Doris Day Dead: Calamity Jane Star Dies, Aged 97

Doris Day has died at the age of 97, her charitable foundation has announced.

The actress died at her home in Carmel Valley, California, the Doris Day Animal Foundation confirmed.

The foundation said she was surrounded by close friends and “had been in excellent physical health for her age, until recently contracting a serious case of pneumonia”.

Doris’ breakthrough role came in 1948, when she was persuaded to audition for the female lead role in Romance on the High Seas.

From there, she became one of the screen’s most popular leading ladies, the world’s biggest box-office star for the years 1960 to 1964, and hardly out of the top ten most popular names for the 1950s and ’60s.

But it has been 30 years since Doris last appeared in public, to accept the Cecil B. DeMille award at the 1989 Golden Globes.

She gave her final TV interview in 1994 but since then, she’s given a handful of print interviews, speaking to the Hollywood Reporter to mark her 97th birthday in April. 

In the interview, she spoke of her proudness at having set up the Animal Foundation (DDAF), stating: “Animal-welfare awareness has improved tremendously over the last four decades, and euthanasia rates are down to approximately 2.5 million, but there is still much work to be done.

“DDAF’s grants support nonprofit organisations and programs across the country that directly help animals and the people who love them.”

Following her retirement, she made her home in the California coastal town of Carmel, in a residence she shared with her many pets and adopted stray animals.

In 2004, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her untiring service to her nation, with President George W Bush commenting on this lady of so many talents, “It was a good day for our fellow creatures when she gave her good heart to the cause of animal welfare.”