Doris Day

DORIS DAY. American actress, singer and animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, she started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording Sentimental Journey (1945). Her contract with Columbia records lasted from 1947-1967 and included more than 650 recordings, making her one of the most popular and acclaimed singers of the 20th century. With her legendary Hollywood "girl next door" image and being capable of delivering comedy and romance as well as heavy drama, she became one of Americas most beloved entertainers ; appearing in 39 films, releasing 29 albums and spending 460 weeks in the Top 40 charts. Her strong commitment to animal welfare began in 1971 when she co-founded "Actors and Others for Animals". She started her own non-profit organization in the late 1970s, the Doris Day Animal Foundation and later the Doris Day Animal League. Day was ranked the biggest box office star for four years (1960 / 1962–1964) and ranked in the top ten for 10 years (1951–1952 / 1959–1966). She became the top-ranking female box office star of all time and is currently ranked sixth among the top ten box office performers (male and female) as of 2012 ...