In 1953, the technicolor western musical film named after Jane hit theaters. It starred a young Doris Day and portrayed a romance with Wild Bill Hickok, while showing off her serious gunnery skills.
Of course, Day didn’t look much like the real Jane, but she did nail the ice-cold face you see in many of her photos.
In her early 50’s, Jane succumbed to pneumonia, before the doctor could get out to visit her. She may have passed on, but she would be anything but forgotten.
In fact, as is the case with so many people, her fame and following only increased tenfold after her death.
The Deadwood public remembered her dearly. The local newspaper published a piece that spoke about her kind heart and warm personality.
Depending on who you asked, you may hear a few different stories about Calamity Jane, but the consensus was all the same. She was a hard-drinking, sharp-shooting free spirit.
Doris Day was far from being the alcohol-loving, gun-toting girl from the prairie that Jane was. In fact, the two couldn’t have been any more different from one another in their actual lives. But Day’s amazing acting skills allowed her to portray her personality in the lighthearted musical comedy.
Day’s career began during Hollywood’s Golden Age, and took off thanks to her infectious smile and skills on screen.
The actress was born in 1922 into a musical family. Her father, William, was a music teacher and choirmaster. She first got into the industry through dance, performing around Cincinnati with her partner, Jerry Doherty.
But in 1937, she was involved in a car accident that took her out of commission - temporarily, anyways.