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unpublished photographs from the late star's personal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®-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®-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® 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®-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.