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Laraine Day

Laraine Day

Actor · Died November 10, 2007, aged 87 · Roosevelt, Utah, USA

Laraine Day, born La Raine Johnson, was a major movie star of the 1940s and '50s. Raised in Utah as part of a prominent Mormon family, she came to Hollywood as a young woman, and made her film debut with an uncredited role in Stella Dallas. Before she was famous she also played the birth-mother of Tarzan and Jane's adopted son "Boy" in Tarzan Finds a Son. Her break came in 1939, with the wildly popular "Dr Kildare" sequels. Day played Kildare's nurse and love interest in the third through ninth Kildare movies, until her character married the doctor in Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day. As Mrs Kildare, she was written out of the next, and last, Kildare feature. In 1942, she starred with Ayres again in the underrated axe murder melodrama Fingers at the Window. Over subsequent decades, her memorable films included the flashback-within-flashback-within-flashback drama The Locket, the gangster comedy Mr Lucky, and the campy paranoia piece I Married A Communist. She was among the all-star passengers in the overwrought airliner-in-peril drama The High and the Mighty, and in Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent it was Day who encouraged Joel McCrea to give his stirring report of the air raid at the film's climax Hitchcock's thinly-veiled plea for America to enter World War II. When television became a viable income source, Day found the small screen more inviting and less time-consuming than making movies, and she became primarily a TV actress. She had a 15-minute series of uplifting vignettes called Daydreaming with Laraine, and another 15-minute daily celebrity chat show called The Laraine Day Show. Married to New York Giants manager Leo Durocher, Day became one of TV's first female sports reporters when she hosted Day with the Giants, an early 1950s baseball talk show with Giants' players that aired on New York City's Channel 11. Her last film was a low-budget thriller, The Third Voice, in 1960, but she continued taking occasional guest roles on TV series Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Murder, She Wrote, etc. through the mid-1980s. Following her retierment she spent the remainder of her life active in the Mormon church, Republican politics, and various charity related work. Upon the death of her third husband Michael Grilikhes in March 2007 she moved back to her native Utah where she died that November at age 87. She is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, CA.​

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 13, 1920
Died
November 10, 2007 (aged 87)
From
Roosevelt, Utah, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 71 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 31% in 30 days

What are Laraine Day's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
41%
Bonds
19%
Self
18%
Survival
14%
Power
5%
Ideas
1%
Duty5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 10 · Serious 6 · Dark 5

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 5 · Charged 11 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 11 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 13 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 10 · Affecting 8 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 13 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 13
Ally
3 of 13
Shadow
2 of 13
Herald
1 of 13
Trickster
1 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Warm
6
Melancholic
7
Hopeful
7
Romantic
6
Other
10

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Laraine Day's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Laraine Day's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

71 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Constance Fletcher

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Airwolf(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Amelia Davenport

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Kupchak

  • Fantasy Island(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Cummings

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Return to Fantasy Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Mrs. Grant

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 2 episodes · as Vera Simpson

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Murder on Flight 502(1975)

    as Claire Garwood

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Sixth Sense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Medical Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Name of the Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Grace Jellicoe

  • The F.B.I. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Helen York

  • Burke's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Lisa Cole

  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Ruth

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The New Breed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Vivian Cowley

  • Checkmate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Amnesiac Woman

  • The 3rd Voice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Marian Forbes

  • Pursuit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Kathy Nelson

  • Swiss Family Robinson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Frannie (Mother)

  • Rendezvous in Black (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Florence Strickland

  • Three for Jamie Dawn(1956)

    as Sue Lorenz

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Toy Tiger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Gwendolyn Taylor

  • Prima Donna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Laraine Day

  • The Final Tribute (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Joyce Carter

  • Screen Director's Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Laraine Day

  • Too Old for Dolls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Marge Ramsay

  • Climax! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellen Parker

  • The High and the Mighty(1954)

    as Lydia Rice

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Loretta Young Show(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Carol Potter · as Karen McCall · as Sara Lewis

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Lorenz

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Charlotte Vale · as Claire Brandon · as Louise Howell · as Lydia · as Lynn · as Phyllis Dietrichson · as Sophie

  • The Woman on Pier 13(1949)

    as Nan Lowry Collins

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Your Show of Shows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Without Honor(1949)

    as Jane Bandle

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • My Dear Secretary(1948)

    as Stephanie 'Steve' Gaylord

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Tycoon(1947)

    as Maura Alexander Munroe

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Locket(1946)

    as Nancy

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Those Endearing Young Charms(1945)

    as Helen Brandt

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Keep Your Powder Dry(1945)

    as Leigh Rand

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Bride by Mistake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Norah Hunter

  • The Story of Dr. Wassell(1944)

    as Madeleine

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Twenty Years After (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as (archive footage)

  • Mr. Lucky(1943)

    as Dorothy Bryant

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Journey for Margaret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Nora Davis

  • The Glass Key(1942)

    as Nurse (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Gardenia Jones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Joanne

  • Fingers at the Window(1942)

    as Edwina 'Eddie' Brown

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • A Yank on the Burma Road(1942)

    as Gail Farwood

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Kathleen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Martha Kent

  • Unholy Partners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Miss 'Croney' Cronin

  • Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day(1941)

    as Nurse Mary Lamont

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The People Vs. Dr. Kildare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Nurse Mary Lamont

  • The Bad Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Lucia Pell

  • The Trial of Mary Dugan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Mary Dugan

  • Dr. Kildare's Crisis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Nurse Mary Lamont

  • Dr. Kildare Goes Home(1940)

    as Nurse Mary Lamont

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Foreign Correspondent(1940)

    as Carol Fisher

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Dr. Kildare's Strange Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Mary Lamont

  • And One Was Beautiful(1940)

    as Kate Lattimer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • My Son, My Son! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Maeve O’Riordan

  • I Take This Woman(1940)

    as Linda Rodgers

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Secret of Dr. Kildare(1939)

    as Mary Lamont

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Think First (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Marjorie (Margie) Smith

  • Tarzan Finds a Son!(1939)

    as Mrs. Richard Lancing

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Calling Dr. Kildare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Nurse Mary Lamont

  • Sergeant Madden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Eileen Daly

  • Arizona Legion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Letty Meade (as Laraine Johnson)

  • Painted Desert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Carol Banning

  • Border G-Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Betty Holden (as Laraine Johnson)

  • Scandal Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Peg Smith (as Laraine Johnson)

  • Stella Dallas(1937)

    as Girl at Soda Shop / Train Passenger (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 71 titles from 1937 to 1984.

Biggest box office

Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939)

$4.6M worldwide

Highest rated

Foreign Correspondent (1940)

Midcredits 92nd

Film career

Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting71 of 71: 71 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score55th

By decade

1930s10 · acting1940s28 · acting1950s17 · acting1960s8 · acting1970s5 · acting1980s3 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 38% of 8 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Laraine Day's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 55th percentile, the median of all 23; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 29 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed5

Most loved · actor

Foreign Correspondent (1940)

Midcredits 92nd · 82% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 21 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Laraine Day work with?

People who share at least 2 of Laraine Day's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Walter Kingsford shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers