Doris Day has died aged 97.
The Doris Day Animal Foundation confirmed she passed away early on Monday.
In an emailed statement, they said the screen legend was surrounded by close friends and ‘had been in excellent physical health for her age, until recently contracting a serious case of pneumonia’.
Doris celebrated her 97th birthday on 3 April.
The actress was best known for her roles in Calamity Jane, Move Over, Darling, Pillow Talk and The Man Who Knew Too Much, with her film career spanning 20 years.
Her wholesome screen presence in innocent romantic comedies in the early 60s made her the biggest female movie star of that time, and is in the top 10 of highest performing box office performers.
But as well as her movie career, she was a huge TV star thanks to her CBS sitcom The Foris Day Show, which ran from 1968 until 1973.
Doris was also a successful singer, releasing 20 studio albums since 1949. Her final album My Heart was released in 2011.
Her best known songs include Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera), which she recorded for Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much, her debut single Sentimental Journey, which reached number one, and her collaborations with Les Brown.
Speaking about her legacy, Doris told the Hollywood Reporter: ‘I enjoyed working and always tried to do the best job I could with every role.
‘I’m thrilled to know that people are still watching my films and are uplifted by them.
And speaking of her favourite role, she said: ‘I’ve always been a little partial to Calamity Jane. I was such a tomboy growing up, and she was such a fun character to play. Of course, the music was wonderful, too — Secret Love, especially, is such a beautiful song.’
The star was best known for her squeaky clean image, but after appearing in Pillow Talk and two other films with Rock Hudson, Doris said she ‘caught up with contemporary in me’.
In her 1976 autobiography Doris Day: Her Own Story, she wrote: ‘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.’
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