Debbie Reynolds

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

165

Gender

Female

Birthday

1932-04-01

Day of death

2016-12-28 (84 years old)

Place of Birth

El Paso, Texas, USA

Debbie Reynolds

Biography

Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 - December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, and humanitarian. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portrayal of Helen Kane in the 1950 film Three Little Words, and her breakout role was her first leading role, as Kathy Selden in Singin' in the Rain (1952). 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" reached number one on the Billboard music charts. In 1959, she released her first pop music album, titled Debbie. She starred in How the West Was Won (1963), and The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), a biographical film about the famously boisterous Molly Brown. Her performance as Brown earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her 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 a cabaret performer. In 1979 she founded the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in North Hollywood, which still operates today. In 1969 she starred on television in the eponymous The Debbie Reynolds Show, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. In 1973 Reynolds starred in a Broadway revival of the musical Irene and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical. She was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her performance in A Gift of Love (1999) and an Emmy Award for playing Grace's mother Bobbi on Will & Grace. At the turn of the millennium, Reynolds reached a new younger generation with her role as Aggie Cromwell in Disney's Halloweentown series. In 1988 she released her autobiography titled, Debbie: My Life. In 2013, she released a second autobiography, Unsinkable: A Memoir. Reynolds also had several business ventures, including ownership of a dance studio and a Las Vegas hotel and casino, and she was 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. Reynolds continued to perform successfully on stage, television, and film into her eighties. In January 2015, Reynolds received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. In 2016 she received the Academy Awards Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. In the same year, a documentary about her life was released titled Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds; the film premiered on HBO on January 7, 2017. On December 28, 2016, Reynolds was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center following a medical emergency, which her son Todd Fisher later described as a "severe stroke". She died that afternoon, one day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher.

Known For

  • Family Guy

    Family Guy

  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

  • The Mike Douglas Show

    The Mike Douglas Show

  • RuPaul's Drag Race

    RuPaul's Drag Race

  • Hollywood Squares

    Hollywood Squares

  • Hollywood Squares

    Hollywood Squares

  • The Carol Burnett Show

    The Carol Burnett Show

  • Great Performances

    Great Performances

  • The One Show

    The One Show

  • The Love Boat

    The Love Boat

  • The Love Boat

    The Love Boat

  • Tony Awards

    Tony Awards

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • Golden Globe Awards

    Golden Globe Awards

  • Rugrats

    Rugrats

  • The Merv Griffin Show

    The Merv Griffin Show

  • The Colgate Comedy Hour

    The Colgate Comedy Hour

  • The Bob Hope Show

    The Bob Hope Show

  • Will & Grace

    Will & Grace

  • Touched by an Angel

    Touched by an Angel

  • Hotel

    Hotel

  • The Golden Girls

    The Golden Girls

  • The Ellen DeGeneres Show

    The Ellen DeGeneres Show

  • Wings

    Wings

  • Intimate Portrait

    Intimate Portrait

  • The Penguins of Madagascar

    The Penguins of Madagascar

  • The Dick Cavett Show

    The Dick Cavett Show

  • Alice

    Alice

  • Kim Possible

    Kim Possible

  • What's My Line?

    What's My Line?

  • Dinah!

    Dinah!

  • This Is Your Life

    This Is Your Life

  • The Reichen Show

    The Reichen Show

  • The Steve Allen Show

    The Steve Allen Show

  • The Ed Sullivan Show

    The Ed Sullivan Show

  • Kraft Music Hall

    Kraft Music Hall

  • The 7D

    The 7D

  • The Oscars

    The Oscars

  • Vicki!

    Vicki!

  • Entertainment Tonight

    Entertainment Tonight

  • Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

  • The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour

    The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour

  • How the West Was Won

    How the West Was Won

  • The Sonny and Cher Show

    The Sonny and Cher Show

  • Madame's Place

    Madame's Place

  • American Bandstand

    American Bandstand

  • The George Gobel Show

    The George Gobel Show

  • Halloweentown

    Halloweentown

  • Return to Halloweentown

    Return to Halloweentown

  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

    Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

  • Startime

    Startime

  • Behind the Candelabra

    Behind the Candelabra

  • Rugrats in Paris: The Movie

    Rugrats in Paris: The Movie

  • Singin' in the Rain

    Singin' in the Rain

  • In & Out

    In & Out

  • Sidewalks Entertainment

    Sidewalks Entertainment

  • The Bodyguard

    The Bodyguard

  • The Andy Williams Christmas Show

    The Andy Williams Christmas Show

  • Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project

    Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project

  • Bracken's World

    Bracken's World

  • The Brothers Warner

    The Brothers Warner

  • Two Weeks with Love

    Two Weeks with Love

  • Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History

    Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History

  • Roseanne

    Roseanne

  • Halloweentown High

    Halloweentown High

  • Twentieth Century Fox: The First 50 Years

    Twentieth Century Fox: The First 50 Years

  • First Monday

    First Monday

  • Cinerama Adventure

    Cinerama Adventure

  • One for the Money

    One for the Money

  • Mother

    Mother

  • Tammy and the Bachelor

    Tammy and the Bachelor

  • Charlotte's Web

    Charlotte's Web

  • Wedding Bell Blues

    Wedding Bell Blues

  • Wedding Bell Blues

    Wedding Bell Blues

  • My Six Loves

    My Six Loves

  • Heaven & Earth

    Heaven & Earth

  • The Debbie Reynolds Show

    The Debbie Reynolds Show

  • Goodbye Charlie

    Goodbye Charlie

  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie

    Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie

  • It Started with a Kiss

    It Started with a Kiss

  • Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge

    Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge

  • Three Little Words

    Three Little Words

  • Virtual Mom

    Virtual Mom

  • Aloha Paradise

    Aloha Paradise

  • Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters

    Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters

  • Mary, Mary

    Mary, Mary

  • The People's Command Performance: '77

    The People's Command Performance: '77

  • Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales

    Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales

  • The Pearl Bailey Show

    The Pearl Bailey Show

  • Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul

    Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul

  • The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story

    The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story

  • Battling for Baby

    Battling for Baby

  • Zack and Reba

    Zack and Reba

  • The Singing Nun

    The Singing Nun

  • Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer

    Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer

  • Connie and Carla

    Connie and Carla

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder

  • A Star Is Born World Premiere

    A Star Is Born World Premiere

  • Bundle of Joy

    Bundle of Joy

  • Mr. Imperium

    Mr. Imperium

  • Meet Me in Las Vegas

    Meet Me in Las Vegas

  • Keepers of the Frame

    Keepers of the Frame

  • Hollywood: The Dream Factory

    Hollywood: The Dream Factory

  • The Second Time Around

    The Second Time Around

  • Jennifer Slept Here

    Jennifer Slept Here

  • The Pleasure of His Company

    The Pleasure of His Company

  • Hedda Hopper's Hollywood

    Hedda Hopper's Hollywood

  • The Unsinkable Molly Brown

    The Unsinkable Molly Brown

  • Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age

    Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age

  • The Christmas Wish

    The Christmas Wish

  • Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom

    Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom

  • Sadie and Son

    Sadie and Son

  • The Catered Affair

    The Catered Affair

  • Rugrats: Babies in Toyland

    Rugrats: Babies in Toyland

  • Do It Debbie's Way

    Do It Debbie's Way

  • Skirts Ahoy!

    Skirts Ahoy!

  • Ford Star Jubilee

    Ford Star Jubilee

  • Athena

    Athena

  • That's Entertainment!

    That's Entertainment!

  • The Mating Game

    The Mating Game

  • The Jill & Tony Curtis Story

    The Jill & Tony Curtis Story

  • The Rat Race

    The Rat Race

  • Pepe

    Pepe

  • The Affairs of Dobie Gillis

    The Affairs of Dobie Gillis

  • That's Dancing!

    That's Dancing!

  • Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon'

    Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon'

  • The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady

    The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady

  • That's Entertainment, Part II

    That's Entertainment, Part II

  • The DuPont Show of the Week

    The DuPont Show of the Week

  • I Love Melvin

    I Love Melvin

  • How Sweet It Is!

    How Sweet It Is!

  • Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1970's

    Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1970's

  • These Old Broads

    These Old Broads

  • Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood

    Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood

  • Sœur Sourire: Who Killed the Voice of God?

    Sœur Sourire: Who Killed the Voice of God?

  • That's Entertainment! III

    That's Entertainment! III

  • Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression

    Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression

  • Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

    Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

  • Say One for Me

    Say One for Me

  • Divorce American Style

    Divorce American Style

  • What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of 'Singin' in the Rain'

    What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of 'Singin' in the Rain'

  • Tab Hunter Confidential

    Tab Hunter Confidential

  • Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!

    Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!

  • Hit the Deck

    Hit the Deck

  • June Bride

    June Bride

  • Susan Slept Here

    Susan Slept Here

  • This Happy Feeling

    This Happy Feeling

  • The Tender Trap

    The Tender Trap

  • In the Picture

    In the Picture

  • Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood

    Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood

  • The Gazebo

    The Gazebo

  • Give a Girl a Break

    Give a Girl a Break

  • Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

    Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

  • Debbie Reynolds and the Sound of Children

    Debbie Reynolds and the Sound of Children

  • What's the Matter with Helen?

    What's the Matter with Helen?

  • AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies

    AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies

  • The Story of a Dress

    The Story of a Dress

  • The Best of Broadway

    The Best of Broadway

  • Leapin' Lizards, It's Liberace!

    Leapin' Lizards, It's Liberace!

  • A Gift of Love: The Daniel Huffman Story

    A Gift of Love: The Daniel Huffman Story

  • Challenge the Wilderness

    Challenge the Wilderness

  • The Slippers

    The Slippers

  • Committed

    Committed

  • Couples Do It Debbie's Way

    Couples Do It Debbie's Way