In the 1950s, Doris Day Was an Oscar Best Song Magnet

Doris Day, who died yesterday at age 97, never won an Oscar, but she introduced two Oscar winners for best original song — “Secret Love” (from 1953’s Calamity Jane) and “Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)” (from 1956’s The Man Who Knew Too Much).

Day was just the second woman, following Judy Garland, to introduce two best song Oscar winners. These great stars paved the way for such contemporary superstars as Barbra Streisand, Madonna and Celine Dion, who have also introduced two best song winners.

Here are all of the artists — male and female — who have introduced two or more Oscar winners for best song.

Fred Astaire 

Astaire danced with Ginger Rogers while she sang the stylish “The Continental” in 1934’s The Gay Divorcee. Two years later, he sang the “The Way You Look To-night” in Swing Time. That timeless classic is one of the best film songs ever written.

Bing Crosby

The superstar introduced four best song winners, more than anyone else. He sang “Sweet Leilani” in Waikiki Wedding (1937), “White Christmas” in Holiday Inn (1942), “Swinging on a Star” in Going My Way (1944) and “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening” in Here Comes the Groom (1951). Crosby teamed with Marjorie Reynolds to sing “White Christmas”; with Jane Wyman to sing “In the Cool…” Wyman was an Oscar-winning actress and the first wife of Ronald Reagan.

Judy Garland

The great star sang the immortal “Over the Rainbow” in The Wizard of Oz (1939) and fronted a spirited ensemble to sing “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe” in The Harvey Girls (1946).

Bob Hope 

Though remembered almost entirely as a comedian, Hope introduced “Thanks for the Memory” in The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938) and “Buttons and Bows” in The Paleface (1948). He teamed with Shirley Ross to sing the former song.

Doris Day

Day sang “Secret Love” in Calamity Jane (1953) and “Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)” in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956).

Frank Sinatra

The legendary singer introduced three best song winners: “Three Coins in the Fountain” in the film of the same name (1954), “All the Way” in The Joker Is Wild (1957) and “High Hopes” in A Hole in the Head (1959). Sinatra is the only artist to introduce three best song winners from films released in the same decade. Sinatra teamed with 12-year-old Eddie Hodges to sing “High Hopes,” which became the theme song of John F. Kennedy’s winning 1960 presidential campaign.

Henry Mancini

Audrey Hepburn famously introduced “Moon River” in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), but the film also includes an instrumental version by the song’s composer, Henry Mancini. He also introduced the following year’s winner, “The Days of Wine and Roses” from the film of the same name. He co-wrote both songs with lyricist Johnny Mercer.

Barbra Streisand

Streisand introduced “The Way We Were” in the film of the same name (1973) and “Evergreen” in A Star Is Born (1976). She composed the latter song, which was the first best song winner that was written or co-written by someone who starred in the film.

Jennifer Warnes

Ask somebody who is the only woman to introduce three Oscar winners for best song. Very few will come with the right answer. It’s Warnes, who sang “It Goes Like it Goes” in Norma Rae (1979), “Up Where We Belong” in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) and “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life” in Dirty Dancing (1987). Warnes teamed with Joe Cocker on the second song; Bill Medley on the third.

Irene Cara

Cara introduced “Fame” in the film of same name (1980) and “Flashdance…What a Feeling” in Flashdance (1983). She co-wrote the lyric on the latter song with Keith Forsey.

Madonna

Madonna introduced “Sooner or Later” in Dick Tracy (1990) and “You Must Love Me” in Evita (1996).

Peabo Bryson

Bryson sang the end-credits versions of “Beauty and the Beast” in the film of the same name (1991) and “A Whole New World” in Aladdin (1992). He teamed with Celine Dion on the first; Regina Belle on the second.

Celine Dion

Dion sang the end-credits version of “Beauty and the Beast” in the film of the same name (1991). Six years later, she introduced the film song of the decade, “My Heart Will Go On” in Titanic (1997).

Sally Dworsky

Sally Who? The behind-the-scenes singer in animated films was among the pros who sang the original versions of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” in The Lion King (1994) and “When You Believe” in The Prince of Egypt (1998). The better known end-credits versions were performed by Elton John and Mariah Carey/Whitney Houston, respectively.

Randy Newman

John Goodman and Billy Crystal introduced “I Didn’t Have You” in Monsters, Inc. (2001), but composer Newman’s version is the closing track on the film soundtrack. Newman also introduced “We Belong Together” in Toy Story 3 (2010).