Global InformationDebbie Reynolds information
Debbie Reynolds | |
|---|---|
 Reynolds in 1987 | |
| Born | Mary Frances Reynolds April 1, 1932 El Paso, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | December 28, 2016 (aged 84) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Burial place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1948–2016 |
| Spouses |
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| Children |
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| Relatives | Billie Lourd (granddaughter) |
| Website | debbiereynolds |
Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer with her portrayal of Helen Kane in the 1950 film Three Little Words. Her breakout role was her first leading role, as Kathy Selden in Singin' in the Rain (1952). Her other successes include The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953), Susan Slept Here (1954), Bundle of Joy (1956 Golden Globe nomination), The Catered Affair (1956 National Board of Review Best Supporting Actress Winner), and Tammy and the Bachelor (1957), in which her performance of the song "Tammy" topped the Billboard music charts.[1] In 1959, she starred in The Mating Game (with Tony Randall) and released her first pop music album, titled Debbie.[2]
She starred in Singin' in the Rain (1952) with Gene Kelly, How the West Was Won (1962), and The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), a biographical film about the famously boisterous Titanic passenger Margaret "Molly" Brown.[1] Her performance as Brown earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Some of Reynolds' other films include The Singing Nun (1966), Divorce American Style (1967), What's the Matter with Helen? (1971), Charlotte's Web (1973), Mother (1996; Golden Globe nomination) and In & Out (1997). Reynolds was also known as a cabaret performer; in 1979, she opened the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in North Hollywood, which was eventually demolished in 2019. The building would go on to be sold at auction, despite efforts to turn it into a museum.[3]
In 1969, Reynolds starred in a television program, The Debbie Reynolds Show, earning her a Golden Globe nomination. In 1973, she starred in the Broadway revival of the musical Irene, which earned her a Tony Award nomination for "Best Leading Actress in a Musical." She was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her performance in A Gift of Love (1999). After appearing in the popular early-2000s sitcom Will & Grace, Reynolds was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series" for her role of Bobbi (the lead character Grace Adler's mother).
Also around the turn of the millennium, Reynolds reached a new, younger audience with her role as Aggie Cromwell in Disney's Halloweentown series. In 1988, she published her autobiography titled Debbie: My Life; in 2013, she released a second autobiography, titled Unsinkable: A Memoir.[4]
Reynolds also had several business ventures (besides the ownership of her dance studio), including a Las Vegas hotel and casino; she was also an avid collector of film memorabilia, beginning with items purchased at the landmark 1970 MGM Auction. She served as president of The Thalians, an organization dedicated to mental health causes.[1] Reynolds continued to successfully perform on stage, television, and in films into her 80s. In January 2015, she received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.[1] In 2016, she received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.[5] In the same year, a documentary about her life was released, titled Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds—which would be her final film appearance; the film premiered on HBO on January 7, 2017.[6][7]
Reynolds died following a hemorrhagic stroke on December 28, 2016, one day after the death of her daughter, actress Carrie Fisher.[8][9]
- ^ a b c d Lowry, Brian (December 28, 2016). "Debbie Reynolds, 'Singin' in the Rain' star, dies at 84". CNN. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Obituary: Debbie Reynolds, a wholesome Hollywood icon". BBC News. London. December 29, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio Demolished in LA". Broadway World. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
- ^ "Debbie Reynolds Memoir: 'Unsinkable' To Highlight Divorces". The Huffington Post. Associated Press. January 31, 2012. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ Reynolds to Receive Award. Retrieved August 27, 2015
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (December 29, 2016). "Inside Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher's Upcoming HBO Documentary: 'It's a Love Story'". Variety. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
HBO will carefully consider the appropriate timing given the tragic developments
- ^ de Morales, Lisa (December 30, 2016). "HBO Moves 'Bright Lights' Debut In Wake of Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds Deaths". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ Almasy, Steve (December 28, 2016). "Debbie Reynolds dies one day after daughter Carrie Fisher passes". CNN. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
Reynolds had complained of breathing problems, an unidentified source told The Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Photo of Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher". Los Angeles Times. December 28, 2016.