This was the first of two onehour musical specials which were part of CBS 1968 multimilliondollar contract with Doris Days production company a contract that Day insists to this day was negotiated by her husband and manager Martin Melcher without her knowledge When Melcher died suddenly in April 1968 Day chose to go ahead and honour the contract appearing in both specials as well as starring in her eponymous sitcom for five seasons from 19681973