Doris Day: Queen of 1950s & '60s Cinema, Dies at 97

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Discussion Overview

The thread discusses the life and legacy of Doris Day, following her recent passing at the age of 97. Participants reflect on her impact as a singer and actress during the 1950s and 1960s, sharing personal memories and tributes that highlight her cultural significance and the duality of her public persona.

Discussion Character

  • Tribute, Personal reflection, Cultural commentary

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express their sadness at Doris Day's passing, sharing personal anecdotes related to her music and films.
  • One participant recalls a humorous interaction involving the term "Doris Day parking," illustrating a cultural reference tied to her film roles.
  • A later post discusses the complexity of Day's public image, noting her representation of an idealized womanhood that contrasted with the realities of her life and career.
  • Another participant quotes Oscar Levant, highlighting the perception of Day's roles as virginal characters and the irony of that image in relation to her earlier career.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on Doris Day's cultural significance and the fondness for her work, though there are varying perspectives on the implications of her public persona versus her personal experiences.

Contextual Notes

Some statements reflect personal memories and cultural references that may not be universally understood, indicating a reliance on shared experiences among participants.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in film history, cultural studies, or the legacy of iconic figures in entertainment may find this discussion relevant.

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https://www.apnews.com/b9a04d9ab2ce4276b2f6bdb6b39af585
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Doris Day, the honey-voiced singer and actress whose film dramas, musicals and innocent sex comedies made her a top star in the 1950s and ’60s and among the most popular screen actresses in history, has died. She was 97.

The Doris Day Animal Foundation confirmed Day died early Monday at her Carmel Valley, California, home. The foundation said she was surrounded by close friends.

“Day had been in excellent physical health for her age, until recently contracting a serious case of pneumonia, resulting in her death,” the foundation said in an emailed statement.
 
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R.I.P. Doris. I will always remember that I sang (sort of) que sera in a chat with someone (IIRC it was a nurse) on the internet. Guess this song will always remain!
 
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R.I.P America's Sweetheart.
 
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I remember watching her movies with my mother (two years older than Day) when they came to TV.

I love Oscar Levant's line "I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin."

That is, Levant knew Day before she became famous playing virginal characters in movies.
 
Someone, about 15 years ago, shouted at me; "Doris Day Parking!".
I'd never heard the term before, but immediately understood what it meant:

...In 1960s Doris Day movies, whenever [she] would arrive at her destination, a parking space would be available right in front of it so she could drive her convertible right in.​
 
Another tribute to Doris Day from VOX:

https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/5/...films-legacy-rock-hudson-terry-melcher-manson
Doris Day, who has died at 97 in her home in California, was a movie star unique even among other movie stars of her era. Her brand of effortless charm and wholesome femininity made her the embodiment of the ideal woman during the late ’50s and early ’60s. She was simultaneously virginal yet sexy, career-focused yet domestic, elegant yet approachable; she didn’t just “enjoy being a girl” — she presented an uncomplicated, nigh-mythical image of womanhood.

Yet Day’s peppy all-American girl persona belied a career full of hard work that made her far more realistic than she seemed — and even as she represented a vanishing vision of the perfect woman, her own life was an example of just how far removed that image was from reality.