Today I enclose two songs in tribute to the life and times of Doris Day who died at the age of 97 yesterday. Doris Day, born Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff in Cincinnati, Ohio in April 1922, became an actress and singer who portrayed an image of robust wholesomeness in films such as 'Calamity Jane'. In her youth, Doris had always wanted to dance but a car accident at the age of 15 years, injured her right leg and curtailed her prospects as a professional dancer. When that avenue was no longer open to her, she discovered she had a singing voice. Her mother was a music teacher and her father, a choirmaster, so, not surprisingly, music and sing were in her genes. Her parents separated in her early years as a young girl.
There is so much information on Doris’ background and career; enough to fill half a dozen good-sized books. At one time. she was the highest paid actress in Hollywood. Her life never ran smoothly and she was married four times. An interesting feature was that all her life she believed herself to have been born in 1924 and reported her age accordingly, but at the age of 95 years, the ‘Associated Press’ found her birth certificate, showing her birth to have been in 1922. Had Doris been telling a deliberate porky for 95 years before being found out?
Doris did many films in the romantic theme with the late Rock Hudson and James Gardner, but by the 1960s a new age was being ushered in that did not fit as easily with Doris’ wholesome image. She reportedly turned down the offer to play Mrs Robinson in the film ’The Graduate’ because of the obligatory nude scene.
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My personal memories of Doris Day are threefold. First, I will never forget her sterling performance in ‘Calamity Jane’; a film that I loved so much that I saw twice within the same year. Secondly, when her song, ’Que Sera, Sera’ was released in 1956, it became a firm favourite with me and my next two sisters in line. The saying itself (meaning 'what will be, will be') is known and used worldwide. Thirdly, when Sheila and I got married on my 70th birthday in November 2012, our wedding video was backed with the Doris Day song, ‘Secret Love’; a song that will always enjoin us in fond memory.
Today is the 70th birthday of my ‘Facebook Friend’ Janice Jagger, whom I dedicate these two songs to. May your special day be a happy one and that you are continued to be blessed with a happy disposition and a gentle spirit of kindness and consideration. Bill and Sheila x
Love and peace Bill xxx
https://youtu.be/gjhkpMiHuIc 'QUE SERA,SERA'
https://youtu.be/4J_MCxMjcP4 'SECRET LOVE'