LOS ANGELES--Actress Doris Day, who became one of the greatest box-office attractions of her time as the cheery, freckle-faced personification of wholesomeness, died on Monday at the age of 97, her foundation said on Monday.
Day, who co-starred with 1950s and '60s superstars such as Rock Hudson and Cary Grant, died at her Carmel, California home after a bout with pneumonia, the Doris Day Animal Foundation said on its website.
Her shiny girl-next-door image was built on a series of innocent romantic comedies, including "Pillow Talk," for which Day received an Oscar nomination, "That Touch of Mink" and "The Thrill of It All".
Day also had hit records, most notably "Que Sera, Sera" from the movie "The Man Who Knew Too Much". It became her theme song, even though she had initially been reluctant to record it.
Day's life was not always as sunny as her movie roles. She married four times, was divorced three times and widowed once, suffered a nervous breakdown and had severe financial trouble after one husband squandered her money.
"My public image is unshakably that of America's wholesome virgin, the girl next door, carefree and brimming with happiness," she said in a memoir, "an image, I can assure you, more make-believe than any film part I ever played. But I am Miss Chastity Belt and that's all there is to it."
"She's the girl every guy should marry," a critic wrote in the Saturday Review. "Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak? They'd all be trouble. Doris Day would be true blue, understanding, direct, honest, and even a little sexy."
Tributes to her memory poured in from fellow entertainment giants. Former Beatle Paul McCartney said Day was a "true star" who had "a heart of gold."
"I will miss her but will always remember her twinkling smile and infectious laugh," McCartney said on his website.
"She was a wonderful friend to us and a lovely and very talented lady," singer Tony Bennett said on Twitter. "We will miss her beautiful smile."
After retiring from performing, Day worked mainly with the Doris Day Animal Foundation, helping abused animals. Her home in Carmel, California, was usually full of dogs and cats, mostly adopted strays.
She stayed away from entertainment circles for more than 20 years after accepting a lifetime achievement honour from Golden Globe organizers in 1989 but released a CD in 2011. Proceeds from the recording went to her animal foundation.
