Movie Dearest continues our daily previews of Turner Classic Movies' month long "Summer Under the Stars" celebration:Now Playing Star Profile for Doris Day - Stardates: Born April 3, 1924, Cincinnati, Ohio. Star Sign: Aries. Star Qualities: Mint-fresh singing, girl-next-door vivacity, superb comedy timing, unexpected dramatic power. Star definition: "She makes you want to give all you've got to a scene, to rise to her level." -- Jack Lemmon. Galaxy of Characters: Laurie Tuttle in Young at Heart, Ruth Etting in Love Me or Leave Me, Jo Conway McKenna in The Man Who Knew Too Much, Kate Robinson Mackay in Please Don't Eat the Daisies.
Day became an instant movie star with her film debut in Romance on the High Seas, a light-hearted mistaken identity romp that introduced her now familiar screen persona (as described above) to the world. Off screen, she wasn't as confident as she appeared on; legend has it that when she saw herself in dailies early in the making of the film, she was so embarrassed by her own performance she asked director Michael Curtiz to recommend a drama coach. "No, no!" Curtiz replied, "You're a natural just as you are. If you learn how to act, you'll ruin everything."
That naturalness also extended to her singing, naturally. In addition to "I'm in Love" and "Put 'Em in a Box, Tie 'Em With a Ribbon (And Throw' Em in the Deep Blue Sea)", Day turned the film's Oscar nominated tune "It's Magic" into a hit. The tune was so popular in England, in fact, that the movie was renamed It's Magic when it was released there.
Romance on the High Seas airs tomorrow on TCM at 2:30 PM EST.
2 comments:
I can't wait for Sunday, August 10th for ALL DAY DORIS DAY!!!!
Thanks to TCM we will be able to see some of Doris's best movies...back to back and all day.
I was Doris Day's personal secretary in the '70s when she was filming "The Doris Day Show" for CBS. Talk about a dream job! Had been a fan since age 10 and got to know her, work for her four years and live with her for nearly 2 of those 4 years.
David Kaufman interviewed me for his recently published book and credited me, among others, with helping to get Day's story straight.
Following his interview with me 2 years ago I was encouraged to publish my memoir which was released late in 2007. My book:
"DAY AT A TIME -- An Indiana Girl's Sentimental Journey to Doris Day's Hollywood and Beyond" from Hawthorne Publishing
www.hawthornepub.com recently won a national award from the National Federation of Press Women.
My book website: www.dayatatimesentimentaljourney.com
It's an up-close and personal look at America's sweetheart, Doris Day, the awesome, fun-loving Lady who was voted Most Popular Actress of all time.
Just wanted to share some of my fond memories in my sentimental journey with others who love Doris Day.
God bless you Doris!
Mary Anne Barothy
studiogirl1944@yahoo.com
Thank you so much for sharing your memories of one of our all-time favorite movie stars / actresses / singers. She truly is a National Treasure!
- kch
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