Day and Hudson were back at it a few years after their successful first film. This time, it was in 1961’s “Lover Come Back”, directed by Delbert Mann. They appeared in one more film together in 1964, before the tragic news of his AIDS diagnosis got around.
The actor passed away in 1985. Day would later recall in her interview with People that she believed the reason people liked them together so much is because “they could see how much we liked each other.”
In 1956, Day worked on the Alfred Hitchcock film, "The Man Who Knew Too Much". Until that point, she had only been doing musical comedies, so it was uncharted territory for the actress.
Of course, she still sang in the film, including one song, “Que Sera, Sera,” which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Doris met fellow actor Rock Hudson when the pair worked together on the 1959 film, "Pillow Talk". The two stars hit it off instantly, and they lit the screen up with their combined energy. She later told People that it was easy to get along with Rock, and that he had a great sense of humor.
Critics and the public alike were invested in this on-screen partnership, and they were ready for more - and they didn’t disappoint.
Although Day’s career lasted for decades, the shift in Hollywood’s demand would likely mean the end of her popularity. After all, here she was, the all-American girl who was sweet and naive. But as the Golden Age started to give way to a new tide, the demand for that type of character started to fade away.
Unfortunately, she would find herself dealing with much more pressing issues.
Day had been married four times by the time of her death. In the 1960s, she was with her third husband, producer Martin Melcher. The couple started their own production company in 1952, called Arwin Productions. Of course, the majority of films they made starred Day.
But in 1968, fate would take a turn for the worse, when Melcher passed away. Doctors later told Day it was due to an enlarged heart.