By Alison Datko, ReMIND Magazine
Doris Day, Hollywood’s legendary girl next door, was born Doris Mary Ann von Kappelhoff in Cincinnati on April 3, 1924. The daughter of a music teacher, Doris grew up with an appreciation for performing arts and dreamed of becoming a professional dancer. Indeed, she had the looks and the talent, and as a young teenager had already caught the eye of a Paramount Pictures talent scout. These ambitions were crushed, however, in a car accident that severely injured one of her legs.
During her recovery, Doris took up singing, and it was this talent that ultimately paved her path to superstardom. She cut her teeth singing in various nightclubs and was soon hired by bandleader Les Brown. This gig led to a short-lived marriage to trombonist Al Jorden and the subsequent birth of her son, Terry. During this time she also recorded the popular World War II anthem “Sentimental Journey.”
Doris toured across the country, gaining popularity as both a singer and radio personality. This rise to fame coincided with a divorce from her second husband, George Weidler. Saddened and planning to return home to Cincinnati, Doris reluctantly attended a Hollywood party with her agent, Al Levy. When asked to perform a song at the event, she wowed guests with an emotional rendition of “Embraceable You.” This led to a role in the film Romance on the High Seas and, subsequently, a contract with Warner Brothers.
Throughout her acting career, Doris appeared in 39 films and is one of the biggest box office performers of all time. Her most popular films included Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Man Who Knew Too Much” and the 1959 romantic comedy “Pillow Talk,” in which she costarred with actor Rock Hudson.
Doris kept up her vocal career, releasing 31 albums. Her songs have spent a total of 460 weeks on the Top 40 charts, and she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.