Quick Facts
| Intro | American musician, trombonist | ||||
| Known for | First husband of American actress, singer Doris Day | ||||
| A.K.A. | Albert Paul Jorden | ||||
| Was | Musician Trombonist | ||||
| From | United States of America | ||||
| Field | Music | ||||
| Gender | male | ||||
| Birth | 1 February 1917, Evanston, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, USA | ||||
| Death | 5 July 1967, Delhi Township, Hamilton County, Ohio, USA (aged 50 years) | ||||
| Star sign | Aquarius | ||||
| Family |
|
Biography
Al Jorden (February 1, 1917 – July 5, 1967) was an American trombonist and musician. He was the first husband of famed American actress, singer Doris Day.
Life and career
Al Jorden was born on February 1, 1917, in Evanston, Ohio.
He was a staff musician with the WLW radio stations in Ohio from the late 1930s through 1956. He also played trombone with several nationally known orchestras, including those of Gene Krupa, the Dorsey Brothers (Tommy Dorsey and Jimmy Dorsey), and Barney Rapp.
In his later years, Jorden co-owned with a fellow musician, Cecil Keith, ABC Music Shop on Glenmore Avenue, Westwood, Cincinnati.
He was married to Doris Day from March 1941 to February 1943. They had a son Terrence Paul "Terry" Melcher (1942–2004), who also went on to become a musician and record producer. The firm sold musical instruments and provided music lessons.
Marriage with Doris Day
Jorden met actress/singer Doris Day when they were both working with Barney Rapp's Band—Day, 19-year-old then, was a featured singer. They fell in love and married in March 1941.
Jorden was manipulative and pathologically jealous and believed Day was being unfaithful when she was singing and performing with other men. Day wanted a divorce, but just two months after their wedding, she realized she was pregnant. In response, Jorden tried to convince her to get an abortion. When she refused, he beat her in an attempt to force a miscarriage. The two eventually divorced in February 1943, two years after the marriage.
Jordan then married Willetta Mae Extrom Jorden (1923–1971).
Day married three more times. From March 30, 1946, to May 31, 1949, she was married to George William Weidler (1926 – 1989)—a jazz saxophonist and the brother of actress Virginia Weidler. She was then married to American film producer Martin Melcher from April 3, 1951, until his death on April 20, 1968. Melcher adopted Day's son, Terrence Paul Melcher, and gave him his surname.
Her fourth marriage was to American restauranteur Barry Comden (1935 – 2009) from April 14, 1976, until April 2, 1982. He was the maître d'hôtel at one of Day's favorite restaurants (Beverly Hills Old World Restaurant).
Death
A violent schizophrenic, Jorden died by suicide (bullet wound in his right temple) on July 5, 1967, in Delhi Township, Ohio, at the age of 50. He was buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.
