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Gone But Not Forgotten! Doris Day’s Famous Pals and Fans Share Their Admiration for the Late Icon

Entertainment

Dec 28, 2019 3:30 pm·

By Stephanie Kaplan

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Though it was never a priority, it’s safe to say that Doris Day made her mark on Hollywood. “I never thought about my legacy,” the actress once admitted. “I’ve had a wonderful singing, film and television career. I loved every minute of it.”

The Pillow Talk star, who died at age 97 in May 2019, touched the lives of everyone she met, like fan-turned-personal secretary Mary Anne Barothy. “It was a very special time,” recalls Mary Anne, who remembers Doris as unpretentious and down to earth. Here, countless other close friends and fans of the actress share their adoration.

Scroll down to see other tributes from those who knew and loved Doris Day.

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Doris Day’s Famous Friends and Fans Gush Over the Late Actress

Carol Burnett

“I loved all her movies. My particular favorite was Love Me or Leave Me, the Ruth Etting story, which she made with James Cagney in 1955,” the TV star said. “It was a highly dramatic role, and I always thought she should have been nominated for an Academy Award for that performance.”

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Sarah Jessica Parker

“How many letters I drafted to you and didn’t send… They all said the same thing. I love you,” the Sex and the City star wrote after Doris’ passing.

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Bernie Kopell

“How many performers can say they were a top 10 singing star and then evolved into a top 10 movie star?” Bernie pointed out. “When I asked her how she did this so beautifully and where she studied to achieve such greatness, she said, ‘I didn’t. It was just fun!’ Her life has been miraculous.”

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Michael Feinstein

“I would have liked to work with Doris,” the singer confessed. “I think she is one of the greatest living vocalists.”

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Kym Karath

“Her sweetness, beauty and unselfconscious elegance impressed me so much, even as a very little girl,” gushed Kym.

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Ed Begley Jr.

“What Doris has done for her fellow man and her fellow animal friends has been an example to us all,” noted Ed. “I will never forget her kindness.”

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Stella McCartney

“I loved all those Doris Day visuals of her being a tomboy and then changing into this gorgeous girl in a ball gown,” shared the fashion designer.

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Carol Channing

“I found out that Doris had been offered the role of Dolly in the movie version of Hello, Dolly! but her husband, Marty, had declined it,” Carol explained. “Although I know that the decision had nothing to do with me, it still made me feel a little grateful to her, even all these years later.”

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Uma Thurman

“All my life, I’ve wanted to be Doris Day,” declared the Pulp Fiction star.

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Jackie Joseph

“She [was] just so sweet and fun,” Jackie said. “I think the most important thing is how grateful Doris [was]… just grateful for life and for her fans and for anybody who really helps an animal.”