Who was the biggest box office actress in the 1960s?

Doris Day won her recognition after the incredible success of the film Pillow Talk in 1959. Together with Rock Hudson and Tony Randall, Day did a great work, which made the three of them an iconic trio of those times. They continued working together for Lover Come Back (1961) and Send Me No Flowers (1964). Doris reached the first position at the box office two times: in 1960 and in 1962 again. She stayed on top until 1964. She appeared in a number of wonderful romantic comedies, such as That Touch of Mink (1962) and Move Over, Darling (1963).

But Day's fame didn't last for a long time: in 1965 she was called "The World's Oldest Virgin" after her performance in the failed movie Do Not Disturb. Her later films were considered critical flops, but her loyal fans helped these movies to be quite successful at the box office.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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43 Comments

Lynne Zeman

Wow. That pic looked nothing like any Doris Day picture I have seen before. I would not have guessed it was her.

Richard D. Boyle

I was certain that the answer to this question was Julie Andrews so I did some research on the precise box office issue and discovered that it was Julie Andrews who even beat out the top box office men, John Wayne and Paul Newman; however, that was average gross per film and not total gross. Doris Day is the correct answer since she produced quantity rather than quality and all of her films were box office successes even if they were critical flops.

Charles Borg

Top 15 Adjusted Domestic Box Office Leaders 1960 – 1969 1st John Wayne $3,182,500,000 2nd Julie Andrews $2,973,600,000 3rd Paul Newman $2,788,000,00.

Ellen Sheehan

Doris Day made a number of good movies in the fifties - The Man Who Knew Too Much, Love Me or Leave Me, Calamity Jane, Young at Heart. These successes took her well in to the 60’s. Too bad they wanted to put her in so many roles where she played the nervous young miss way past an ingenue age. But Hollywood - find a formula, churn them out. … Great singer - catchy tunes - Move Over, Darling. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps. Secret Love. Por Favor.

Ellen Sheehan

Lynne Zeman, looks like an early picture. Later, it seems she started using mascara.

Char

Lynne Zeman, if you look close at her face you could tell but just a glance no way

Char

I loved all Doris movies including the last one but I still thought it was Elizabeth Taylor for years

earlepg

Francie Carlson, I agree. However, I do remember that some magazine ran an article about her sometime in the 1960s that showed her sans makeup. Burst this young mans image of her for sure (and I grew up with three sisters).