"The Doris Day Show" (1968) TV series 1968-1973

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Creator:

James Fritzell

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

24 September 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

After spending most of her life in big cities, widow Doris Martin decides to move back to the family ranch.

Plot Keywords:

Magazine | Widow | Son | Sitcom | Secretary

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes.

Cast

Doris Day	...	Doris Martin (128 episodes, 1968-1973)
Philip Brown	...	Billy Martin (79 episodes, 1968-1971)
Todd Starke	...	Toby Martin (79 episodes, 1968-1971)
Denver Pyle	...	Buck Webb (55 episodes, 1968-1970)

Runtime:

30 min (128 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

650 California Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Arwin Productions

Trivia:

Doris Day's contract with CBS to do this series set a record, with Day's production company getting several million dollars in up-front fees. It was negotiated by Martin Melcher, her husband of 17 years. However, after Melcher died unexpectedly in April of 1968 - just five months before the series was to debut - Day said she had no knowledge of ever having signed to do the show.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The O'Reilly Factor: (2008-02-22)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)

Doris Day Quit CBS, She Was Not Fired

"Raysond" wrote this in his/her review: "due to low ratings and a sorry time slot) to let it go and from there "The Doris Day Show" was canceled by CBS. Also during this time the career of singer/actress/producer Doris Day was over and to this day in 1973 officially retired from the entertainment industry where she is living peacefully somewhere in her private estate in Hollywood."

Nothing could be far from the truth. Yes, CBS dealt Doris Day a "Ft. Knox Hand" (that's what VARIETY called it) to Miss Day for her to do a TV series. But, unlike what was reported by Raysond, the series was consistently in the Top 20 it's entire run. Doris Day called it quits with CBS. She had never wanted to do television in the first place: her husband secretly signed her to the CBS contract without her permission. He died, and as Day has said, "I was delivered to CBS." From what I have read, CBS wanted Doris to re-sign and continue the show, but she declined. She did, however, live up to her contract and did the two musical specials that her late husband promised.

Most people are not aware, but Doris' film career was far from over in 1968. Her three films that year ("Ballad of Josie," "Where Were You When The Lights Went Out" and "With Six You Get Eggroll") should have landed her among the top ten box office stars, but with the news that she would be doing a TV show, Quigley's Poll didn't bother. The fact is, Doris Day's 1968 films out-grossed several of the stars who made the list.