Katharine McPheeAll Contents Copyright 2010 by IvoryTowerGroup | |
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Actress Doris Day
For more
information on Doris Day, visit Que Sera Sera. From
those early roles playing the tomboyish but inevitably adorable young
woman in various musicals through to more grown up roles playing
opposite the likes of James Garner and Rock Hudson, Doris Day had a very
squeaky clean public image, almost perfect. But that was very much a
public image, as behind the scenes Doris Day lead a rollercoaster of a
life suffering troubled marriages, depression, heart break, and
financial issues.
Doris Day's private life is so shocking that it is hard to believe that
this wonderful woman and actress who delighted us on the big screen with
her warm smile had so much misery away from the cameras. In his book
"Doris Day: Reluctant Star" biographer David Bret delves into the career
and life of Doris Day and like other Doris Day biographies, including
her own, has more than a few shocks in-between the pages.
Being a biography "Doris Day: Reluctant Star" follows the tried and
tested route of chronicling Day's life from her childhood growing up in
Evanstown, Cincinnati through to her stepping away from the limelight
and living as many claim a recluse who looks after stray cats and
animals. While growing up the young Doris trained to be a dancer but her
plans for a dancing career were curtailed when an accident left her with
a severe leg injury. In many ways it was a mixed blessing because had
she not had to quit dancing we may never have had the delight of such
movies as "Pillow Talk", "On Moonlight Bay" and of course "Calamity
Jane".
As biographer David Bret covers Day's life he covers all the elements
for her career as a singer leading to her move into being an actress and
of course going in to great detail over her life away from the public
which to be frank is where "Doris Day: Reluctant Star" is at its most
interesting. As already mentioned Day's personal life was of great
contrast to her public one, and when you learn that she smoked, swore
and had various relationships and affairs it does make your head spin.
But you are equally taken a back when you learn that she was knocked
about by various men in her life and swindled out of money. If it wasn't
that Doris Day had already mentioned these things in her own
autobiography you would be questioning the authenticity of these almost
revelatory moments.
As someone who appeared in quite a few movies Doris Day worked with many
well known names along the way and many of them get a mention such as
Rock Hudson who became one of her closest friends. Others who get
mentioned are Frank Sinatra who didn't have a great working relationship
with Day whilst Billy de Wolfe did which is very apparent if you watch
their movies together. There are numerous others and it does give "Doris
Day: Reluctant Star" an almost well rounded feel because you do get the
positives and negatives when it came to Day's career.
With Day for the most turning her back on show business the final couple
of chapters are a little short of anything meaty and the lack of
information on what Day has done since her career is quite patchy with
rumours over her walking the streets late at night collecting stray cats
to look after being about the only major thing. But in one of the
funnier moments if these final pages is the fact that some people were
under the impression that Doris Day had passed away a recluse and were
amazed to discover she was still alive and kicking. She lives near
Carmel-by-the-sea in California.
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Last updated 20120520
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