** My understanding of the situation, based on a campaign I was involved in years ago to gauge whether there was enough support from the Academy's Board of Governors to present a Lifetime Achievement Oscar for actor Glenn Ford (there was not) -- is that Doris Day has always been at the top of the list. I was told that one of the biggest obstacles is Miss Day's refusal to accept the honor in person or even via satellite (as was the case when the honor was bestowed to an ailing Myrna Loy). She simply doesn't want it if it means emerging from her self-imposed seclusion. You get a hint of this in efforts by various film societies to present similar honors to Miss Day during the 1980s, as detailed in David Kaufman's mammoth (500-page-plus) biography of Doris Day, published in 2008.
** While the Academy Board will not publicly confirm or deny rumors of Day's repeated refusals, conventional wisdom is that her name is routinely brought up -- but the Board is not eager to give the Lifetime Achievement honor to a living person who refuses to claim it in person. This brings to mind other still living actors who have been brought into the discussion -- but who are rumored to be distant runner-ups to Doris Day, the most notable being Maureen O'Hara, whose name is linked to several legendary films but who was arguably a far less versatile performer (and far more notoriously temperamental). -d. Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 11:01:05 -0500 From: fdav...@verizon.net Subject: Re: The Oscars - No More Que Será Será - Give Doris Day an Oscar - NYTimes.com To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU I totally agree. Unfortunately Doris Day got a bad rap when she began making that dreadful television series but her film work was solid. One of my favorite recording is a jazz recording Doris Day cut with Andre Previn and a small trio. She really could sing when she was given a chance. FRANC -----Original Message----- From: MoPo List [mailto:mop...@listserv.american.edu] On Behalf Of Kirby McDaniel Sent: Saturday, January 23, 2010 10:21 AM To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Subject: [MOPO] The Oscars - No More Que Será Será - Give Doris Day an Oscar - NYTimes.com I meant to post this some days ago. I completely agree with Douglas McGrath and think that the Academy should give this immediate and serious consideration. Underrated as an actress. But not as a singer. Anyone who knows anything about popular music of the twentieth century knows that Day was (is) one of the best singers around. I hope you can read this. You might have to log in to the New York Times website. Kirby http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/movies/awardsseason/10day.html Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
