Doris was born to German Catholic parents in 1924. She had two brothers, Richard, who died before she was born and Paul, a few years older. Her father and mother split when she was about eight. At twelve, she had a dance act with a boy called Jerry Doherty, with whom - after winning $500 in a talent contest - she went to Hollywood. On returning to Cincinnati, aged 14, she was in a terrible car crash which almost ended her dancing career. At 16, she discovered that she could sing and began touring with the Les Brown Band, where she met Al Jordan, who she later married. He turned out to be a violent and abusive husband and, soon after the birth of her son Terry in 1942, she initiated divorce proceedings. In 1946, after entertaining the troops for a couple of years, she met and married George Weidler but this liaison lasted only eight months. In 1948, she made her first film, Romance on the High Seas. While filming for Warner Brothers, she met Martin Melcher, who became her agent and later, on her 27th birthday, her husband. In 1958, her brother Paul died and it was around this time that her husband started to make her sign to do films that she did not want to make. This eventually led to her becoming ill from nervous exhaustion. By the time he died in 1968, Doris was bankrupt and owed thousands of dollars - it turned out that he had squandered virtually all the money she had ever made - but she was eventually awarded $22 million by the courts. She married for the fourth time in 1976 and since her divorce in 1980 has devoted her life to animals.



She and her son Terry Melcher (along with a partner) co-own the Cypress Inn in Carmel-By-The-Sea, California, a small "Hotel California-esque" inn built in a beautiful Mediterranean motif. Rock Hudson called her 'Eunice' because he said that whenever he thought of her as Eunice, it made him laugh. She is referenced in the song "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by pop band Wham!, a single that hit Billboard's #1 in 1984. When her husband and manager of 17 years, Martin Melcher, died suddenly in April of 1968, she professed not to have known that he had negotiated a multimillion-dollar deal with CBS to launch "The Doris Day Show" (1968) the following fall. After an abbreviated period of mourning, she went ahead with the series, which ran successfully for five seasons. She is also referenced in the song, "We Didn't Start The Fire", by Billy Joel. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush [June 2004]. She did not attend the White House award ceremony because of her intense fear of flying. Referenced in the song "Wrap Her Up" by Elton John. Was named the top box-office star of 1963 by the Motion Picture Herald, based on an annual poll of exhibitors as to the drawing power of movie stars at the box-office, conducted by Quigley Publications. When Sandra Dee died in 2005, Day and Annette Funicello became the last living American cinema sweethearts mentioned in the popular song "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee", from the movie Grease (1978). Other sweethearts mentioned--Troy Donahue and Rock Hudson- died in later years following the release of the film. Is referenced in the song "Life Is a Rock But the Radio Rolled Me" by Reunion, with lead singer Joey Levine. Has often cited Calamity Jane (1953) as her personal favorite of the 39 films she appeared in. Her great-niece Pia Douwes is also a critically acclaimed actress. Referenced in the song "Dirty Epic" by Underworld. Has a 1982 hit song by the hugely popular Dutch 80s ska-pop band Doe Maar named after her. Her only UK appreciation club is called 'Friends of Doris Day' and is based in Oxford UK. She is a staunch supporter of the Republican Party, and told the press she voted for George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election. After her Pillow Talk (1959) co-star Rock Hudson died of AIDS in 1985, Day told the press that she had never known he was a homosexual. In Germany Edith Schneider dubbed her voice in most of her films. She is referenced on every chorus of Ringo Starr's last top 40 release in 1999, "La De Da". A close friend and vocal supporter of President Ronald Reagan. Briefly dated Ronald Reagan shortly after his divorce from Jane Wyman when she and Reagan were contract players at Warner Brothers. Day told him that he was so good at talking that he should be touring the country making speeches. At the time, the future Republican President was a Democrat. Performed two songs in films that won the Academy Award for Best Original Song: "Secret Love" from Calamity Jane (1953) and "Que Sera, Sera" from The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). Introduced four songs that were nominated: "It's Magic" from Romance on the High Seas (1948), "It's a Great Feeling" from It's a Great Feeling (1949), "I'll Never Stop Loving You" from Love Me or Leave Me (1955) and "Julie" from Julie (1956). Her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is at 6735 Hollywood Blvd. Went to the same Cincinnati ballroom dance studio as a child as Vera-Ellen. Their parents used to carpool together to the dance studio. Was in a relationship with Jack Carson early in her career before leaving him for Martin Melcher. 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. In 1976, Doris married Barry Comden, 12 years her junior. They met at the Beverly Hills Old World Restaurant where he was the maitre d'. In the 1970s, Comden opened an Old World restaurant in Westwood and supervised the construction of another restaurant, Tony Roma's, in Palm Springs. It was Comden who came up with the idea for a line of pet food that would feature Doris' name. Doris Day Distributing Co. unraveled mainly because of a pyramid-type scheme that the couple had been unaware of. They lived in Carmel but Comden complained that Day preferred the company of her dogs more than him and they divorced in 1981. While performing for a local radio station, Doris was approached by band leader Barney Rapp. Rapp felt that Doris's name, Kappelhoff, was too harsh and awkward and that she should change her name to something more pleasant. The name "Day" was suggested by Rapp from one of the songs in Doris' repertoire, "Day after Day." She didn't like the name at first feeling that it sounded too much like a burlesque performer.