Debbie Reynolds, 'America's Sweetheart' (RIP)
Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at 9:31PM So many heartbreaking goodbyes this holiday season. Today, the brilliant showgirl Debbie Reynolds, "Unsinkable Molly Brown" herself, America's Sweetheart (1950s/1960s edition), charitable icon, Hollywood memorabilia queen, and mother of Carrie Fisher...
She left us just one day after her famous daughter's death...
If there's ever been a time to rewatch Postcards from the Edge in which Meryl Streep and Shirley Maclaine razzle-dazzle in Oscar worthy performances as thinly veiled versions of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, that time is most certainly now. If there's a best time for the documentary Bright Lights about Carrie & Debbie to come out (it premiered at festivals this fall) it's right now.
Debbie Reynold's Honorary Oscar just 13 months ago gave us plenty of opportunity to celebrate her wonderful onscreen joie de vivre, which was originally best harnessed for cheerful musicals and later found new sassy grandma gay-icon form in a mini-reinvention in comedies like Mother (1996 - Golden Globe nomination Best Actress), In & Out (1997), and sitcoms like Wil & Grace (1999-2006) where she did 10 episodes as Grace's focus-pulling mother Bobbi Adler.
Previous Discussions of Debbie Flicks...
• Singin' In the Rain (1952)
• I Love Melvin (1954)
• How The West Was Won (1960)
• The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)
• Charlotte's Web (1973)
Reader Comments (21)
How VERY Postcards of the Edge of Debbie.
RIP to both ladies.
*from
Nooo, nooo. Their poor family!
The Oscars' "In Memoriam" segment is going to take up half the broadcast this coming year!
Seriously, though it's been downplayed, Debbie's health in the last year had been poor, and Carrie's death proved too much for her to bear. I'm relieved for Reynolds, sad for her son and granddaughter.
Terrible sadness. RIP.
What a horrible end to a horrible year. Thinking of poor Todd and Billie today. Their grief must be unbearable.
And jus when u tink 2016 couldn't end on a worse note!
RIP, Debbie Reynolds.
Jesus Christ ....2016 will go down as one of the worst years ever!!! All these talents gone and a shitty election to top it off.... Heartbreaking
This doesn't seem real! The Postcards suggestion is a good one. I am watching it now and it strikes me that 1) the script is much more honest and biting than I remember - Meryl and Shirley really go at each other between the humor, and 2) they rarely make movies anymore with two female leads. Essential is a good word for it. RIP Debbie and Carrie.
I can't imagine the pain their family is going through right now and my heart goes out to them. Debbie and Carrie were so close and had apparently come to rely on each other so that their passing within a day of each other seems in a way strangely fitting. I'd prefer they were here though.
As acclaimed and venerated as Debbie was I feel she was underappreciated. A native talent who with minimal training, she did however as she said many times take full advantage of all that MGM had to offer in that regard, just burst onto the screen with full formed star power. A lovely voice, a skillful dancer, a fine comedienne and a facet of her talent that was underutilized an excellent dramatic actress as The Catered Affair and The Rat Race showed.
LOVE the choice of pictures. The gentle smile is so her and the Told You So dance is all Bobbi Adler in one fell swoop.
Bowie's death was like the fucking blow in the body that hasn't healed as then all of these deaths from Glenn Frey, Johann Cruyff, Vanity, Maurice White, and Natalie Cole were like punches in the face. Then Prince died and that was like a fucking kick in the balls. The pain was still there as two major hits to the face came in Abbas Kiarostami and Michael Cimino with a kick to the shins over Garry Shandling and Gene Wilder. All of this awful shit that has been happening over Syria, the Brexit, the bullshit surrounding the Olympics, racism rampant in America, and then more deaths come in. It was too much to take and then came that fucking election. You're screaming "no mas, no mas" but it hasn't stopped as the past few days saw more like Richard Adams and Rick Parfitt of Status Quo (a real ace band) and then that knife in the gut that was George Michael. You feel heartbroken, sad, and disappointed but no, the hits keep on coming as Princess Leia is now gone giving you a knockout blow and now her mother Debbie Reynolds is there as Death decides to kick you while you're down screaming in pain and wanting no more. That is pretty much 2016 in a fucking nutshell. This horrible fucking year.
Morgan Freeman and Queen Elizabeth better survive 2016.
Watched Postcards tonight :(
I just cannot even anymore. Honestly FUCK 2016.
During the credits for Rogue One yesterday, I was just a wreck. Was not ready for that cameo.
And now her mother is gone. MUCH LOVE FOR TODD, BILLIE, AND GARY! ❤️I mean, Debbie had the stroke while planning Carrie's funeral, lord have mercy..
They are at least together now. How very typical of them to do this. I can imagine Carrie having a laugh in heaven when her mother stole the limelight yet again.
REST IN PEACE girls..
Time to rewatch Postcards😭
After Carrie's hearth attack I worried for Deppie since these kind of things can be horrible for old people. This does not seem shocking but so sad. Prayers for Carries's daughter Billie who is only 24 and lost her mother and grandmother in the same week around Christmas, I can't imagine her pain.
I guess I'll watch Singing in the Rain soon to feel better.
I just can't believe it,you bet i'll be watching PFTE on repeat.
I am glad that her effective work as drama actress in The Catered Affair has been mentioned. She'd have deserved an Oscan nom, even more than for her Molly Brown
"Singing in the Rain" is the film that made me fall in love with the movies- I have vivid memories of the first time I saw it - of all the celebrity deaths Reynolds passing has upset me the most- thank God for the movies- she will be there to be loved and enjoyed for generations to come.
Just wanna cry so much today.
Inextricably linked in life & now linked in death. It's terribly sad but in a way appropriate.
Note to people who give honourary awards, don't wait quite so long, please.
I think a double bill of Singing in the Rain & Postcards is the best salutation to both of these great women.
This all happening in the span of two days is just unbearably cruel to the family. My thoughts and prayers to out to them.