Patt Morrison Asks: Doris Day

Add it all up, and Doris Day's singular singing voice has spent more than 11 years on the Billboard charts. Her three dozen-plus films made millions of fans and dollars. And now, after nearly two decades of living below the radar in Carmel, Doris Day is back on the charts. "My Heart" is a baker's dozen of songs from the vaults, many produced by her late son, Terry Melcher, who worked with the Byrds and who co-wrote and sang "Happy Endings" on the CD, and sang a second song on it with his mother. The proceeds from "My Heart" go to the Doris Day Animal Foundation, which supports her work protecting animals (that's a rescue dog in the 1993 photo). For that, she's broken a long silence, with a little catch in her voice when she speaks of her departed loved ones -- and, now and again, with that unmistakable throaty Doris Day laugh.

You've been on the charts so often, and here you are again. Take that, Lady Gaga!

[She chuckles.] Lady Gaga!

It's a surprise to me, I can tell you that, but it's thrilling. I'm hearing from people all over the world. And I'm so happy that my son was able to do something with me.

What is it like hearing your two voices together?

I was sort of used to that. When we talked about songs, he would always play the piano. We would sing together, and I loved his singing.

He wasn't a person who pushed himself. I used to say to him, "You should be singing and really using your talents." He was just shy about it. He's so good.

I miss him terribly, and when we put out the recording, it was difficult for me to hear.

There are two animal-related songs on the CD. One of them, "Stewball," is an old folk song about a racehorse. And didn't you have one of your dogs, Biggest, in mind when you recorded "You Are So Beautiful"?

I did. He was something else -- such a darling, precious doggie.

I knew Cleveland Amory, the writer and animal activist, and so did you. He used to talk about you and your critters.

I have some horses on his property in Texas right now. [The Doris Day Horse Rescue and Adoption Center, for abused and neglected horses, is on the grounds of the Black Beauty Ranch that Amory founded.]

Do you remember when you first had dogs?

When I was able to make a film! When I was [singing] on the bandstand, traveling all the time, I couldn't. So the minute I started my first film, I had a dog. Then I had another one. Oh, I had so many.

If I'd find a dog, I'd try to find the owner, of course, but it was mine! I just can't live without them, I love them so much. I have cats too. People call me all the time and say, "We know of a couple of cats people don't care for," and I say, "Bring them!" That's it -- two words. I'm always open for that.

During the making of "The Man Who Knew Too Much," in Morocco, you told Alfred Hitchcock to treat the animals in the film better. And he did.

He did. On the film, all the animals, the way they were treated -- it was not nice. Everybody got told, and everything changed. We turned the whole thing around.

Your work has changed animals' lives. How have animals changed your life?

I couldn't be without them. I couldn't. It's hard to explain. They are so true, and I love that.