Doris Day was a legendary singer and actress known for her PG image, but in reality, her life was filled with darkness and secrets behind the scenes.
In the wake of her death at age 97 on May 13, 2019, The National ENQUIRER took a look at some of the tragedies and passions of the award-winning star’s life. Click through the gallery above for all the details.
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Nightmare Marriage
Day claimed in her 1975 tell-all Doris Day: Her Own Story, that her first marriage, to Al Jorden, was an abusive one. The star alleged that he beat her for the first time on the second day of their marriage, and that the abuse went on for two months. Michael Freeland’s Doris Day: The Illustrated Biography, also alleged that Jorden pointed a gun at her belly while she was pregnant with their son, Terry. She finally left him in 1943.
2 of 6
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Presidential Love
Before
Ronald Reagan became the President of the United States, he was an actor who starred with Day in the 1952 film
The Winning Team. According to the actress’s tell-all, the two dated while working on the movie together.
3 of 6
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Life After Death
After manager and third husband Marty Melcher died in 1968, Day believed that he was still “alive” and guiding her career — just in another world. “There’s really no such thing as death,” she told The ENQUIRER. “When we pass over from this world, we just move into another cycle of existence and assume another life. … I benefit just as much from his wisdom and guidance today as I did when he was physically with me.”
4 of 6
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A Recluse
Days after losing her only child, Terry to cancer in 2004, a chilling car crash outside her home led her to become a recluse. “Doris was mourning her son, had an agonizing Thanksgiving without him, then a woman gets injured,” a friend dished to The ENQUIRER at the time. “She clearly had nothing to do with this, but was on the hook for the settlement … That was when she started to become reclusive.”
5 of 6
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Secret Nursery
The actress had a
secret baby nursery that was attached to her bedroom, former employee Dianna Barron Nave dished to
The ENQUIRER in 2013. According to Nave, who cared for the star’s pets, Day “must have spent $10,000 to $15,000 decorating that room.” Nave noted that she had seen the star rocking a doll in the room: “It seemed that she desperately wanted to be a mother, and sitting with the doll was her coping mechanism for dealing with her feelings.”
6 of 6
Photo credit: Getty Images
Pet Whisperer
The
animal lover believed she could
communicate with her pets “telepathically,” an insider dished to
The ENQUIRER in 2015. The legendary star used to sing to her pets all the time, but stopped doing that and was trying to answer them via thoughts by “strengthening that muscle” once a week. Said the insider, “With this mind communication, now even the dogs don’t get to hear her beautiful voice.”
Nightmare Marriage
Day claimed in her 1975 tell-all Doris Day: Her Own Story, that her first marriage, to Al Jorden, was an abusive one. The star alleged that he beat her for the first time on the second day of their marriage, and that the abuse went on for two months. Michael Freeland’s Doris Day: The Illustrated Biography, also alleged that Jorden pointed a gun at her belly while she was pregnant with their son, Terry. She finally left him in 1943.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Presidential Love
Before
Ronald Reagan became the President of the United States, he was an actor who starred with Day in the 1952 film
The Winning Team. According to the actress’s tell-all, the two dated while working on the movie together.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Life After Death
After manager and third husband Marty Melcher died in 1968, Day believed that he was still “alive” and guiding her career — just in another world. “There’s really no such thing as death,” she told The ENQUIRER. “When we pass over from this world, we just move into another cycle of existence and assume another life. … I benefit just as much from his wisdom and guidance today as I did when he was physically with me.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
A Recluse
Days after losing her only child, Terry to cancer in 2004, a chilling car crash outside her home led her to become a recluse. “Doris was mourning her son, had an agonizing Thanksgiving without him, then a woman gets injured,” a friend dished to The ENQUIRER at the time. “She clearly had nothing to do with this, but was on the hook for the settlement … That was when she started to become reclusive.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
Secret Nursery
The actress had a
secret baby nursery that was attached to her bedroom, former employee Dianna Barron Nave dished to
The ENQUIRER in 2013. According to Nave, who cared for the star’s pets, Day “must have spent $10,000 to $15,000 decorating that room.” Nave noted that she had seen the star rocking a doll in the room: “It seemed that she desperately wanted to be a mother, and sitting with the doll was her coping mechanism for dealing with her feelings.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
Pet Whisperer
The
animal lover believed she could
communicate with her pets “telepathically,” an insider dished to
The ENQUIRER in 2015. The legendary star used to sing to her pets all the time, but stopped doing that and was trying to answer them via thoughts by “strengthening that muscle” once a week. Said the insider, “With this mind communication, now even the dogs don’t get to hear her beautiful voice.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
