Debbie Reynolds
Known for Acting · 164 credits
- Born
- 1932-04-01
- Died
- 2016-12-28
- Place of birth
- El Paso, Texas, USA
- Also known as
- Mary Frances 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
TV Shows (55)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self / Self - Guest Host
Family Guy
1999
as Mrs. Wilson (voice)
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
Rugrats
1991
as Lulu Pickles (voice)
The Love Boat
1977
as Sheila Evans / Doris Talbert
RuPaul's Drag Race
2009
as Self - Guest Judge
Hollywood Squares
1998
as Self - Panelist
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Presenter / Self - Hostess / Self - Nominee
What's My Line?
1950
as Self - Mystery Guest
Will & Grace
1998
as Bobbi Adler
Great Performances
1971
as Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
Kim Possible
2002
as Nana Possible (voice)
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
Late Night with David Letterman
1982
as Self - Guest
Touched by an Angel
1994
as Betty Poplovich
Wings
1990
as Deedee Chappel
The Penguins of Madagascar
2008
as Granny Squirrel (voice)
The Golden Girls
1985
as Truby
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
as Self - Guest
Hotel
1982
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Nominee / Self - Memoriam (archive footage)
Alice
1976
The Carol Burnett Show
1967
as Self - Guest / Various Characters
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
Intimate Portrait
1993
as Self
The Reichen Show
2005
as Self - Guest
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
as Self
The 7D
2014
as Grandmommers Whimsical (voice)
The Oscars
1953
as Self
Dinah!
1974
as Self
The Bob Hope Show
1950
as Self
The Steve Allen Show
1956
as Self - Recipient
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968
as Self / Self (uncredited)
Kraft Music Hall
1958
This Is Your Life
1952
as Self
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
1969
as Self
Entertainment Tonight
1981
as Self
Vicki!
1992
as Self
American Bandstand
1957
as Self
MGM Parade
1955
Madame's Place
1982
as Self
The George Gobel Show
1954
as Self
Bracken's World
1969
Roseanne
1988
Sidewalks Entertainment
1988
First Monday
2002
The Sonny and Cher Show
1976
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
1980
as Self
The Debbie Reynolds Show
1969
as Debbie Thompson
Aloha Paradise
1981
as Sydney Chase
The DuPont Show of the Week
1961
as Self
The Pearl Bailey Show
1971
as Self
Ford Star Jubilee
1955
Jennifer Slept Here
1983
as Alice Farrell
Movies (109)
The Bodyguard
1992
as Debbie Reynolds
Singin' in the Rain
1952
as Kathy Selden
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
1998
as Debbie Reynolds (voice)
In & Out
1997
as Berniece Brackett
How the West Was Won
1962
as Lilith Prescott
Heaven & Earth
1993
as Eugenia
Behind the Candelabra
2013
as Frances
Halloweentown High
2004
as Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie
1998
as Mrs. Claus / Mitzi / Mrs. Prancer / School Teacher (voice)
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
2000
as Lulu Pickles (voice)
One for the Money
2012
as Grandma Mazur
Mother
1996
as Beatrice Henderson
Halloweentown
1998
as Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell
Tab Hunter Confidential
2015
as Self
Charlotte's Web
1973
as Charlotte (voice)
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story
2009
as Self
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes
2024
as Self (archive footage)
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
as Self
The Gazebo
1959
as Nell Nash
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
2021
as Self
June Bride
1948
as Boo's Girlfriend at Wedding
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies
2004
as Self
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
2001
as Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell
That's Entertainment!
1974
as Self - Host / Narrator
Connie and Carla
2004
as Herself
Mr. Imperium
1951
as Gwen
That's Entertainment! III
1994
as Self - Co-Host / Narrator
Pepe
1960
as Debbie Reynolds
Mondo Hollywood
1967
These Old Broads
2001
as Piper Grayson
The Unsinkable Molly Brown
1964
as Molly Brown
Return to Halloweentown
2006
as Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell
Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project
2007
as Self
That's Dancing!
1985
Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales
2003
as Herself
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History
2008
as Self
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976
as (archive footage)
Divorce American Style
1967
as Barbara Harmon
Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder
1989
as Amanda Cody
Susan Slept Here
1954
as Susan Beaurgard Landis
Meet Me in Las Vegas
1956
as Debbie Reynolds (uncredited)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Rat Race
1960
as Peggy Brown
Goodbye Charlie
1964
as Charlie Sorel / Virginia Mason
The Catered Affair
1956
as Jane Hurley
A Star Is Born World Premiere
1954
as Self
Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood
2001
as Self (archive footage)
The Singing Nun
1966
as Sister Ann
Commitment to Life
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Wedding Bell Blues
1996
as Debbie Reynolds / Self
Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom
2012
as Self
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
as Self (archive footage)
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
2002
as Self
The Mating Game
1959
as Mariette Larkin
Skirts Ahoy!
1952
as Debbie Reynolds (uncredited)
Three Little Words
1950
as Helen Kane
Athena
1954
as Minerva
Twentieth Century Fox: The First 50 Years
1997
as Self
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
as Self (archive footage)
Hit the Deck
1955
as Carol Pace
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
1982
as Self (archive footage)
The Second Time Around
1961
as Lu Rogers
Tammy and the Bachelor
1957
as Tammy Tyree
Two Weeks with Love
1950
as Melba Robinson
It Started with a Kiss
1959
as Maggie Putnam
Zack and Reba
1998
as Beulah Blanton
The Affairs of Dobie Gillis
1953
as Pansy Hammer
What's the Matter with Helen?
1971
as Adelle Bruckner
The Christmas Wish
1998
as Ruth
Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1970's
2009
as Self
Say One for Me
1959
as Holly LeMaise
The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady
1950
as Maureen O'Grady
The Tender Trap
1955
as Julie Gillis
Rugrats: Babies in Toyland
2002
as Lulu Pickles (voice)
My Six Loves
1963
as Janice Courtney
The Pleasure of His Company
1961
as Jessica Poole
The Brothers Warner
2008
as Self
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
2009
as Self
Mary, Mary
1963
as Mary McKellaway
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds
2017
as Self
A Gift of Love: The Daniel Huffman Story
1999
as Shirlee Allison
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood
1960
as Self
How Sweet It Is!
1968
as Jenny
Give a Girl a Break
1953
as Suzy Doolittle
This Happy Feeling
1958
as Janet Blake
Bundle of Joy
1956
as Polly Parish
I Love Melvin
1953
as Judy Schneider / Judy LeRoy
Virtual Mom
2000
as Gwen
Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul
1993
as Self
Sœur Sourire: Who Killed the Voice of God?
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon'
2005
as Self (archive footage)
Do It Debbie's Way
1983
as Self
The People's Command Performance: '77
1977
as Self
The Best of Broadway
1985
as Herself
What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of 'Singin' in the Rain'
2002
as Self
Committed
2014
as Self
Sadie and Son
1987
as Sadie
Cinerama Adventure
2002
as Self
Keepers of the Frame
1999
as Herself
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
1981
as Alice
The Story of a Dress
1964
as Self
Leapin' Lizards, It's Liberace!
1978
as Herself
Challenge the Wilderness
1951
as Narrator (uncredited)
Battling for Baby
1992
as Helen
Debbie Reynolds and the Sound of Children
1969
as Self
The Slippers
2016
Couples Do It Debbie's Way
1988
The Jill & Tony Curtis Story
2008
In the Picture
2012
as Aunt Lilith
About Debbie Reynolds
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 Natio… With 164 credits spanning from 1944 to 2024, Debbie Reynolds has appeared in 109 films and 55 TV shows.
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Most Popular Debbie Reynolds Movies
- The Bodyguard (1992) — as Debbie Reynolds
- Singin' in the Rain (1952) — as Kathy Selden
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) — as Debbie Reynolds (voice)
- In & Out (1997) — as Berniece Brackett
- How the West Was Won (1962) — as Lilith Prescott
Where to Watch Debbie Reynolds Films
Most Debbie Reynolds movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Debbie Reynolds, check our movies catalogue and browse page.