Doris Day, the sunny blond actress and singer whose frothy comedic roles opposite the likes of Rock Hudson made her one of Hollywood's biggest stars in the 1950s and '60s and a symbol of wholesome American womanhood, died Monday. She was 97.

In recent years, Day had been an animal rights advocate and her Doris Day Animal Foundation confirmed her death at her Carmel Valley, California, home. The foundation said she was surrounded by close friends.

"Day had been in excellent physical health for her age, until recently contracting a serious case of pneumonia, resulting in her death," the foundation said in a statement. It said she requested "no funeral or memorial service and no grave marker."

AirTalk remembers Day.

With files from the Associated Press

Guests:

Leonard Maltin, film historian, noted film critic and author of many books on cinema, including “Hooked on Hollywood: Discoveries from a Lifetime of Film Fandom” (GoodKnight Books, July 2018) and the “Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide” series; he appears regularly on Reelz Channel and spent 30 years on the hit television show, Entertainment Tonight

Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and CineGods.com