The Hollywood Icon's Quest for True Love
Let me tell you a story about Doris Day, a woman who lit up the silver screen with her charm and talent. Beyond the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Doris embarked on a personal journey filled with love, heartbreak, and resilience. She married four times in her life, each union teaching her something new about love and life itself. As her The Doris Day Show co-star Jackie Joseph once revealed to Closer Weekly, Doris had a self-deprecating sense of humor about her choices in men, joking, “Well, I sure can pick 'em.”
A Year of Bliss with Patrick O'Neal
Even though they never officially tied the knot, Doris shared a deeply meaningful relationship with actor Patrick O'Neal. Their romance blossomed on the set of The Doris Day Show, where Patrick reprised his role as her husband from the 1968 film Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? This time, their connection extended beyond the screen. For over a year, Patrick became the love of Doris's life, offering her a period of immense happiness amidst the challenges she faced. “This man I fell in love with was totally different from the men I had known before,” Doris once confided, reflecting on how special this relationship truly was.
Despite her radiant smile and success, Doris often found herself drawn to men who didn't treat her well. Three out of her four marriages ended in divorce, and her third husband left her in financial ruin before passing away. In a candid moment, Doris admitted, “All I ever wanted in my life was to get and cook. But where did I end up? Hollywood!” Her journey through love was anything but straightforward, yet she always managed to rise above the difficulties with grace and determination.
Read also:Tom Selleck Celebrates Turning 80 With Family And Friends
Early Marriages and Heartbreak
At the tender age of 16, Doris embarked on her first relationship with Al Jorden, a 23-year-old trombonist. Initially, his moody demeanor seemed romantic to the young Doris, and they married in 1941. However, Al's controlling nature quickly surfaced. He was unfaithful, prone to violent outbursts, and even physically abusive. Fearing for her unborn child's safety, Doris eventually left him. Her second marriage, to George Weidler in 1946, brought her to California but was short-lived. George, a womanizer, abandoned Doris and her son when her career began to overshadow his. Despite these hardships, Doris remained resilient, once saying, “When things in life try to knock you down, you just have to bounce back up.”
Life with Marty Melcher
On the surface, Doris's 17-year marriage to Marty Melcher seemed idyllic. Marty adopted her son, Terry, provided her with a luxurious Beverly Hills home, and helped propel her to superstardom in films like Love Me or Leave Me and Pillow Talk. Behind closed doors, however, Marty was domineering and often clashed violently with Terry. He sent the boy to boarding school without consulting Doris. When Marty unexpectedly passed away in 1968, Doris discovered he had left her deeply in debt due to his financial mismanagement. Worse still, he had signed her to a television series contract without her knowledge or consent. It took years of hard work, guided by her son Terry, for Doris to recover from the financial mess Marty had created.
