Debbie Reynolds
Entertainer Debbie Reynolds embodied the cheerful bounce and youthful innocence of the post-World War II era, enetergizing her films through sincere charm and energy. One of a long line of girls-next-door like Doris Day and June Allyson, Reynolds was never as sultry as Day could be, and was less of a tomboy than either. In her most successful films, like "Tammy and the Bachelor" (1957) and "Singin' in the Rain" (1952), she was often cast as a sincere young adult in the throes of puppy love rather than the virgin chased by rogues like Day or the placid housewife like Allyson. Her squeaky-clean image came in handy when, in the biggest Hollywood scandal of the 1950s, her then-husband Eddie Fisher left her and their two children, Carrie and Todd, for sultry screen goddess, Elizabeth Taylor. Not surprisingly, the public was more than on Reynolds' side as the jilted wife. Once that furor died down, Reynolds was left to reinvent herself. In the late 1960s, when new sexual mores suddenly rendered the docile suburban female image a thing of the past, Reynolds shifted her focus to nightclub and theatrical stages. She was absent from the big screen for decades but settled into a comfortable presence in the American fabric by returning to film in the 1990s with funny mom roles in films like "Mother" (1996) and "In and Out" (1997), hysterical guest appearances as the over-the-top mother of Grace Adler (Debra Messing) on "Will & Grace" (NBC, 1998-2006), and a clever turn as Frances Liberace in Steven Soderbergh's biopic "Behind the Candelabra" (HBO 2013). Reynolds brought both self-deprecating wit and nostalgic charm to these and other well-received comedic outings, using her persona as a perennially perky throwback to mine genuine laughs into her 80s. Tragically, Debbie Reynolds died on December 28, 2016, only one day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher. She was 84 years old.
Photos
Debbie Reynolds
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
100% |
|
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds | Self | - | 2016 |
94% |
|
Behind the Candelabra | Frances (Character) | - | 2013 |
2% |
|
One for the Money | Grandma Mazur (Character) | $26.4M | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Jill & Tony Curtis Story | Self | - | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Brothers Warner | Unknown (Character) | - | 2007 |
No Score Yet |
|
Return to Halloweentown | Splendora Agatha Cromwell (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
Halloweentown High | Aggie Cromwell (Character) | - | 2004 |
44% |
|
Connie and Carla | Self | $8.1M | 2004 |
No Score Yet |
|
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge | Aggie Cromwell (Character) | - | 2001 |
No Score Yet |
|
These Old Broads | Piper Grayson (Character) | - | 2001 |
76% |
|
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie | Lulu Pickles (Voice) | $76.5M | 2000 |
No Score Yet |
|
Virtual Mom | Gwen (Character) | - | 2000 |
No Score Yet |
|
Gift of Love: The Daniel Huffman Story | Shirlee Allison (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Keepers of the Frame | Self | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie | Mrs. Claus (Voice) | $106.3K | 1998 |
83% |
|
Halloweentown | Aggie Cromwell (Character) | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet |
|
Zack and Reba | Beulah Blanton (Character) | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Christmas Wish | Ruth (Character) | - | 1998 |
74% |
|
In & Out | Berniece Brackett (Character) | $63.9M | 1997 |
87% |
|
Mother | Beatrice Henderson (Character) | $1.1M | 1996 |
40% |
|
Wedding Bell Blues | Self | $22.0K | 1996 |
43% |
|
Heaven and Earth | Eugenia (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul - The Epic Story of the Man Behind the Movies | Unknown (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul | Self | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Battling for Baby | Helen (Character) | - | 1992 |
No Score Yet |
|
Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder | Amanda Cody (Character) | - | 1989 |
98% |
|
Kiki's Delivery Service | Madame (Voice) | - | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Detective Sadie and Son | Sadie (Character) | - | 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sadie and Son | Sadie (Character) | - | 1987 |
76% |
|
Charlotte's Web | Charlotte A. Cavatica (Voice) | - | 1973 |
55% |
|
What's the Matter With Helen? | Adelle Bruckner (Character) | - | 1971 |
No Score Yet |
|
How Sweet It Is! | Jenny Henderson (Character) | - | 1968 |
100% |
|
Divorce American Style | Barbara Harmon (Character) | - | 1967 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Singing Nun | Sister Ann (Character) | - | 1966 |
88% |
|
The Unsinkable Molly Brown | Molly Brown (Character) | - | 1964 |
50% |
|
Goodbye Charlie |
The Reincarnated Charlie Sorel/ |
- | 1964 |
No Score Yet |
|
Mary, Mary | Mary McKellaway (Character) | - | 1963 |
No Score Yet |
|
My Six Loves | Janice Courtney (Character) | - | 1963 |
88% |
|
How the West Was Won | Lily Prescott (Character) | - | 1962 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Second Time Around | Lucretia "Lu" Rogers (Character) | - | 1961 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Pleasure of His Company | Jessica Anne Poole (Character) | - | 1961 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Rat Race | Peggy Brown (Character) | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet |
|
Say One for Me | Holly LeMaise (Character) | - | 1959 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Gazebo | Nell Nash (Character) | - | 1959 |
No Score Yet |
|
It Started With a Kiss | Maggie Putnam (Character) | - | 1959 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Mating Game | Mariette Larkin (Character) | - | 1959 |
No Score Yet |
|
This Happy Feeling | Janet Blake (Character) | - | 1958 |
No Score Yet |
|
Tammy and the Bachelor | Tammy (Character) | - | 1957 |
No Score Yet |
|
Bundle of Joy | Polly Parish (Character) | - | 1956 |
17% |
|
The Catered Affair | Jane Hurley (Character) | - | 1956 |
67% |
|
The Tender Trap | Julie Gillis (Character) | - | 1955 |
67% |
|
Hit the Deck | Carol Pace (Character) | - | 1955 |
43% |
|
Susan Slept Here | Susan Beaurgard Landis (Character) | - | 1954 |
No Score Yet |
|
Athena | Minerva Mulvain (Character) | - | 1954 |
No Score Yet |
|
Give a Girl a Break | Suzy Doolittle (Character) | - | 1953 |
No Score Yet |
|
I Love Melvin |
Judy Schneider/ |
- | 1953 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Affairs of Dobie Gillis | Pansy Hammer (Character) | - | 1953 |
No Score Yet |
|
Skirts Ahoy! | Self | - | 1952 |
100% |
|
Singin' in the Rain | Kathy Selden (Character) | $23.9K | 1952 |
No Score Yet |
|
Mr. Imperium | Gwen (Character) | - | 1951 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady | Maureen O'Grady (Character) | - | 1950 |
No Score Yet |
|
Two Weeks With Love | Melba Robinson (Character) | - | 1950 |
No Score Yet |
|
Three Little Words | Helen Kane (Character) | - | 1950 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The 7D | Grandmommers Whimsical (Voice) | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk | Guest | 2011 2013 |
No Score Yet | 85% | The Penguins of Madagascar | Granny Squirrel (Guest Voice) | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Bonnie Hunt Show | Guest | 2009 |
No Score Yet | 64% | Family Guy | Mrs. Wilson (Guest Voice) | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Secret Talents of the Stars | Judge | 2008 |
No Score Yet | 86% | Kim Possible | Nana Possible (Guest Voice) | 2003 2007 |
No Score Yet | 88% | Will & Grace | Bobbi Adler (Guest Star) | 1999-2003 2005-2006 |
No Score Yet | 93% | Rugrats |
Lulu Pickles (Guest Voice), Lulu Johnston (Guest Star) |
2000-2002 |
21% | No Score Yet | First Monday | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Touched by an Angel | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2001 |
76% | 78% | Roseanne | Audrey (Guest Star) | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wings | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1994 |
No Score Yet | 94% | The Golden Girls | Truby (Guest Star) | 1991 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hotel | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1986 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Jennifer Slept Here | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Love Boat | Sheila Evans (Guest Star) | 1980 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Alice | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1982 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Sonny and Cher Show | Guest | 1976-1977 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Guest | 1969-1970 1972 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Carol Burnett Show | Guest | 1970 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Debbie Reynolds Show | Host | 1969-1970 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | What's My Line? | Guest | 1954 1956 1959 1964 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | I've Got a Secret | Guest | 1955 |