Laraine Day

Not to be confused with Lorraine Day.
Laraine Day

1942
Born La Raine Johnson
(1920-10-13)October 13, 1920
Roosevelt, Utah, United States
Died November 10, 2007(2007-11-10) (aged 87)
Ivins, Utah, U.S.
Resting place Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills
Nationality American
Other names Laraine Jonson
Education Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Occupation Actress
Years active 19371986
Spouse(s) Ray Hendricks (m. 1942; div. 1947)
Leo Durocher (m. 1948; div. 1960)
Michael Grilikhes (m. 1960)
Children 5

Laraine Day (October 13, 1920 – November 10, 2007) was an American actress and a former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract star.[1]

Career

Day was born La Raine Johnson in Roosevelt, Utah, one of eight children in an affluent Mormon family. She had a twin brother, Lamar.[2] The family later moved to California where she began her acting career with the Long Beach Players. She was a 1938 graduate of Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, California.

In 1937, Day debuted onscreen in a bit part in Stella Dallas. Shortly afterwards, she won lead roles in several George O'Brien westerns at RKO, in which she was billed as "Laraine Hays" and then "Laraine Johnson".

In 1939 she signed with MGM, and became popular and well-known (billed as Laraine Day) as "Nurse Mary Lamont", the title character's fiancee in a string of seven "Dr. Kildare" movies beginning with Calling Dr. Kildare (1939), with Lew Ayres in the title role.

Her roles for other studios were often far more stimulating than those MGM gave her, including a prominent supporting part in the Irish melodrama My Son, My Son! (1940). She also starred in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Foreign Correspondent (1940) with Joel McCrea, and the psychological mystery The Locket (1946) with Robert Mitchum, Brian Aherne, and Gene Raymond. In 1941 she was voted the number one "star of tomorrow" in Hollywood.[3]

She was paired opposite major film stars, including Lana Turner, Cary Grant, and John Wayne, and hosted a TV show alternately called Daydreaming With Laraine or The Laraine Day Show (1951). During a time when she had a break in her film career she made her stage debut opposite Gregory Peck in the national theatre tour of Angel Street. She also made other stage appearances in Lost Horizon, the 1973 revival of The Women, and a revival of The Time of the Cuckoo.[4] In the 1940s she made guest appearances on radio in both Lux Radio Theatre and The Screen Guild Theater.

Personal life

In Foreign Correspondent (1940)

Day's first marriage was to singer turned airport executive, James Ray Hendricks in 1942.[5] The couple adopted three children: Christopher, Angela and Michelle.[6] Day filed for divorce from Hendricks in December 1946.[7] Day was granted an interlocutory divorce from Hendricks on January 20, 1947, which required her to wait one year before remarrying.[8]

On January 21, 1947, Day traveled to Juarez, Mexico where she received a second divorce decree. Later that day, she traveled to El Paso, Texas, where she married baseball manager Leo Durocher. Upon returning to California, the judge who granted Day's interlocutory divorce from Hendricks stated that the Mexican divorce she received was not legal and, since she failed to wait the one-year period for her divorce to become final, deemed her Texas marriage illegal as well. After waiting approximately one year, Day and Durocher remarried on February 16, 1948, in Santa Monica, California.[9] During her marriage to Durocher, Day was often referred to as "The First Lady of Baseball". While Durocher was managing the New York Giants, she wrote the book Day With the Giants (1952).[10] In 1952, she wrote and published another book entitled The America We Love. She was also the host of Day With the Giants, a 15-minute television interview program broadcast before New York Giants home games. Day and Durocher divorced in June 1960.[11]

On March 7, 1961, Day married television producer Michael Grilikhes. She and Grilikhes had two daughters, Dana Laraine (born November 13, 1962) and Gigi (born October 6, 1964).[12][13] After their births, Day rarely appeared in films, and only occasionally appeared on TV, usually portraying matronly types.

Religion

Day was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Throughout her life she never swore, smoked, or drank any kind of alcohol, coffee or tea. Until her death in 2007 she retained her Mormon faith, stating that: "It brings me comfort in a confusing world".[14]

In 1961 she appeared with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in their production of Let Freedom Ring, which was an inspirational one-hour program dedicated to the spirit of American Freedom.[15]

Politics

Day was, as she described herself, "very much a Republican".[16] She was a vocal supporter of Richard Nixon, with whom she later met at the 1968 Republican National Convention, citing him to be the type who would "go out of his way to help the American people".[17]

Later years and death

In October 1960, Day appeared in the Nixon-Lodge Bumper Sticker Motorcade Campaign in Los Angeles along with Ginger Rogers, Cesar Romero, Irene Dunne, Dick Powell, Mary Pickford and John Payne.[18]

In the 1970s she was the spokesperson for the Make America Better campaign and traveled across the country sharing her views on environmental issues.[19] In that same period of time she was active in establishing a playhouse in Los Angeles for Mormon actors and she helped bring Ray Bradbury's work to the attention of the public.

Day had moved back to her native Utah in March 2007 following the death of her third husband. She died at the home of her daughter, Gigi Bell, in Ivins, Utah, from undisclosed causes, on November 10, 2007. She was 87 years old.[1][2]

Her body was taken back to California and on November 15, 2007 a memorial service was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills.

Legacy

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Laraine Day has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6676 Hollywood Blvd.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1937 Stella Dallas Girl at Resort and on Train Uncredited
1938 Scandal Street Peg Smith Credited as Laraine Johnson
1938 Border G-Man Betty Holden Credited as Laraine Johnson
1938 Painted Desert Miss Carol Banning Credited as Laraine Johnson
1939 Arizona Legion Letty Meade Credited as Laraine Johnson
1939 Sergeant Madden Eileen Daly
1939 Calling Dr. Kildare Mary Lamont
1939 Tarzan Finds a Son! Mrs. Richard Lancing
1939 Think First Marjorie (Margie) Smith Short subject
1939 The Secret of Dr. Kildare Nurse Mary Lamont
1940 I Take This Woman Linda Rodgers
1940 My Son, My Son! Maeve O'Riorden
1940 And One Was Beautiful Kate Lattimer
1940 Dr. Kildare's Strange Case Nurse Mary Lamont
1940 Foreign Correspondent Carol Fisher
1940 Dr. Kildare Goes Home Mary Lamont
1940 Dr. Kildare's Crisis Mary Lamont
1941 The Trial of Mary Dugan Mary Dugan
1941 The Bad Man Lucia Pell
1941 The People vs. Dr. Kildare Nurse Mary Lamont
1941 Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day Mary Lamont
1941 Unholy Partners Miss 'Croney' Cronin
1941 Kathleen Dr. Angela Martha "Angel" Kent
1942 A Yank on the Burma Road Mrs. Gail Farwood
1942 Dr. Kildare's Victory Mary Lamont in photo Uncredited
1942 Fingers at the Window Edwina Brown
1942 Mister Gardenia Jones Joanne
1942 Journey for Margaret Nora Jones
1943 Mr. Lucky Dorothy Bryant
1944 The Story of Dr. Wassell Madeleine
1944 Bride by Mistake Norah Hunter
1945 Keep Your Powder Dry Leigh Rand
1945 Those Endearing Young Charms Helen Brandt
1946 The Locket Nancy
1947 Tycoon Maura
1948 My Dear Secretary Stephanie "Steve" Gaylord
1949 I Married a Communist Nan Lowry Collins Alternative titles: The Woman on Pier 13
Beautiful But Dangerous
1949 Without Honor Jane Bandle Alternative title: Woman Accused
1954 The High and the Mighty Lydia Rice
1956 The Toy Tiger Gwendolyn "Gwen" Taylor
1956 Three for Jamie Dawn Sue Lorenz
1960 The 3rd Voice Marian Forbes
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1951 The Nash Airflyte Theater Episode: "The Crisis"
1951–1957 Lux Video Theatre Various roles 7 episodes
1952–1957 The Ford Television Theatre Various roles 7 episodes
1953 Willys Theatre Presenting Ben Hecht's Tales of the City Episode #1.2
1953 General Electric Theater Episode: "Hired Mother"
1955 Screen Directors Playhouse Joyce Carter Episode: "The Final Tribute"
1955–1957 The Loretta Young Show Various roles 3 episodes
1956 Celebrity Playhouse Holly's Mother Segment: " Tomorrow We May Part"
1956 Hollywood Summer Theater
1956–1959 Playhouse 90 Various roles 2 episodes
1957 Climax! Ellen Parker Episode: "Walk a Tightrope"
1957 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Mrs. Lorenz Episode: "Bitter Parting"
1957 Pursuit Kathy Nelson Episode: "Tiger on a Bicycle"
1958 Swiss Family Robinson Mother Television film
1958 Rendezvous Episode: "Alone"
1960 Moment of Fear Episode: "Cage of Air"
1961 Checkmate Woman Episode: "To the Best of My Recollection"
1962 Follow the Sun Aunt Charlotte Episode: " Not Aunt Charlotte!"
1962 The New Breed Vivian Cowley Episode: "A Motive Named Walter"
1963 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Ruth Episode: "Death and the Joyful Woman"
1963 Burke's Law Lisa Cole Episode: "Who Killed Billy Jo?"
1963 Wagon Train Cassie Vance Episode: "The Cassie Vance Story"
1967 The World: Color It Happy Television film
1968 The Name of the Game Grace Jellicoe Episode: "The Taker"
1969 The F.B.I. Ellen York Episode: "Gamble with Death"
1972 The Sixth Sense Marion Ford Episode: "The Heart That Wouldn't Stay Buried"
1973 Medical Center Arelene Gillette Episode: "Broken Image"
1975 Murder on Flight 502 Claire Garwood Television film
1978 The Love Boat Vera Simpson 2 episodes
1978–1979 Fantasy Island Various roles 2 episodes
1979 Lou Grant Laura Sinclair Episode: "Hollywood"
1985 Airwolf Amelia Davenport Episode: "Eruption"
1985 Hotel Mrs. Kupchak Episode: "Second Offense"
1986 Murder, She Wrote Constance Fletcher 2 episodes

References

  1. 1 2 "Laraine Day, 'B+ Movie' Star, Dies at 87". The New York Times. 13 November 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 Oliver, Myrna (November 12, 2007). "Laraine Day, 87; 'Dr. Kildare' film actress had love of baseball". latimes.com. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  3. "CUPID'S INFLUENCE ON THE FILM BOX-OFFICE.". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 4 October 1941. p. 7 Supplement: The Argus Week-end Magazine. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  4. "Laraine Day Obituary - Laraine Day Funeral - Legacy.com". Legacy.com. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  5. "Laraine Day". telegraph.co.uk. November 14, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  6. "Laraine Day, Husband Adopt Third Child, Boy". The Milwaukee Journal. October 3, 1946. p. 12. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  7. MacPherson, Virginia (December 5, 1946). "Irate Husband Calls Curocher Love Thief". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 1. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  8. "'The Lip' and Actress Incur Judge's Ire; Now Live Apart". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. January 23, 1947. p. 1. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  9. "Laraine Day and Lippy Wed Again". The Owosso Argus-Press. February 16, 1948. p. 12. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  10. "Leo Durocher and Laraine Day Husband-Wife Team of 1952". Oxnard Press-Courier. June 6, 1952. pp. 6–!. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  11. "Laraine Day Divorces Leo". The Miami News. June 15, 1960. pp. 10–A. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  12. "Laraine Day Has Baby Girl". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 14, 1962. p. 9. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  13. "Daughter Born to Laraine Day". St. Joseph Gazette. October 7, 1964. p. 5. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  14. Bergan, Ronald (2007-11-13). "Laraine Day". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  15. "Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir Discography". Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  16. "I am very much a Republican. - Laraine Day at BrainyQuote". BrainyQuote. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  17. "I think that Richard Nixon is a great man and that he is very dedicated to what he does. ... - Laraine Day at BrainyQuote". BrainyQuote. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  18. Harrison, Scott (May 15, 2012). "Get your Nixon bumper stickers!". latimes.com. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  19. Day, Laraine (October 1971). "Improving Our Environment". Ensign. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
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