Old Movie Teams
Weren’t they also in that other movie?Doris Day & Gordon MacRae
Gordon MacRea and Doris Day appeared together in six films, though one of them — So You Want a Television Set (1953) — a ten-minute one-reeler, uses them only in a tongue-in-cheek cameo. Starlift (1951) also showcases their talents briefly among a cavalcade of other performers. But in Tea for Two (1950), The West Point Story (1950), On Moonlight Bay (1951), and By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953), they enjoy a great deal of the spotlight as they croon and dance and romance in the charming, albeit typical, hollywood fare of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back.
Gene Nelson may be considered a third in this duo, for he appears with Doris and Gordon in Tea for Two and The West Point Story. He also teamed with glamorous Doris in Lullaby of Broadway (1951) and partnered with cowboy Gordon in Oklahoma (1955).
10 Comments»
pkingwp wrote @
There are lots of CD albums (and MP3 downloads) of Doris Day singing many of the songs she performed in these movies; there are also Gordon MacRae albums on CD or MP3 wherein he sings the songs he performed. But, alas, these renderings are not duets (at least, not with one another). In short, there doesn’t seem to be any media (other than what you get on the DVDs of these movies) that present the original duets from these movies. In 1980, a vinyl release of the movie soundtrack for “On Moonlight Bay” was issued for a limited release. As far as I know, that album is no longer available. Incidentally, that vinyl release also contained the soundtracks for Deanna Durbin’s “Three Smart Girls” and Frank Sinatra/Kathryn Grayson’s “It Happened In Brooklyn.”
Tony wrote @
In a further reply to Kevin, the reason for there not being any Doris Day duets on disc with Gordon MacRae is because of contractual limitations imposed at the time, Doris was contracted to Columbia and Gordon to Capitol Records. It simply wasn’t allowed as I understand it. Great shame I agree.
pkingwp wrote @
For more in-depth information about Gordon MacRae and Doris Day, you might consider finding a copy of Bruce Leiby’s Gordon MacRae: A Bio-Bibliography (Bio-Bibliographies in the Performing Arts) and/or a copy of A.E. Hotchner’s Doris Day: Her Own Story. An alternative (indeed, preferable in my view) to reading about them is to push play on the media device of your choice (e.g. DVD), nestle up with a loved one on the couch, and watch, as a regular member of an undying and loyal viewing public, their multifaceted displays of craft.
Cecilia bosanac wrote @
Doris Day is magnificent and I suspect a fine human being and Gordon MacRae absolutely magnificent did he smoke or drink he died so young? And Nelson totally incredible
pkingwp wrote @
Doris Day’s activism in support of humanely treating animals has long been a passion of hers and continues to this day (she celebrated her 95th birthday on April 3rd of this year). Gordon MacRae also developed a passion for helping. For many years he suffered alcoholism and overcame it in his 50s. Soon after and for the rest of his life, he donated his time and energy to helping others with addiction. He died in 1986 at the age of 64 from complications from cancer.
Jen Combs wrote @
Doris Day and Gordon MacRae were such a perfect match on the screen. Did they ever date off screen? Well, at least they did on screen and we were part of that.
pkingwp wrote @
As far as I know, Doris Day and Gordon MacRae were never romantically involved off screen. They were good friends, maintaining that friendship through to his untimely death at age 64 in 1986.
Marilyn Barksdale wrote @
There is a definite chemistry between Day and McRae in their films. I hope they were friends off screen, too.
They were SO good together! They both had GREAT voices, and their voices were really good together! I LOVE EVERY movie I’ve seen with them in it!