One day, he pulled the car over into a lay-by and pushed the nozzle of the gun into Doris's stomach, intent on carrying out his plan - shooting her and their baby before blowing his own brains out.
Shrewdly, Levy recognised Doris's enormous potential, not as a band and radio singer, where he believed her talents were being wasted, but as a solo performer and potential movie star.
It was also the start of a romantic career that proved rather less glittering.
He dragged her out of the theatre and through the streets, then up the stairs to their room at the Whitby Hotel, off Times Square, where he beat her senseless.
Cochran was a notorious womaniser, whose formidable vital statistics had earned him the Hollywood nickname 'Mr King Size'.
Good morning: The 47-year-old actress put her muscular body on display wearing a simple cropped sweatshirt and no pants as she admitted that it took some 'courage to post' the revealing image The former Baywatch beauty has never shied away from showing off her incredible figure and regularly posts workout videos online.