The Hollywood legend, who died on Monday (May 13) at the age of 97, was close to her son before his death more than a decade ago.
Remembering Doris Day’s final television performance.
But what was Terry Melcher famous for, and when did he die? Here are all the interesting facts:
Who was Terry Melcher?
Terry Melcher was an American musician and record producer who helped define the 1960s California Sound and folk rock movements.
He produced the Byrds’ first two albums, Mr. Tambourine Man and Turn! Turn! Turn!, as well as the majority of the recordings by Paul Revere & the Raiders and Gentle Soul.
Melcher was close to the Beach Boys in the 1960s, and he helped Brian Wilson connect with Smile lyricist Van Dyke Parks.
He also produced numerous singles for the Beach Boys during the 1980s and 1990s, including ‘Kokomo’.
Who were Terry Melcher’s parents?
Doris Day & Martin Melcher
He was the only child of Doris Day, an actress and singer.
His father was Day’s first husband, Al Jorden, and he was eventually adopted by her third husband, Martin Melcher.
His mother named him Terry (full name Terrence), after the hero of her favorite comic strip, Terry and the Pirates.
Day had planned to divorce Al Jorden owing to allegations of physical violence. However, when Jorden learned of his wife’s pregnancy, he insisted that Day get an abortion.
Day filed for divorce shortly after giving birth, leaving Terry with her mother in Ohio. Jorden paid intermittent visits to his son after the divorce and was rarely present in his life.
When did Terry Melcher die?
Terry Melcher died on November 19, 2004, at home, after being diagnosed with melanoma.
He passed away at the age of 62, leaving behind his wife Terese and son Ryan.
Where is Terry Melcher, Doris Day’s grandson, now?
Ryan currently works as a real estate agent in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, where his grandmother has lived since the 1970s.
What was Ryan Melcher’s link to Charles Manson?
Terence Melcher During Sharon Tate’s murder trial
Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys introduced Melcher to Charles Manson, an ex-con and musician, in 1968.
Manson and his “family” had been staying at Wilson’s residence after Wilson picked up Patricia Krenwinkel and Ella Jo Bailey, who were hitchhiking.
Wilson was intrigued by Manson’s music and recorded two of his tracks with the Beach Boys. Melcher was also interested in producing a film about the family and their hippy commune.
Manson met Melcher at 10050 Cielo Drive, where Melcher lived with his girlfriend, actress Candice Bergen, and musician Mark Lindsay.
Charles Manson
Melcher also abandoned the film project after seeing Manson punch an inebriated stuntman.
Wilson and Melcher quickly severed their contacts with Manson, which is alleged to have infuriated the criminal. Melcher and Bergen eventually moved out of their Cielo Drive house.
Rudi Altobelli, the house’s owner, then leased it to film director Roman Polanski and his wife, actress Sharon Tate. Manson was claimed to have gone to the house multiple times, asking for Melcher.
Members of Manson’s “family” murdered Tate (who was eight months pregnant), coffee heiress Abigail Folger, hairdresser Jay Sebring, writer Wojciech Frykowski, and Steven Parent on August 9, 1969, at the mansion.
Some have suggested that Manson targeted the residence as retaliation for Melcher’s rejection and was actually seeking for him. However, family member Charles ‘Tex’ Watson claims that Manson was aware that Melcher was no longer staying there.
Melcher fled into hiding after learning of the murders, and it was later revealed that Manson had despatched his followers to kill Melcher and Bergen.
Melcher later required psychiatric therapy and was described as the most terrified of the witnesses during Manson’s trial.
