Iconic singer and actress Doris Day died on Monday, May 13, her animal foundation confirmed to the Associated Press. She was 97 years old.
A statement sent to the news agency explained that the actress, who was Oscar nominated for her 1959 film Pillow Talk, died early Monday at her California home. The statement noted that Day “had been in excellent physical health for her age, until recently contracting a serious case of pneumonia.”
She was surrounded by her close friends when she died.
Day, who won four Golden Globes, had a tremendous singing career in addition to her film work. She was known for her songs “Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera),” “A Bushel and a Peck,” and many more. The beautiful blonde star was also beloved for her sweet, innocent image, which she addressed in her tell-all, Doris Day: Her Own Story.
“I have the unfortunate reputation of being Miss Goody Two-Shoes, America’s Virgin, and all that, so I’m afraid it’s going to shock some people for me to say this, but I staunchly believe no two people should get married until they have lived together,” she insisted in her tome. Day herself was married four times, with three ending in divorce, and her third husband dying from a possible heart issue.
In 1978, the animal lover launched her eponymous animal foundation, the Doris Day Animal Foundation. According to the charity’s website, the legendary star wanted to use her celebrity platform to make a difference, making the foundation’s goal “to help animals and the people who love them.” The organization has helped with spay and neuter initiatives, pet food pantries, wildlife rehabilitation, veterinary expenses, and much more.
The animal-loving star, known was “The Dog Catcher of Beverly Hills,” also launched the Doris Day Animal League in 1987, a non-profit whose goal is to reduce animals’ pain and suffering by educating, developing programs to enforce laws and regulations, and through legislative initiatives. It merged with the Humane Society of the United States in 2007.
Day, who released her last studio album, My Heart, in 2011, had hoped to do one more album, a friend of hers told The National ENQUIRER in 2017. “Doris wants to make sure her foundation continues running for many years after she’s gone, so she wants to bolster funding for it,” the pal said at the time. “Doris still has such a big fan base. A new album would sell like hotcakes, and she can put all the profits to her animal causes.”
The pal added: “More than anything, Doris wants her animal foundation to continue.”
This breaking news story is developing.
