Laraine Day (October 13, 1920 – November 10, 2007), an American actress, radio and television commentator, and former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) contract star, experienced the peak of her Hollywood career during the 1940s. She began the decade under contract at MGM, where she was voted Hollywood’s ‘Number One Star of Tomorrow’ in 1941. Day gained prominence as Nurse Mary Lamont in MGM’s Dr. Kildare franchise, though she later sought to move beyond this role. After her character was killed off in Dr. Kildare’s Wedding Day (1941), she transitioned to other studios, showcasing dramatic depth in Alfred Hitchcock’s Foreign Correspondent (1940) and starring opposite Cary Grant in Mr. Lucky (1943). Frustrated by limited roles at MGM, particularly after losing the lead in Undercurrent (1946) to Katharine Hepburn, Day left the studio in May 1946. She signed a lucrative independent contract with RKO Pictures, delivering what she considered her favorite performance in The Locket (1946), a film noir featuring a psychologically complex, kleptomaniac protagonist. Beyond film, Day expanded her career during the war years, making her stage debut in 1941 with a national tour of Angel Street alongside Gregory Peck. She also became a familiar voice through radio appearances on programs like Lux Radio Theatre and The Screen Guild Theater. Her personal life saw significant changes, including marriages to flight instructor James Ray Hendricks in 1942 and baseball manager Leo Durocher in 1948, which influenced her public image and led to her being dubbed ‘The First Lady of Baseball.’ Day’s career and personal journey during the 1940s reflect her versatility and impact on Hollywood and popular culture of the era.