Debbie Reynolds
Acting • Born 1932-04-01 – Died 2016-12-28
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.
Filmography
167 credits
Singin' in the Rain
Movie • 1952
Kathy Selden
The Bodyguard
Movie • 1992
Debbie Reynolds
The Gazebo
Movie • 1960
Nell Nash
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Movie • 1998
Debbie Reynolds (voice)
In & Out
Movie • 1997
Berniece Brackett
Heaven & Earth
Movie • 1993
Eugenia
How the West Was Won
Movie • 1962
Lilith Prescott
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie
Movie • 1998
Mrs. Claus / Mitzi / Mrs. Prancer / School Teacher (voice)
Mother
Movie • 1996
Beatrice Henderson
Return to Halloweentown
Movie • 2006
Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
Movie • 2001
Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell
Halloweentown
Movie • 1998
Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell
Halloweentown High
Movie • 2004
Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell
The People's Command Performance: '77
Movie • 1977
Self
Wedding Bell Blues
Movie • 1996
Debbie Reynolds
What's the Matter with Helen?
Movie • 1971
Adelle Bruckner
Three Little Words
Movie • 1950
Helen Kane
The Unsinkable Molly Brown
Movie • 1964
Molly Brown
Tammy and the Bachelor
Movie • 1957
Tammy Tyree
Bundle of Joy
Movie • 1956
Polly Parish
The Tender Trap
Movie • 1955
Julie Gillis
Charlotte's Web
Movie • 1973
Charlotte (voice)
The Mating Game
Movie • 1959
Mariette Larkin
Two Weeks with Love
Movie • 1950
Melba Robinson
The Christmas Wish
Movie • 1998
Ruth
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
Movie • 2000
Lulu Pickles (voice)
I Love Melvin
Movie • 1953
Judy Schneider / Judy LeRoy
The Singing Nun
Movie • 1966
Sister Ann
Susan Slept Here
Movie • 1954
Susan Beaurgard Landis
Goodbye Charlie
Movie • 1964
Charlie Sorel / Virginia Mason
Pepe
Movie • 1960
Debbie Reynolds
One for the Money
Movie • 2012
Grandma Mazur
These Old Broads
Movie • 2001
Piper Grayson
Zack and Reba
Movie • 1998
Beulah Blanton
Divorce American Style
Movie • 1967
Barbara Harmon
The Rat Race
Movie • 1960
Peggy Brown
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Movie • 1972
Self (archive footage)
The Catered Affair
Movie • 1956
Jane Hurley
June Bride
Movie • 1948
Boo's Girlfriend at Wedding
Athena
Movie • 1954
Minerva Mulvain
The Pleasure of His Company
Movie • 1961
Jessica Poole
The Second Time Around
Movie • 1961
Lu Rogers
Say One for Me
Movie • 1959
Holly LeMaise
Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood
Movie • 2001
Self (archive footage)
Battling for Baby
Movie • 1992
Helen
Mary, Mary
Movie • 1963
Mary McKellaway
Meet Me in Las Vegas
Movie • 1956
Debbie Reynolds (uncredited)
This Happy Feeling
Movie • 1958
Janet Blake
Hit the Deck
Movie • 1955
Carol Pace
Give a Girl a Break
Movie • 1953
Suzy Doolittle
Skirts Ahoy!
Movie • 1952
Debbie Reynolds (uncredited)
The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady
Movie • 1950
Maureen O'Grady
Behind the Candelabra
Movie • 2013
Frances
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Movie • 1982
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Movie • 1983
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
My Six Loves
Movie • 1963
Janice Courtney
It Started with a Kiss
Movie • 1959
Maggie Putnam
The Affairs of Dobie Gillis
Movie • 1953
Pansy Hammer
Cinerama Adventure
Movie • 2002
Self
Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder
Movie • 1989
Amanda Cody
How Sweet It Is!
Movie • 1968
Jenny
Challenge the Wilderness
Movie • 1951
Narrator (uncredited)
Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon'
Movie • 2005
Self (archive footage)
Connie and Carla
Movie • 2004
Herself
The Story of a Dress
Movie • 1964
Self
That's Entertainment!
Movie • 1974
Self - Host / Narrator
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood
Movie • 1960
Self
The Slippers
Movie • 2016
Tab Hunter Confidential
Movie • 2015
Self
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds
Movie • 2017
Self
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
Movie • 2002
Self
That's Entertainment! III
Movie • 1994
Self - Co-Host / Narrator
Mr. Imperium
Movie • 1951
Gwen
Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul
Movie • 1993
Self
Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project
Movie • 2007
Self
What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of 'Singin' in the Rain'
Movie • 2002
Self
A Gift of Love: The Daniel Huffman Story
Movie • 1999
Shirlee Allison
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History
Movie • 2008
Self
That's Entertainment, Part II
Movie • 1976
(archive footage)
Leapin' Lizards, It's Liberace!
Movie • 1978
Herself
A Star Is Born World Premiere
Movie • 1954
Self
The Brothers Warner
Movie • 2008
Self
The Best of Broadway
Movie • 1985
Herself
Rugrats: Babies in Toyland
Movie • 2002
Lulu Pickles (voice)
Sadie and Son
Movie • 1987
Sadie
Keepers of the Frame
Movie • 1999
Herself
In the Picture
Movie • 2012
Aunt Lilith
Do It Debbie's Way
Movie • 1983
Self
Virtual Mom
Movie • 2000
Gwen
Debbie Reynolds and the Sound of Children
Movie • 1969
Self
That's Dancing!
Movie • 1985
Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom
Movie • 2012
Self
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story
Movie • 2009
Self
Couples Do It Debbie's Way
Movie • 1988
Twentieth Century Fox: The First 50 Years
Movie • 1997
Self
Committed
Movie • 2014
Self
Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales
Movie • 2003
Herself
Sœur Sourire: Who Killed the Voice of God?
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
Movie • 2021
Self
Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1970's
Movie • 2009
Self
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
Movie • 2009
Self
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies
Movie • 2004
Self
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Movie • 1987
Self
Wedding Bell Blues
Movie • 1996
Self
The Jill & Tony Curtis Story
Movie • 2008
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes
Movie • 2024
Self (archive footage)
Mondo Hollywood
Movie • 1967
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Movie • 1981
Alice
Alice
TV • 1976
Ford Star Jubilee
TV • 1955
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
TV • 2003
Self
Family Guy
TV • 1999
Mrs. Wilson (voice)
The Colgate Comedy Hour
TV • 1950
Self
The Sonny and Cher Show
TV • 1976
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Sheila Evans
The Golden Girls
TV • 1985
Truby
Sidewalks Entertainment
TV • 1988
Roseanne
TV • 1988
Wings
TV • 1990
Deedee Chappel
Hotel
TV • 1982
The Merv Griffin Show
TV • 1962
Self
American Bandstand
TV • 1957
Self
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV • 1948
Self
First Monday
TV • 2002
Will & Grace
TV • 1998
Bobbi Adler
Intimate Portrait
TV • 1993
Self
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
TV • 1968
Self
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
TV • 1969
Self
Kraft Music Hall
TV • 1958
The Debbie Reynolds Show
TV • 1969
Debbie Thompson
Bracken's World
TV • 1969
The DuPont Show of the Week
TV • 1961
Self
Aloha Paradise
TV • 1981
Sydney Chase
The Steve Allen Show
TV • 1956
Self - Recipient
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
TV • 1980
Self
Kim Possible
TV • 2002
Nana Possible (voice)
Hollywood Squares
TV • 1998
Self - Panelist
Startime
TV • 1959
The George Gobel Show
TV • 1954
Self
This Is Your Life
TV • 1952
Self
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Doris Talbert
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
Jennifer Slept Here
TV • 1983
Alice Farrell
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self - Guest Host
Dinah!
TV • 1974
Self
The 7D
TV • 2014
Grandmommers Whimsical (voice)
The Bob Hope Show
TV • 1950
Self
The Pearl Bailey Show
TV • 1971
Self
The Penguins of Madagascar
TV • 2008
Granny Squirrel (voice)
Great Performances
TV • 1971
Self
The Reichen Show
TV • 2005
Self - Guest
The Carol Burnett Show
TV • 1967
Self - Guest / Various Characters
Entertainment Tonight
TV • 1981
Self
Rugrats
TV • 1991
Lulu Pickles (voice)
The Dick Cavett Show
TV • 1968
Self - Guest
What's My Line?
TV • 1950
Self - Mystery Guest
RuPaul's Drag Race
TV • 2009
Self - Guest Judge
Madame's Place
TV • 1982
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Betty Poplovich
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Self - Presenter
Vicki!
TV • 1992
Self
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Self - Hostess
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Self - Nominee
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
TV • 1968
Self (uncredited)
MGM Parade
TV • 1955