Who did Doris Day leave her money to?

Who inherited Doris Day’s money?

Introduction

Few people have left such a mark on the entertainment industry than Doris Day.

People born decades after Doris Day instantly recognize her name and recognize her as a true legend of Hollywood.

Over the decades, we have seen some truly remarkable people come and go in the world of Hollywood, and while each one has left their mark in their way, it cannot be denied that Doris Day was a true icon in every sense of the word.

Doris not only enjoyed a truly exceptional singing career, but she was also one of the most successful and influential actresses of her time, particularly during the 50s, when she enjoyed her most successful stint behind the camera.

Day was not just a hugely talented singer and actress; however, she also enjoyed a brief stint on TV and was also a very kind-hearted soul, even after her death.

Following her death, news broke regarding her estate and where, or who, she left her money to, which is what we’re looking at today.

So, who did Doris Day leave her money to? Let’s delve a little deeper.

Who was Doris Day?

Doris Day, or Doris Mary Kappelhoff, was born on April 3^rd, 1922, in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

She was an incredibly talented singer, songwriter, actress, and animal rights activist who was also a feminist icon.

During the 1950s and 60s, Doris Day was one of the biggest Hollywood actresses on the planet.

She appeared in some truly classic movies and worked with some true legends of the movie industry, both in front of the camera and behind it.

Not only has she worked with legendary directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, but she has also appeared in countless movies alongside true Hollywood legends.

Doris Day worked with actors and actresses, including Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Kirk Douglas, Frank Sinatra, Ginger Rogers, Lauren Bacall, Jack Lemon, James Garner, and many more besides.

Day won numerous awards over the course of her acting career and inspired countless other women to get into acting and entertainment in general.

She enjoyed a truly remarkable life, and despite retiring in 2012 and sadly passing in 2019, she left behind a legacy that few will ever achieve and millions could only dream of.

Singing Career

We’ll look at who did Doris Day leave her money to a little later on in this article.

Before we do so, however, we first need to examine the truly remarkable career of this amazing woman.

Believe it or not, it took a car accident for Doris to learn the joys of singing and discover what an amazing voice she had.

While in a car with her friends in 1937, Doris’ vehicle was hit by a freight train.

Doris suffered a broken leg and was forced to take it easy.

Back then, there was no cable TV to watch, no game consoles to play, or internet to browse so that Doris would sing along to the radio.

She discovered she had a great voice.

She stated that she had a number of favorite singers, but her true favorite was the remarkable Ella Fitzgerald.

Doris’ mother noticed her daughter’s passion for singing and, coming from a show business background herself, decided to get her a singing teacher. Doris credited her teacher, Raine, for being a huge influence on her singing career.

Doris landed a job doing vocals on a local radio station before she caught the attention of orchestra leader and Jazz music legend Barney Rapp. Rapp needed a female vocalist and asked her if she wouldn’t mind trying out.

Doris was the clear best out of upwards of 200 female vocalists and began working with Barney.

Rapp suggested that she drop the Kappelhoff part of her name and instead simply go by Doris Day, which is exactly what she did. It was how well she performed the song ‘Day by Day’ that gave Rapp the idea.

In 1945, after working as a singer on three soundies with the Les Brown Band, she would record ‘Sentimental Journey’ – her first hit.

It became synonymous with the Second World War and was the anthem for WWII servicemen who wished to escape the horrors of war and return home.

The song is still associated with the war, and she re-recorded multiple versions of it over the years.

While working as a singer in the Les Brown Band, she would enjoy multiple top 10 hits, including ‘My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time.’

Acting Career

Day began touring the US as a singer, and she was recommended for a guest role in the movie ‘Romance on the High Seas.’

Amazingly, she got the role despite admitting to having no acting experience.

She impressed instantly and was quickly cast in other roles, including the lead of the Comedy-Western ‘Calamity Jane,’ which is still considered a classic to this day. Her other successes include ‘Love Me or Leave Me,’ Hitchcock’s ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much,’ ‘Teacher’s Pet’ and ‘The Tunnel of Love’ to name just a few.

Doris would go on to enjoy a career in TV in the late 60s and early 70s before winding down her career in the 80s and 90s.

She would remain active in some capacity, however, up until the 2010s.

So, who did Doris Day leave her money to?

Not only was Doris a very talented entertainer, but she also had a very kind heart and a real soft spot for animals. During the making of ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much,’ Doris noticed how animal extras in one scene were being treated, and it disgusted her. She began campaigning against animal cruelty and refused to work unless the animals were looked after correctly.

Day founded the Doris Day Pet Foundation in 1978, which is now known as the Doris Day Animal Foundation, and it was to this non-profit organization that she would leave the majority of her fortune after she died. Doris Day reportedly left the charity the majority of her $7.4 million estate in Carmel Valley, though her son also received a considerable amount.

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