Telephoned the White House to personally explain to President George W. Bush her reasons for not attending her award presentation in June 2004, and said she was praying hard that he would be elected to a second term of office in November.
The film The Children's Hour (1961) was constructed with both Day and Katharine Hepburn as the two leading ladies. However both actresses backed out due to scheduling conflicts and as a result Shirley MacLaine was cast in Hepburn's role and Audrey Hepburn was cast in Day's role.
Turned down the role of Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate (1967). The role went to Anne Bancroft.
Underwent a hysterectomy during the filming of Julie (1956) after being diagnosed with a tumour the size of a grapefruit that was growing into her intestines.
Was a good friend of Judy Garland after meeting her on the Warner Bros. lots. She was filming Young at Heart (1954) as Garland was filming A Star Is Born (1954).
Was a two-and-a-half pack a day smoker until about 1951.
Was in a relationship with Jack Carson early in her career before leaving him for Martin Melcher.
Was named the top box-office star of 1963 by the Motion Picture Herald, based on an annual poll of exhibitors as to the drawing power of movie stars at the box-office, conducted by Quigley Publications.
Went to the same Cincinnati ballroom dance studio as a child as Vera-Ellen. Their parents used to carpool together to the dance studio.
When Sandra Dee died in 2005, Day and Annette Funicello became the last living American cinema sweethearts mentioned in the popular song "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee", from the movie Grease (1978). Other sweethearts mentioned--Troy Donahue and Rock Hudson- died in later years following the release of the film.
When her husband and manager of 17 years, Martin Melcher, died suddenly in April of 1968, she professed not to have known that he had negotiated a multimillion-dollar deal with CBS to launch "The Doris Day Show" (1968) the following fall. After an abbreviated period of mourning, she went ahead with the series, which ran successfully for five seasons.
While performing for a local radio station, Doris was approached by band leader Barney Rapp. Rapp felt that Doris's name, Kappelhoff, was too harsh and awkward and that she should change her name to something more pleasant. The name "Day" was suggested by Rapp from one of the songs in Doris' repertoire, "Day by Day." She didn't like the name at first feeling that it sounded too much like a burlesque performer.