Op-Ed

Patt Morrison Asks: Doris Day

It was fast and I thought, "This is going to be nice for me to dance to." Everybody liked it, and it was done in a very fast tempo.

And then [years later] I put it the way it was supposed to be, soft and lovely. It was my favorite. It took me back to when I sang it as a little girl.

Patt Morrison
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Your movies are still popular. Do you miss acting?

It was just a wonderful part of my life. I couldn't wait to get to work. Sometimes I think I should have stayed longer and I should have done more films. [But] I just got so involved with animals that I didn't.

You'd always be welcomed back.

As a grandma? [Day has one grandson.]

I certainly think so.

I could play grandmas.

I'm not an old lady, and yet I'm up there in years, but I don't feel like that at all.

Do you ever watch your movies?

I've been looking at my old films recently, now that you mention it.

Are you watching like a fan or an actress?

I watch them like I'm there. I never did that when I was making films -- I never saw them. I'm having a lot of fun seeing them now. I [analyze myself] and think, "Um hm, what am I going to do with this?'' I laugh when I'm laughing in the scene. I laugh sitting in my chair watching.

If you could wave a wand, what would you wish the world to do for animals?

I would like for people to know they're part of the family -- and [for animals to have] the best life they could ever have.

patt.morrison@latimes.com

This interview was edited and excerpted from a longer taped transcript. Interview archive: latimes.com/pattasks.

Comments (3)

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dsinla at 9:29 PM January 07, 2012

Join the facebook page:

Doris Day to be (finally) Honored by the Oscars?

http://bit.ly/cw6akT

pebrogan at 3:13 PM January 07, 2012

The whole world adores Miss Day for a number of reasons. Her singing, dancing and acting have brought so much pleasure and enjoyment through many generations. She is an inspiration and it was through her work (with Cleveland Amory and Actors and Others for Animals) in the early 70's that really raised awareness on a large scale, for the first-time, about animal welfare, cruel experimentation and the need to spay and neuter. Many suddenly found themselves listening because it was Doris Day speaking out. After Katrina she chartered a plane to New Orleans to collect the pets that had lost their owners, bringing them back to California. She was not a name who simply attached herself to a cause. She has actively worked on behalf of animals as well as contributing to a great many other charities for people that she supports under the radar.

Thanks for your insightful interview which let us all know that Miss Day continues to be a role model and an active participant in a full life.

Paul E. Brogan

craftlaw at 2:29 PM January 07, 2012

The Bay area just adores Miss Day. She mobilizes so many of us to help the animals, most recently this Obama-signed budget bill which will allow the hideous slaughter of horses in the US once again. We should be able, as a nation, to humanely treat our horses..as Miss Day put it on a recent interview with me on KGO radio,San Francisco.

Christine Craft

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