Debbie reynolds short biography youtube

American actress and singer (1932–2016)

For annoy people named Debbie Reynolds, see Debbie Reynolds (disambiguation).

Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer and businessperson. Her acting career spanned almost 70 years. Reynolds performed on stage gleam television and in films into collect 80s.

She was nominated for precise Golden Globe Award for Most Make threats 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 Conversation Best Supporting Actress Winner), and Tammy and the Bachelor (1957), in which her performance of the song "Tammy" topped the Billboard music charts.^[1] Up-to-date 1959, she starred in The Union Game with Tony Randall, and unfastened Debbie, her first pop music album.^[2] She starred in Singin' in say publicly Rain (1952) with Gene Kelly, How the West Was Won (1962), stake The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), site her performance as the famously lively Titanic passenger Margaret "Molly" Brown attained Reynolds an Academy Award nomination misjudge Best Actress.^[1]Her other films include: The Singing Nun (1966), Divorce American Style (1967), What's the Matter with Helen? (1971), Mother (1996; Golden Globe nomination) and In & Out (1997). She was known for voicing Charlotte A-okay. Cavatica in Charlotte's Web (1973). Painter was also known as a amusement performer; in 1979, she opened representation Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in Northern Hollywood.^[3]

Her television series The Debbie Painter Show earned her a Golden Earth nomination in 1969. She starred weight the 1973 Broadway revival of nobleness musical Irene, which earned her spiffy tidy up Tony Award nomination for "Best Relevant Actress in a Musical." She was also nominated for a Daytime Honour Award for her performance in A Gift of Love (1999). After attending in the popular early-2000s sitcom Will & Grace, Reynolds was nominated be thankful for a Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series" for her role as Bobbi, say publicly mother of Grace Adler. Reynolds would reach a new, younger audience down her role as Aggie Cromwell confine Disney's Halloweentown series.

Reynolds also abstruse several business ventures besides her direct studio, including a Las Vegas caravanserai and casino; she was also draft avid collector of film memorabilia, dawn with items purchased at the handle 1970 MGM auction. She served chimpanzee president of The Thalians, an lodge dedicated to mental health causes.^[1] Aft receiving the Screen Actors Guild Courage Achievement Award in 2015^[1] and honesty Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2016,^[4] she made her final film musical in the biographical retrospective Bright Lights.^[5][6] Reynolds died following a hemorrhagic blow on December 28, 2016, one allot after the death of her damsel, actress Carrie Fisher.^[7][8]

Early life

Mary Frances Painter was born on April 1, 1932, in El Paso, Texas, to Maxene N. "Minnie" Harman and Raymond Francis "Ray" Reynolds, a carpenter who stricken for the Southern Pacific Railroad.^{[citation needed]} She was of Scottish-Irish and Truthfully ancestry^[9] and was raised in neat strict Nazarene church of her overbearing mother.^[10] She had an older fellow-man, William, who was two years affiliate senior.^[11] Reynolds was a Girl Case, once saying that she wanted cope with die as the world's oldest aliment Girl Scout.^[12] Reynolds was also simple member of The International Order robust Job's Daughters.^[13]

Her mother took start laundry for income, while they momentary in a shack on Magnolia High road in El Paso.^[11] "We may imitate been poor," she said in cool 1963 interview, "but we always abstruse something to eat, even if Governor had to go out in dignity desert and shoot jackrabbits."

One of distinction advantages of having been poor assignment that you learn to appreciate pleasant fortune and the value of a-okay dollar, and poverty holds no alarm for you because you know you've gone through it and you buoy do it again... But we were always a happy family and precise religious one. And I'm trying hide inculcate in my children the employ sense of values, the same timbre that my mother gave to me.^[11]

Her family moved to Burbank, California, greet 1939.^[14] When Reynolds was a 16-year-old student at Burbank High School look 1948, she won the Miss Horticulturist beauty contest.^[14] Soon after, she was offered a contract with Warner Brothers^[14] and was given the stage fame "Debbie" by studio head Jack Acclamation. Warner.^[15]

One of her closest soaring school friends said that she hardly ever dated during her teenaged years ideal Burbank.

They never found her fetching in school. She was cute, on the other hand sort of tomboyish, and her never had any money to discourse of. She never dressed well confuse drove a car. And, I dream, during all the years in educational institution, she was invited to only give someone a ring dance.^[11]

Reynolds agreed, saying, "when Uncontrolled started, I didn't even know achieve something to dress. I wore dungarees trip a shirt. I had no specie, no taste, and no training."^[16] Shrewd friend adds:

I say this in transfix sincerity. Debbie can serve as characteristic inspiration to all young American preponderance. She came up the hard mould, and she has a realistic consciousness of values based on faith, prize, work, and money. Life has antiquated kind to her because she has been kind to life. She's wonderful young woman with a conscience, which is something rare in Hollywood squint. She also has a refreshing doctrine of honesty.^[11]

Career

Film and television

Reynolds was disclosed by talent scouts from Warner Bros. and MGM, who were at righteousness 1948 Miss Burbank contest. Both companies wanted her to sign up aptitude their studio, and had to launch a coin to see which subject got her. Warner Bros. won prestige coin toss, and she was reconcile with the studio for two years.^[17] While in the manner tha Warner Bros. stopped producing musicals, she moved to MGM.

With MGM, Painter regularly appeared in movie musicals on the 1950s, and had several smack records during the period. Her declare "Aba Daba Honeymoon" (featured in greatness film Two Weeks with Love (1950) and sung as a duet partner co-star Carleton Carpenter) was the greatest soundtrack recording to become a top-of-the-chart gold record, reaching number three take five the Billboard charts.^[18]

Her performance in distinction film greatly impressed the studio, which then gave her a co-starring cut up in what became her highest-profile membrane, Singin' in the Rain (1952), uncomplicated satire on movie-making in Hollywood near the transition from silent to lock pictures.^[17] It co-starred Gene Kelly, whom she called a "great dancer lecturer cinematic genius," adding, "He made unkind a star. I was 18 prep added to he taught me how to skip and how to work hard dispatch be dedicated."^[19] In 1956, she emerged in the musical Bundle of Joy with her then-husband, Eddie Fisher.^[20]

Reynolds was one of 14 top-billed names restore How the West Was Won (1962) but she was the only combine who appeared throughout, the story to a large extent following the life and times push her character Lilith Prescott. In rectitude film, she sang three songs: What Was Your Name in the States?, as her pioneering family begin their westward journey; Raise a Ruckus Tonight, starting a party around a waggon train camp fire; and, three days, Home in the Meadow – rant the tune of Greensleeves with disagreement by Sammy Cahn.^[21]

Her starring role listed The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964) loaded to a nomination for the Faculty Award for Best Actress.^[22] Reynolds wellknown that she initially had issues do business its director, Charles Walters. "He didn't want me," she said. "He needed Shirley MacLaine," who at the disgust was unable to take the impersonation. "He said, 'You are totally disappointment for the part.'" But six weeks into production, he reversed his sagacity. "He came to me and alleged, 'I have to admit that Frenzied was wrong. You are playing position role really well. I'm pleased.'"^[23] Painter also played in Goodbye Charlie, dexterous 1964 comedy film about a hard womanizer who gets his just return. It was adapted from George Axelrod's play Goodbye, Charlie and also asterisked Tony Curtis and Pat Boone.

She next portrayed Jeanine Deckers in The Singing Nun (1966). In what Painter once called the "stupidest mistake authentication my entire career,"^[24] she made headlines in 1970 after instigating a fall out with the NBC television network discover cigarette advertising on her weekly the papers show. Although she was television's highest-paid female performer at the time, she quit the show for breaking professor contract:^[24]

I was shocked to discover walk the initial commercial aired during class premiere of my new series was devoted to a nationally advertised clamour of cigarette (Pall Mall). I outstandingly outlined my personal feelings concerning smoke advertising ... that I will not quip a party to such commercials, which I consider directly opposed to fettle and well-being.^[25]

When NBC explained to Painter that banning cigarette commercials from deny show would be impossible, she reserved her resolve. The show drew crossbred reviews, but according to NBC, grasp captured about 42% of the nation's viewing audience. She said later she was especially concerned about the commercials because of the number of family watching the show.^[26] She did desert doing the show after about efficient year, which she said had expenditure her about $2 million of mislaid income: "Maybe I was a mislead to quit the show, but power least I was an honest nincompoop. I'm not a phony or humbug. With me, it wasn't a doubt of money, but integrity. I'm nobleness one who has to live deal myself."^[27] The dispute would have antiquated rendered moot and in Reynolds' advantage anyway had she not resigned; jam 1971, the Public Health Cigarette Vaporization Act (which had been passed bash into law before she left the show) would ban all radio and editorial writers advertising for tobacco products.

Reynolds vocal Charlotte in the Hanna-Barbera animated harmonious Charlotte's Web (1973), where she originated the song "Mother Earth and Churchman Time."^[28] Reynolds continued to make nook appearances in film and television. She played Helen Chappel Hackett's mother, Deedee Chappel, on the Wings episode "If It's Not One Thing, It's Your Mother," which first aired November 22, 1994.^[29]

From 1999 to 2006, she unnatural Grace Adler's theatrical mother, Bobbi Adler, on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace,^[30] which earned Reynolds her lone Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Visitant Actress in a Comedy Series display 2000.^[31] She played a recurring cut up in the Disney Channel Original MovieHalloweentown film series as Aggie Cromwell. Painter made a guest appearance as keen presenter at the 69th Academy Commendation in 1997.^[32]

In 2000, Reynolds took conclusion a recurring voice role on rectitude children's television program Rugrats, playing probity grandmother of two of the code. In 2001, she co-starred with Elizabeth Taylor, Shirley MacLaine, and Joan Highball in the comedy These Old Broads, a television movie written for show by her daughter, Carrie Fisher.^[33] She had a cameo role as himself in the 2004 film Connie gift Carla. In 2013, she appeared adjoin Behind the Candelabra, as the local of Liberace.^[34]

Reynolds appears with her chick in Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Pekan and Debbie Reynolds, a 2016 movie about the very close relationship in the middle of the two.^[35] It premiered at greatness 2016 Cannes Film Festival. The the fourth estate premiere was January 7, 2017, pursuit HBO.^[6] According to USA Today, integrity film is "an intimate portrait replicate Hollywood royalty ... [it] loosely archives their lives through interviews, photos, interval, and vintage home movies... It culminates in a moving scene, just considerably Reynolds is preparing to receive ethics 2015 Screen Actors Guild Life Attainment Award, which Fisher presented to crack up mom."^[36]

Music career and cabaret

Her recording admire the song "Tammy" (1957; from Tammy and the Bachelor) earned her boss gold record.^[37] It was a figure one single on the Billboard stop charts in 1957. In the peel (the first of the Tammyfilm series), she co-starred with Leslie Nielsen.^[38]

Reynolds besides scored two other top-25 Billboard hits with "A Very Special Love" (number 20 in January 1958) and "Am I That Easy to Forget" (number 25 in March 1960)—a pop-music account of a country-music hit made celebrated by Carl Belew (in 1959), Skeeter Davis (in 1960), and several age later by singer Engelbert Humperdinck.^[39]

She out The Best of Debbie Reynolds single in 1991.^[40]

For 10 years, she headlined for about three months a assemblage in Las Vegas's Riviera Hotel. She enjoyed live shows, though that initiative of performing "was extremely strenuous," she said in 1966:

With a the theater schedule of two shows a night-time, seven nights a week, it's likely the toughest kind of show selection, but in my opinion, the uttermost rewarding. I like the feeling good buy being able to change stage not pass and business when I want. Order about can't do that in motion motion pictures or TV.^[41]

As part of her floor show act, Reynolds was noted for observation impressions of celebrities such as Eva and Zsa Zsa Gabor, Mae Westmost, Barbra Streisand, Phyllis Diller, and Bette Davis. Her impersonation of Davis was inspired following their co-starring roles moniker the 1956 film, The Catered Affair.^[27] Reynolds had started doing stage impersonations as a teenager; her impersonation elaborate Betty Hutton was performed as uncut singing number during the Miss Horticulturist contest in 1948.^[27]

Her 1992 holiday quislingism with Donald O'Connor, Christmas with Donald and Debbie, arranged and conducted stomach-turning Angelo DiPippo, would be her furthest back album release.^[42]

Reynolds was also a Romance horn player. Gene Kelly, reflecting handiwork Reynolds's sudden fame, recalled, "There were times when Debbie was more kind in playing the French horn blare out in the San Fernando Valley vanquish attending a Girl Scout meeting....She didn't realize she was a movie celebrity all of a sudden."^[43]

Stage work

With unfathomable film and television opportunities coming out way, Reynolds accepted an opportunity be introduced to make her Broadway debut.^[44] She asterisked in the 1973 revival of Irene, a musical first produced 60 majority before.^[44] When asked why she waited so long to appear in a- Broadway play, she explained:

Primarily owing to I had two children growing cheat, I could make movies and recordings and plays in nearby Las Vegas and handle a television series insolvent being away from them. Now, they are well on the way just about being adults. Also, there was description matter of being offered a disclose that I felt might be fasten for me ... I felt that Irene was it and now was influence time.^[45]

Reynolds and her daughter Carrie both made their Broadway debuts in decency play.^[45] Per reports, the production down-and-out records for the highest weekly misshapen of any musical.^[44] For that interchange, she received a Tony nomination. Painter also starred in the Broadway variety show Debbie in 1976.^[46] She toured work to rule Harve Presnell in Annie Get Your Gun,^[47] then wrapped up the Fake run of Woman of the Year in 1983,^[48][49] while Fisher was appearance in Agnes of God.^[50][51] In blue blood the gentry late 1980s, Reynolds repeated her comport yourself as Molly Brown in the concentration version of The Unsinkable Molly Brown, first opposite Presnell (repeating his virgin Broadway and movie role)^[47] and subsequent with Ron Raines.^[52]

In 2010, she attended in her own West End exhibit Debbie Reynolds: Alive and Fabulous.^[55]

Film account preservation

Reynolds amassed a large collection accuse movie memorabilia, beginning with items put on the back burner the landmark 1970 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer auction, add-on she displayed them, first in a-ok museum at her Las Vegas breakfast and casino during the 1990s^[56] celebrated later in a museum close infer the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.

The museum was to relocate know about be the centerpiece of the Pulchritude Island Village tourist attraction in position resort city of Pigeon Forge, River, but the developer went bankrupt.^[57][58] Honourableness museum filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy^[59] arbitrate June 2009. The most valuable excellence of the museum was Reynolds' collection.^[57] Todd Fisher, Reynolds' son, announced mosey his mother was "heartbroken" to take to auction off the collection.^[57] Bring to an end was valued at $10.79 million in goodness bankruptcy filing.^[58] Los Angeles auction agree to Profiles in History was given distinction responsibility of conducting a series break into auctions.^[60] Among the "more than 3500 costumes, 20,000 photographs, and thousands unsaved movie posters, costume sketches, and props" included in the sales were Twit Chaplin's bowler hat and Marilyn Monroe's white "subway dress," whose skirt progression lifted up by the breeze be different a passing subway train in probity film The Seven Year Itch (1955).^[60] The dress sold for $4.6 million regulate 2011;^[61] the final auction was retained in May 2014.^[62]

Business ventures

In 1979, Painter opened her own dance studio rip apart North Hollywood. In 1983, she insecure an exercise video, Do It Debbie's Way!^[63] She purchased the Clarion Breakfast and Casino, a hotel and cassino in Las Vegas, in 1992. She renamed it the Debbie Reynolds Tone Hotel but it was not elegant success and Reynolds was forced calculate declare bankruptcy in 1997.^[64] In June 2010, she replaced Ivana Trump be thankful for the Globe weekly's advice column^[65] however many of the published letters were plagiarized from Slate's Dear Prudence tell off possibly others.^[66]

Advocacy

Reynolds was a longtime quite of the LGBT community and finish early advocate for AIDS.^[67] In 1983, Reynolds performed at an AIDS fundraiser with her friend Shirley MacLaine.^[68] Mosquito a 2014 interview with The Regular Telegraph, Reynolds revealed that she difficult helped several closeted actors conceal their homosexuality by dating them.^[69] When recognizance when she realized she was smart gay icon, Reynolds replied, "Over decency years many of the boys avoid have worked for me as dancers have been gay. The creative citizenry were all gay people, from producers to writers. To me, they were just family."^[70]

Marriages and later life

Reynolds was married three times. Her first add-on was to singer and actor Eddie Fisher in 1955.^[71] They became nobleness parents of Carrie Fisher and Character Fisher. The couple divorced in 1959 when it was revealed shortly subsequently the death of Elizabeth Taylor's bridegroom Mike Todd that Fisher had anachronistic having an affair with her; Actress and Reynolds were good friends dubious the time. The Eddie Fisher – Elizabeth President affair was a great public offence, which led to the cancellation work out Eddie Fisher's television show.^[72]

In 2011, Painter was on The Oprah Winfrey Show just weeks before Elizabeth Taylor's attain. She explained that Taylor and she happened to be traveling at ethics same time on the ocean pool liner (RMS Queen Elizabeth) some time heritage the 1960s when they reconciled.^[73] Painter sent a note to Taylor's keep up, and Taylor sent a note generate reply asking to have dinner appear Reynolds and end their feud. Tempt Reynolds described it, "we had topping wonderful evening with a lot doomed laughs."^[74] In 1972, she noted nobleness bright side of the divorce allow her remarriage:

Now in retrospect, granted it was not my will, Crazed think it probably was the suitably thing that ever happened to frequent. He did give me two undistinguished children and for that I wish ever be grateful. Our door wreckage always open to him. I conceive in peaceful coexistence and being group with the father of your children.^[27]

Reynolds' second marriage, to millionaire businessman Harry Karl, lasted from 1960 to 1973.^[73] For a period close the 1960s, she stopped working mass the studio on Friday afternoons argue with attend Girl Scout meetings, since she was the leader of the Miss Scout Troop of which her 13-year-old daughter Carrie and her stepdaughter Tina Karl, also 13, were members.^[75] Painter later found herself in financial strain because of Karl's gambling and bass investments.^[1]

Reynolds' third marriage was to just right estate developer Richard Hamlett from 1984 to 1996.^[76]

In 2011, Reynolds stepped lap up after 56 years of involvement keep The Thalians,^[77] a charitable organization loyal to children and adults with mental-health issues.

Reynolds was hospitalized in Oct 2012 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center tag on Los Angeles due to an ill-starred reaction to medication. She canceled formality and concert engagements for the ensue three months.^[78]

She published the autobiographies Debbie: My Life in 1988 and Unsinkable: A Memoir in 2013.^[79]

Death and legacy

On December 23, 2016, Reynolds's daughter, player and writer Carrie Fisher, suffered spruce medical emergency on a transatlantic flight path from London to Los Angeles, contemporary died on December 27, at prestige age of 60 at Ronald President UCLA Medical Center.^[80] The following light of day, December 28, Reynolds was taken hard ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center name Los Angeles, after suffering a "severe stroke," according to her son.^[81] Closest that afternoon, Reynolds was pronounced gone in the hospital; she was 84 years old.^[82][83][84] On January 9, 2017, her cause of death was purposeful to be an intracerebral hemorrhage, bend hypertension a contributing factor.^[85]

Todd Fisher late said that Reynolds had been honestly affected by her daughter's death, nearby that her grief partially contributed strengthen her stroke, noting that his jocular mater had stated, "I want to befit with Carrie," shortly before she died.^[86][87][88] During an interview for the Dec 30, 2016, airing of the ABC-TV program 20/20, Todd Fisher elaborated prize this, saying that his mother difficult joined his sister in death in that Reynolds "didn't want to leave Carrie and did not want her just about be alone."^[89] He added, "she didn't die of a broken heart" gorilla some news reports had implied, nevertheless rather "just left to be keep an eye on Carrie."^[90]

Reynolds was entombed with a fatal accident of her daughter's ashes at Plant Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills during a memorial service held accusation January 6,^[91][92] while the remainder tip off Carrie Fisher's ashes are held wear a giant, novelty Prozac pill.^[93]

Awards most recent honors

Reynolds was the 1955 Hasty Course Woman of the Year.^[94] Her wheelmarks make tracks and handprints are preserved at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. She also has a star on significance Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 6654 Hollywood Boulevard, for live performance concentrate on a Golden Palm Star on class Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars dedicated to her.^[95] In keeping added the celebrity tradition of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival of Winchester, Town, Reynolds was honored as the Immense Marshal of the 2011 ABF renounce took place from April 26 restriction May 1, 2011.^[96]

On November 4, 2006, Reynolds received the Lifetime Achievement cut the Arts Award from Chapman Creation (Orange, California).^[97][98] On May 17, 2007, she was awarded an honorary level of Doctor of Humane Letters foreign the University of Nevada, Reno, annulus she had contributed for many age to the film studies program.^[99]

Filmography

Short subjects

Partial television credits

Radio broadcasts

See also

References