Brogan: Doris Day Loved Concord!!

Doris Day passed away on Monday, May 13, 2019, at the age of 97. She had been active right up until the end of her storied life. She had recorded nearly 800 songs, starred in nearly 40 films, topped box-office popularity polls and become an honored and celebrated star the world over. Her proudest work, however, was on behalf of animal welfare. For almost fifty years she has devoted her heart and soul to the well-being of the "four-leggers" as she affectionately called them.

I was fortunate to call Doris Day my friend and in my new book, "The Concord Theatre and Concord's Love Affair with the Movies," I talk about the time that Doris Day visited Concord.

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It was back in 1958, before she and I had become pen-pals, that Doris and her husband, Martin Melcher, came through town for several days. They stayed at the Franklin Pierce Inn which was located next to Water's Funeral Home on South Main Street. They were in town to visit Betty Abbott, the one-time Director of Recreation and Parks in the city. Betty and Doris had performed on the radio together in the early 1940's prior to Doris becoming a celebrated Big Band singer and Betty going on toe success on Broadway.

Doris fell in love with small town life in Concord. She visited all three five and dime stores on Main Street and discovered the taste tempting flavors of the Concord Dairy Bar on North State Street. She also visited the Concord Theatre where she and Marty chatted with owner Theresa Cantin. Theresa told her, when asked whether the Concord Theatre played her films, "No, you're way too popular. The Capitol Theatre takes them all..."

It was because of a Doris Day film that I began working at the Concord Theatre for many years. "Caprice," a "not popular" film found its way to the Concord Theatre and after sitting and watching it twice, left the theater with a new job.

I look back fondly on the decades of knowing Doris. Bike rides through Beverly Hills, a party together at Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion, long talks about matters not related to Hollywood, and thoughtful gifts regularly exchanged. When my first book was published eight years ago, it seemed only fitting that Doris would share the cover with me. The private Doris Day was focused on the meaningful friendships she formed and maintained throughout her life.

Fortunately the public Doris Day will continue to bring music and laughs to many through the continued popularity of her work. No doubt the work she has done on behalf of animal welfare will also continue to resonate throughout the world.