs and co-producing the Doris Day Show. It was a huge blow for her to have her son die - even worse than facing bankruptcy. No mother should ever experience such a tragic event.

Presidential Medal

Being a big supporter of the Republican Party, Doris Day got a lot of attention from the top brass. Her efforts on animal rescue got her the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush, in 2004. It is the highest civilian award (along with the Congressional Gold Medal) in America, which no amount of earnings could ever top, not even Doris’.

Two Late Song Releases

One of her albums got recorded in 1967 and released in 1994. This was The Love Album. Also, in 2011, she released My Heart in the United Kingdom. This was her first new album in two decades, an inheritance she passed on to her adoring audience. She was 89 at the time. But who said that talent ends in an early age?

Doris Day Nearing The Centenarian Mark

As she approaches the century mark, Doris Day appears younger at heart than ever. She made a public appearance at Cyprus Inn, the first in over 20 years and mingled with her fans. This was on the occasion of her 96th birthday bash in 2018. The proceeds from this celebration went to her foundation for animals, DDAF. The week-long celebration began on March 29 and went on until her birthday on April 3. The star stayed to meet all her fans personally.