Debbie Reynolds
Biography
Debbie Reynolds was an American actress, singer, and dancer who started out after winning a 1948 Miss Burbank contest that led to studio contracts, first with Warner Bros. and then MGM. Her breakout came as Kathy Selden in Singin' in the Rain (1952), and she became a regular in 1950s movie musicals. She earned a National Board of Review award for The Catered Affair (1956) and an Academy Award nomination for The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964). Other films included How the West Was Won (1962), The Singing Nun (1966), Divorce American Style (1967), What's the Matter with Helen? (1971), Mother (1996), and In & Out (1997), and she voiced Charlotte in Charlotte's Web (1973). On television, she starred in The Debbie Reynolds Show and later played Aggie Cromwell in the Halloweentown films. She also performed on Broadway in Irene, earning a Tony nomination, and worked as a cabaret singer. Reynolds died in 2016.
84years old at death
- Born El Paso
- Died Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
- Mary Frances Reynolds (birth name)Also credited as Mary Reynolds
Movie Career
- Films
- 36
- Career span
- 63 years1952 to 2015
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Big break
Reynolds was discovered at the 1948 Miss Burbank contest, where talent scouts from Warner Bros. and MGM both wanted her; they flipped a coin, Warner Bros. won, and she signed with that studio for two years.
About the name
After Reynolds won the Miss Burbank beauty contest as a 16-year-old Burbank High School student in 1948, Warner Brothers offered her a contract and studio head Jack L. Warner gave her the stage name Debbie.
Big break
Reynolds appeared opposite Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain, a 1952 satire on Hollywood's shift from silent to sound pictures. Kelly, she said, made her a star at 18 and taught her dancing, hard work and dedication.
A first
Reynolds sang "Aba Daba Honeymoon" as a duet with Carleton Carpenter in the 1950 film Two Weeks with Love. It became the first soundtrack recording to reach gold record status at the top of the chart, hitting number three on Billboard.
A role that slipped away
Reynolds said she had issues with director Charles Walters, who did not want her and preferred Shirley MacLaine, who could not take the role. Six weeks into production, he changed his mind.
Debbie Reynolds movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Stanley Donen directed two of these films, Charles Walters two and George Marshall two. Three actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Agnes Moorehead's page
Judith Hoag's page
Joey Zimmerman's page
Gene Kelly's page
Cyd Charisse's page
Donald O'Connor's page
All films by Stanley Donen
All films by Charles Walters
All films by George Marshall
Also three films together2 more actors
- Kimberly J. BrownHalloweentown High (2004), Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001) and Halloweentown (1998)
- Emily RoeskeHalloweentown High (2004), Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001) and Halloweentown (1998)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Debbie Reynolds's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$692 million
15 of the 36 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 36 films: 15 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 6 never in cinemas; 11 figure not found.
- 15Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 6Never in cinemas
- 11Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 97% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$411M59.4% of the total
- 2$103M14.9% of the total
- 3$64M9.2% of the total
- 4$37M5.3% of the total
- 5$19M2.8% of the total
- 6$16M2.3% of the total
- 7$11M1.6% of the total
- 8$11M1.6% of the total
$19.8 millionfrom the other 7 films with a worldwide figure, 3% of the total
Awards
Six awards and honors from 1955 to 2015, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAG Awards | |||
| 2014 | Life Achievement Award | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2015 | Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award | Won | |
| 1997 | Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Mother | Won |
| 1956 | National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress | The Catered Affair | Won |
| 1955 | Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year | Won | |
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.