Culture April 3, 2019

Doris Day celebrating 97th birthday with friends, a fundraiser and ice cream cake

WATCH: Doris Day's life and career

Legendary actress Doris Day is celebrating her 97th birthday Wednesday.

To celebrate, the lifelong animal lover and advocate is holding a series of events including a dog adoption and fundraiser to benefit the Doris Day Animal Foundation.

(MORE: Doris Day to celebrate 96th birthday with friends one year after birthday mix-up)

"On her actual birthday we'll just have a small dinner at home for her and some of her close friends will come over," Bob Bashara, Day's business manager and longtime friend, told "Good Morning America" last week. "She really likes ice cream. We're thinking of getting her an ice cream cake."

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American actress Doris Day as Carol Templeton in "Lover Come Back," in 1961.

"She's always been humorous, and she still is," Bashara added. "She leads a very quiet life."

Day's birthday kicked off March 28 at Day's Cypress Inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea in California.

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Doris Day seen in this 1951 file photo.
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In addition to live auctions and raffles, there were performances by Michael Feinstein, Jackie Joseph from "The Doris Day Show” and more.

A 60th anniversary screening of the 1959 film,"Pillow Talk," in which Day co-starred with Rock Hudson, also took place.

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American actress and singer Doris Day in 1955.
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Doris Day is seen at age 96 in an undated photo. The legendary actress is celebrating her 97th birthday on April 3, 2019.

All proceeds will go to Day's non-profit, the Doris Day Animal Foundation.

"Originally Doris went out and did all of the rescues herself. That's how it all started," Bashara said. "She'd pick any animal up on the street and bring it home. She can't do that anymore [because] she's 97. But she's so interested in her foundation and how it's helping animals."

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Doris Day celebrated her 92nd birthday on April 3, 2016.