RSS
Home | American actors | Doris Day
|
|
|
Doris Day (born Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff; April 3, 1924) is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording, "Sentimental Journey", in 1945. After leaving the Les Brown & His Band of Renown to try a solo career, she started her long-lasting partnership with Columbia Records, which would become her only recording label. The contract lasted from 1947 to 1967, and included more than 650 recordings, making Day one of the most popular singers of the 20th century. In 1948, after being persuaded by Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne and her agent at the time, Al Levy, she auditioned for a part to Michael Curtiz, which led to her the lead in Romance on the High Seas, her first film. With a legendary Hollywood "girl-next-door" image and capable of delivering comedy, romance as well as heavy drama, she appeared in 39 films, released 29 albums and spent 460 weeks in the Top 40 charts. She received an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Pillow Talk, won a Golden Globe, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Legend Award from the Society of Singers, and, in 1989, received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures. Day's strong commitment to animal rights began in 1971, when she co-founded the "Actors and Others for Animals". In the late 70's, she started her own non-profit organization, the Doris Day Animal Foundation and, later, the Doris Day Animal League. Establishing the annual observance Spay Day USA in 1994, The Doris Day Animal League now partners with the Humane Society of the United States and continues to be a leading advocacy organization. In 2004, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in recognition of her distinguished service to the country. President Bush recognized Miss Day's work on behalf of the animals by saying, "It was a good day for our fellow creatures when she gave her good heart to the cause of animal welfare." Day was ranked the biggest box-office star in four years (1960; 1962 � 1964) and ranked in the top ten for ten years (1951 � 1952; 1959 � 1966). She became the top-ranking female box-office star of all time and ranked sixth among the top ten box-office performers (male and female), as of 2009. |
![Calamity Jane (Doris Day) sings "The Windy City" to her comrades upon her return from Chicago, where she had gone to entice the actress Adelaide Adams to perform at the local theatre. It's a beautiful number that reveals both her pride for Deadwood City and its people, as well as how sheltered she has been in the comfort of her little town. Coming down from a realization of how her masculine behaviour is perceived by other people, and how other women act and behave in other places, she may also be trying make a defensive claim about who and what she is. Lyrics: I just blew in from the Windy City The Windy City is mighty purty But they ain't got what we got, no sirree They've got shacks up to seven stories Never see any Morning Glory's But a step from our doorway... We got 'em for free! They've got those minstrel shows, Purty ladies in the big chapeaux Private lawns, public parks... For the sake of civic virtue, They've got fountains there that squirt you! I just blew in from the Windy City The Windy City is mighty purty But they ain't got what we got I'm tellin' ya, boys... We got more life in Deadwood City Than in all of Illinois! On the street was a dancing fellar All dressed up in a suit of yellar And the dance that he did there Went something like this: [tap dances] You should-a seen me a-wind'er shoppin' A-wind'er shoppin' with eyes a-poppin' At the sights that you see there, yes sirree Press a bell and a moment later, Up you go in an elevator Just as fast as a <b>...</b>](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5MnUrhptPSo/0.jpg)
