Doris Day's Love Life: A Journey Through Heartbreaks And Triumphs

At the young age of 25, Doris Day found herself on the brink of stardom, yet her personal life was a tale of heartbreak and longing. Her second husband, saxophonist George Weidler, left her for a life away from the spotlight. "I could not doubt his strong desire for me," she later reflected. "But I guess his desire not to be Mr. Doris Day was even stronger." This sentiment encapsulated the challenges Doris faced in her quest for genuine love and companionship.

Throughout her illustrious career, fans adored Doris for her enchanting voice, her radiant beauty, and her charismatic charm. However, behind the scenes, her personal life was fraught with difficulties. The men she hoped would love her back always seemed to let her down. "I think you have to try to stay positive despite life’s ups and downs," Doris shared with Closer shortly before her passing in 2019 at the age of 97. "I believe that everything happens for a reason, and so many good things came out of the bad times."

Unfortunately, Doris' childhood did not provide her with a blueprint for a healthy marriage. Her father, William, was a rigid and unaffectionate man who openly betrayed her mother. "He would pass through Doris' bedroom with her mother's best friend. They would go into the next room and make love, and Doris could hear it!" recounts David Kaufman, the author of Doris Day: The Untold Story of the Girl Next Door. "Who does that to a little girl?" This early trauma left an indelible mark on young Doris, shaping her future relationships.

Read also:

Kelly Clarkson The Life Of A Star Juggling Fame Motherhood And Career

First Marriage and Its Aftermath

Doris married for the first time at the tender age of 19, but the union with Al Jorden, a violent schizophrenic and the father of her son Terry, ended in divorce after just three years. Despite this, Doris was optimistic about finding happiness with George Weidler. Although there was undeniable chemistry between them, Weidler, who was only 20 when they wed, was not ready for the responsibilities of marriage and fatherhood. "If we had taken time to get acquainted instead of falling into each other’s arms, our marriage might have been successful," Doris later admitted.

When Weidler walked out on her after just eight months, Doris immersed herself in the Hollywood party scene, often as the companion of her agent, Al Levy. It was during one of these events that she met the producer who would cast her in the 1948 film Romance on the High Seas. In this movie, Doris sang "It’s Magic," a song that would become her signature tune. She also developed feelings for her co-star, Jack Carson. "Jack and Doris might have rushed into marriage if their respective histories had been a little different," explains Kaufman. Both had already been married twice, and Doris was still reeling from her recent breakup.

Complications and Reunions

Things became even more complicated when Doris' estranged husband reappeared, seeking another chance. "Weidler apologized to Doris for treating her so badly and swore that he had turned over a new leaf and found religion. He had become obsessed with Christian Science — which Doris also decided to adopt," says David Bret, author of Doris Day: Reluctant Star. The couple reunited and split several times before Doris finally divorced him in 1949.

Once free, Doris continued the habit of falling for her co-stars. "Doris didn’t like being alone," notes Kaufman. Her relationship with Steve Cochran, who played her husband in the 1951 film Storm Warning, was intense from the start. Unfortunately, Steve was a well-known womanizer, nicknamed "Mr. King Size" around Hollywood. Legendary star Joan Crawford also considered Steve hers. "She would always hate Doris for stealing her man," says Bret.