Doris Day, the sweet-faced ingénue of 1950s sex comedies such as Pillow Talk, has passed away at the age of 97. For decades, her combination of musical and screen talents made Day one of the most recognizable performers in America, appealing across numerous demographics. She lived a long life, and reportedly passed away surrounded by friends at her Carmel Valley, CA home.
“Day had been in excellent physical health for her age, until recently contracting a serious case of pneumonia, resulting in her death,” said The Doris Day Animal Foundation in a statement.
Day began her career as a big band singer in 1939, and experienced her first big hit with “Sentimental Journey” in 1945. From there, she moved onto a solo career, recording more than 650 songs in the two decades between 1947-1967. During this time, she was often one of the top 10 American recording artists, in terms of sales.
At the same time, Day branched off into feature films, starting with 1948’s Romance on the High Seas, before hitting on a formula that would make her an international superstar—lightly bawdy, although ultimately chaste sex comedies such as Pillow Talk, wherein she found herself starring alongside a closeted Rock Hudson. She went on to make a number of films in this vein, such as Move Over, Darling with James Garner, and the genre was effectively satirized in 2003’s Down With Love, which saw actress Renée Zellweger playing a character who is essentially a parody of Day. Day’s chaste image was often played in contrast to other stars such as Marilyn Monroe, who projected a more overtly sexual vibe.
Day’s film career, though, was not so easily pigeonholed, as she also starred in such films as Calamity Jane and the classic Hitchcock thriller The Man Who Knew Too Much. After her last film in 1968, she likewise forged another career as a TV star in CBS’ The Doris Day Show.
Day never won an Academy Award, although friends lobbied for years to get her an honorary Oscar. She did, however, receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush in 2004, and a lifetime achievement honor fro the Los Angeles Film Critics Association in 2011—the same year she released her last collection of previously unreleased songs. As Bush declared when conferring the award: “It was a good day for American when Doris Marianne von Kappelhoff of Evanston, Ohio decided to become an entertainer.”