Dennis Day (May 21, 1916 – June 22, 1988) born Owen Patrick
Eugene McNulty, was an American singer, radio, television and film personality
and comedian of Irish descent.
Dennis was christened Owen Patrick McNulty on May 21, 1917
in Bronx, New York, the son of an Ireland-born stationary engineer. The
strength and promise of his lilting tenor was first discovered while performing
with his glee club at St. Patrick's Cathedral High School. Graduating from
Manhattan College, he first had designs on a law career and starting singing in
order to earn money for tuition. By himself, he recorded "I Never Knew
Heaven Could Speak" and distributed the song out to various radio
producers, one of whom presented it to Mary Livingston, Benny's wife.
She was so taken that she insisted he be considered for her
husband's popular radio show "The Jack Benny Show". When the show's
then-tenor Kenny Baker objected to being a featherbrained foil to Benny on the
show and gave notice, Dennis auditioned and won a regular spot, and the idea of
law school became a thing of the past. Making his debut on the Benny show on
October 8, 1939, Dennis' innocent-eyed teenager (he was actually 21 at the
time) often drew more laughs than Benny himself in their rapport together. His
career was interrupted by World War II when he served with the Navy. He was
discharged in 1946.
Dennis legally adopted his professional name in 1944 against
his family's wishes. The strict Irish-Catholic married Peggy Almquist in 1948
and the couple had ten children (six daughters, four sons). Dennis and his
family settled in Los Angeles where he became an honorary mayor of Mandeville
Canyon. He and his wife also owned an antique shop in Santa Monica for a time.
His cherry-cheeked, wide-eyed charm delighted scores of radio fans and the fame Dennis received from the show drew invitations to other radio programs, and eventually his own radio show "A Day in the Life of Dennis Day" in 1946. Here he played (naturally) a naive soda jerk. But he never left Benny, staying true-blue to the
Dennis & Jack Benny |
Dennis also appeared in support of Benny on film. Buck Benny Rides Again (1940), marked Dennis' movie debut and in it he sang "My Kind of Country." Other sporadic filming emphasizing his vocal prowess were for the most part "B"-level musical entertainment.
These included Sleepy
Lagoon (1943), Music in Manhattan (1944), I'll Get By (1950), Golden Girl
(1951), The Girl Next Door (1953), and Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood
(1976) . For the soundtrack of My Wild Irish Rose (1947), a biopic about
Chauncey Olcott, Day provided the singing voice to the acting of Dennis Morgan.
Despite these agreeable outings, he never came close to becoming a musical film star perhaps because he was too identified with his cheery, naive image on radio and TV. Once he finished The Girl Next Door (1953) which again starred Ms. Haver, Dennis was nowhere to be seen on celluloid for at least another two decades. Walt Disney also welcomed Dennis' sunny tenor in his animated features The Legend of Johnny Appleseed (1948), in which Dennis sang the title song, and Melody Time (1948).
Despite these agreeable outings, he never came close to becoming a musical film star perhaps because he was too identified with his cheery, naive image on radio and TV. Once he finished The Girl Next Door (1953) which again starred Ms. Haver, Dennis was nowhere to be seen on celluloid for at least another two decades. Walt Disney also welcomed Dennis' sunny tenor in his animated features The Legend of Johnny Appleseed (1948), in which Dennis sang the title song, and Melody Time (1948).
Best known for his recording of Irish tunes, including such
novelty songs as "Clancy Lowered the Boom", Dennis won over the
ladies with his romantic covers of such ballads as "Mam'selle,"
"Dear Hearts and Gentle People" and "Mona Lisa." Occasionally
he was given dramatic work on TV but nothing really came of it, coming off much
better as a guest in musical variety shows. He continued to perform at
conventions and fairs throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and was seen only
occasionally in film and TV parts as he refused any work he deemed
objectionable.
In 1987 Dennis had been diagnosed as having Lou Gehrig's
disease, the common name for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a crippling nerve
disorder. In April 1988 he undergone brain surgery to control internal bleeding
that occurred after he fell at his home. He died on June 22, 1988 after a long illness at his Bel
Air, home in California. He was 71 years
old. His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is at 6646 Hollywood Boulevard. He is interred in Culver City's Holy Cross Cemetery. (Info mainly edited from IMDb)
3 comments:
BB, please a re-post of Dennis Day. Thanks
Hello Denis, Sorry but I just could not find the CD you requested. However, I did find this 2 CD set from Jasmine which has nearly all the play-list of the missing one.
For “Dennis Day – Serenade (2007 Jasmine)” go here:
https://www.imagenetz.de/k5UBv
Disc: 1
1 Dear Hearts and Gentle People
2 Galway Bay
3 Silver Moon
4 Take My Heart
5 All My Love
6 A Shawl Of Galway Grey
7 Clancy Lowered the Boom
8 Serenade
9 His Eye Is On the Sparrow
10 My Nellie's Blue Eyes
11 Ma'mselle
12 St. Patrick's Day Parade
13 When I Grow Too Old to Dream
14 Tularosa
15 Come To The Parlor
16 Mona Lisa
17 Siren Of The Sea
18 The Rose of Tralee
19 California Moon
20 Goodnight, Irene
21 My Wild Irish Rose
22 When Hearts Are Young
23 Mother At Your Feet Is Kneeling
24 Mary Rose
25 Hey, Brother, Pour the Wine
26 Danny Boy
27 Interview - The Stars and Stripes Forever
Disc: 2
1 Mister and Mississippi
2 When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
3 Saint Cecelia
4 If You Havn't Got A Sweetheart
5 The Shrine Of Saint-Anne-De-Beupre
6 That's An Irish Lullaby (Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral)
7 Sweet, Sweet Pauline
8 I'll Step Aside
9 Indiana Moon
10 How Can You Buy Killarney
11 Wonder Boy From Peru
12 An Irishman Will Steal Your Heart Away
13 A Trinket Of Shiny Gold
14 Remember When You Sang 'O Promise Me'?
15 Back To Donegal
16 Mother Dearest, Mother Dearest
17 Stella By Starlight
18 Mother Machree
19 B'gilly, B'golly, B'gorrah
20 Christmas Dreaming
21 Christmas in Killarney
22 O Holy Night
23 Gesu Bambino
24 Away in a Manger
25 God Rest Ye Marry, Gentlemen
26 We Three Kings of Orient Are
27 Silent Night, Holy Night
thanks for taking the time BB....this is a great collection
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