Owen Patrick McNulty, later known as Dennis Day, was born on May 21, 1917, in the Bronx, New York, to an Ireland-born stationary engineer. He was a bright and beaming Irish singer, whose name and career were synonymous with that of Jack Benny's.
Dennis's early life was marked by a discovery of his lilting tenor while performing with his glee club at St. Patrick's Cathedral High School. He graduated from Manhattan College and initially planned a law career, but started singing to earn money for tuition.
He recorded "I Never Knew Heaven Could Speak" and distributed it to various radio producers, one of whom presented it to Mary Livingston, Benny's wife. She was so taken with it that she insisted he be considered for her husband's popular radio show "The Jack Benny Show".
When Kenny Baker, the show's then-tenor, gave notice, Dennis auditioned and won a regular spot, and the idea of law school became a thing of the past. He made his debut on the Benny show on October 8, 1939, and his innocent-eyed teenager often drew more laughs than Benny himself in their rapport together.
His career was interrupted by World War II when he served with the Navy. He was discharged in 1946. After the war, he continued to work with Benny on radio and TV, playing a naive soda jerk on his own radio show "A Day in the Life of Dennis Day" in 1946.
Dennis also showed great flair as a mimic, impersonating a number of illustrious stars such as Ronald Colman, Jimmy Durante, and James Stewart on the Benny program. He was dubbed "America's Favorite Irish Tenor" and had his own radio show "The Dennis Day Show" in 1952, which enjoyed two seasons on TV before it was canceled.
Dennis also appeared in support of Benny on film, including "Buck Benny Rides Again" in 1940, and in various musical entertainment films. He co-starred with Judy Canova in the cornball comedy "Sleepy Lagoon" in 1943, and with Anne Shirley in the romantic "Music in Manhattan" in 1944.
Despite these agreeable outings, he never came close to becoming a musical film star, perhaps because he was too identified with his cheery, naive image on radio and TV. Once he finished "The Girl Next Door" in 1953, which again starred Ms. Haver, Dennis was nowhere to be seen on celluloid for at least another two decades.
Walt Disney also welcomed Dennis's sunny tenor in his animated features "The Legend of Johnny Appleseed" in 1948, and "Melody Time" in 1948. Best known for his recording of Irish tunes, including such novelty songs as "Clancy Lowered the Boom", Dennis won over the ladies with his romantic covers of such ballads as "Mam'selle," "Dear Hearts and Gentle People" and "Mona Lisa".
Occasionally he was given dramatic work on TV, but nothing really came of it, coming off much better as a guest in musical variety shows. Dennis legally adopted his professional name in 1944 against his family's wishes. He married Peggy Almquist in 1948 and the couple had ten children.
