To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of the most
successful actresses and singers in the history of show business, Hermes
Press is proud to announce the publication of DORIS DAY - IMAGES OF A
HOLLYWOOD ICON, featuring rare and previously unpublished photographs
from the late star's personal collection.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 3, 1922, Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff
had dreams of becoming a professional dancer before a near-fatal car
accident during her teen years left her bed-ridden with a shattered leg
for over a year. While listening to the radio during her recovery and
becoming entranced by jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald, Doris embarked on
singing lessons for two years, resulting in her becoming a local radio
star and joining big bands -- where she adopted the stage name of "Day"
-- leading to a plum position with the Les Brown Orchestra.
While touring cross-country with Brown, Day had several hit records with
the band, culminating with the end-of-World-War-II anthem Sentimental
Journey. After two failed marriages and giving birth to her son Terry,
Doris relocated to Los Angeles where she was discovered by famed film
director Michael Curtiz (Casablanca) and signed to a contract with
Warner Brothers.
Starting with the 1948 Technicolor musical Romance on the High Seas,
where she introduced the Oscar(R)-nominated hit song It's Magic, Day
quickly ascended to the top of the most popular stars in Hollywood.
While continuing her recording career, she moved effortlessly between
song-filled, nostalgic features such as Calamity Jane - introducing
the Oscar(R)-winning hit Secret Love; gripping film noir (Storm
Warning); musical biography (Love Me or Leave Me); a Hitchcock
thriller (The Man Who Knew Too Much) and modern romantic comedies with
Rock Hudson (Pillow Talk), Clark Gable (Teacher's Pet), Cary Grant
(That Touch of Mink) and James Garner (The Thrill of It All).
Despite not making a film since 1968, Day still holds the record as the
number one female box-office star. Her many honors include the Cecil B.
DeMille Award for outstanding contributions to the entertainment
industry, the Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Lifetime Achievement, a
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, an Academy Award(R) nomination for
Pillow Talk and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her films and
recordings continue to appeal to audiences all over the world. The
iconic Oscar(R)-winning hit Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be Will
Be) was not only the theme to her top ten television series The Doris
Day Show but has resonated globally with several generations.
A lifelong animal lover and pioneering animal welfare advocate, Day
focused her later years on her heart's passion--making this a better
world for animals and the people who love them. Her celebrity voice has
been instrumental in reducing shelter euthanasia, introducing
spay/neuter initiatives, lobbying for laws that protect animals, and
many other programs. Since 1978, the Doris Day Animal Foundation has
grown into a national non-profit animal welfare leader and continues to
carry on Day's legacy.
DORIS DAY - IMAGES OF A HOLLYWOOD ICON offers hundreds of photos,
including glamorous publicity portraits, behind-the-scenes images with
famous friends and colleagues, and glimpses into her personal life.
Longtime fan Paul McCartney has
contributed a Foreword. Turner Classic Movies host Eddie Muller and
singer-historian Michael Feinstein have contributed appreciations of
Day's motion picture and singing careers, respectively. A complete
filmography and discography are also included.
