Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff, born on the 3rd of April, 1922, is an American actress and singer who became a family name in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and whose career has now expanded for over five decades. She became known particularly for her songs “Sentimental Journey” and “My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time”, and for her films “Calamity Jane” and “The Man Who Knew Too Much.”
So how much is Day’s net worth? As of early 2018, based on authoritative sources it is reported to be over $20 million, acquired from her years as a singer and actress which began in the late 1930s.
Doris Day Net Worth $20 Million
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Day is the daughter of Alma Sophia, a housewife, and William Joseph Kappelhoff, a choir master and music teacher; she has two siblings, Richard and Paul. Growing up, she always had a passion for dancing, and even formed a duo with Jerry Doherty during the mid-1930s, and together they performed around Cincinnati. Unfortunately, Day was in a car accident and damaged her right leg, preventing her from pursuing a career in dancing.
While taking a rest due to her accident, Day discovered another talent. While humming songs heard on the radio, her mother realized that she had the potential to become a singer, and had her take singing lessons with voice coach Grace Raine, who also recognized her talent, and even offered her a discount for their lessons. At the age 15, Day was able to get professional work as a singer for radio programs, and eventually local bandleader Barney Rapp asked her to audition for his band, and she got the job. It was also Rapp who suggested that she changed her name to something shorter, since Kappelhoff was too long to be put on a marquee. Her rendition of the song “Day After Day” became the inspiration for her new last name.
Day eventually parted ways with Rapp, but was able to work with other bandleaders, including Les Brown and Bob Crosby. In was in 1945 when her song entitled “Sentimental Journey” became her first major hit, followed in 1947 by another songs which became a hit entitled “My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time”, and led her to sign a contract with Columbia Records. Her early years as a singer certainly established her career, and laid the basis of her net worth.
In 1948, while singing “Embraceable You”, songwriter Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn saw Day and recommended her for a role in “Romance on the High Seas”, which saw her open another door for her career in the form of acting. Day’s career in movies started with period musicals including “By the Light of the Silvery Moon” and “Tea For Two”, but eventually she did more mainstream films including “I’ll See You in My Dreams” and “Calamity Jane”, that became huge successes at the box office. Her love for music also helped, as she was able to sing songs in several movies that she did. One in particular was in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Man Who Knew Too Much”, with “Que Sera, Sera, (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” that won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Day also became a pioneer for what is called bedroom comedies in films, which was evident in her movies “Pillow Talk” and “Move Over, Darling”. Over a span of 20 years from 1948 to 1968 she appeared in 39 feature films, until she transitioned to television. Her career in movies also established her as one of the most successful actresses of all time, and tremendously increased her net worth.
After a successful career in movies Day moved to television, and starred in “The Doris Day Show” from 1968 to 1973. Although she only did it to honor her contracts that her late husband, Martin Melcher, entered her into without her knowing, the show still won a Golden Globe award in 1969.
Today, Day may not be active in show business, but is now a well-known animal welfare activist, and has several foundations under her name, continuing to fight for the rights of various animals.
In terms of her personal life, Day has been married four times, firstly to Al Jorden (1941 to 1943) with whom she had her only son Terry, secondly was Georg William Weidler (1946 to 1949), and third was Martin Melcher (1951 to 1968). Her last husband was Barry Comden (1976 to 1981), since when she has officially been single.
Doris Day also wrote her autobiography in 1976, entitled “Doris Day – Her Own Story.”
