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DEBBIE REYNOLDS HAS died, grief-stricken over daughter Carrie Fisher’s death a day earlier.
The 84-year-old suffered a stroke at son Todd Fisher’s Beverly Hills home after telling him “I miss her so much, I want to be with Carrie,” he was quoted as telling celebrity news website TMZ.
The “Singin’ in the Rain” actress tap-danced her way into American hearts as a star of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Reynolds was the girl-next-door lead of a string of hit musicals in the 1950s after being discovered by MGM studio bosses at a beauty contest in southern California, going on to earn an Oscar nomination for playing the title role in 1964′s “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.”
“We have lost a unique talent and a national treasure. Coming so close to the death of her daughter, Carrie Fisher, this is truly a double tragedy,” Screen Actors Guild president Gabrielle Carteris said in a statement.
“Their imprint on our culture is profound, and they both will live on.”
Reynolds is best remembered as sweet but shy voice artist Kathy Selden in “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952) and holding her own despite being cast opposite tap-dancing superstar Gene Kelly, who was more than twice her age.
Off-screen, she was known as the wronged party in one of Hollywood’s most notorious scandals, when her husband, singer Eddie Fisher, left her for her friend and fellow screen icon Elizabeth Taylor.
Reynolds’ daughter Carrie Fisher, who catapulted to worldwide stardom as rebel warrior Princess Leia in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, died in Los Angeles on Tuesday, four days after suffering a heart attack on a transatlantic flight.
Media reports said Reynolds had been at her son’s house to discuss funeral arrangements.
‘Broken heart’
Fans and fellow celebrities struggled to come to terms with another devastating blow so soon after Fisher’s death.
“Debbie Reynolds was one of the last of Hollywood Royalty. It breaks my heart that she is gone,” “Star Trek” actor William Shatner said on Twitter.
He added, referencing the long string of celebrity deaths this year: “I’d hoped that my grieving was done for 2016.”
“There is nothing harder than having to bury a child. Debbie died of a broken heart, but she’s with her daughter now,” tweeted Shatner’s “Star Trek” co-star turned social media personality George Takei.
“Dear Debbie Reynolds, I totally get it. Hug her so tight for all of us,” added “Charmed” and “Who’s the Boss” actress Alyssa Milano.
“I can’t remember a year ending with so many bold faced obituaries. Godspeed,” morning chat show host Al Roker said, posting photos of Reynolds, Fisher, singer George Michael and 1980s sitcom actor Alan Thicke — all of whom died this month.
Reynolds, who received a humanitarian award at the Academy’s “Honorary Oscars” last year, was just 19 when she got her big break in “Singin’ in the Rain,” which celebrates Hollywood’s transition from the silent era into “talkies.”
Her 2013 autobiography “Unsinkable: A Memoir” detailed the highs and lows of her rocky personal life and a career which was still going strong into her 80s as she performed her one-woman stage show.
“‘Singin’ in the Rain’ and childbirth were the hardest things I ever had to do in my life,” she wrote in an earlier autobiography entitled “Debbie.”
Reynolds was known at one time as the foremost collector of Hollywood memorabilia. Taylor’s “Cleopatra” headdress and Marilyn Monroe’s billowing “Seven Year Itch” frock would become part of the 4,000-piece haul of costumes, props and furniture, most of which Reynolds eventually auctioned for more than $25 million.
Wholesome heroine
Mary Frances Reynolds was born on April 1, 1932 in El Paso, Texas, the second child of railroad carpenter Raymond Francis Reynolds and his wife Maxine.
Now synonymous with tap, Reynolds had never danced professionally, according to the Internet Movie Database, when picked to star in “Singin’ in the Rain.”
Several more MGM musicals followed, with Reynolds typically cast as a wholesome young heroine, before she turned to more serious screen acting, as well as a career on Broadway.
Married three times, Reynolds once said she had more luck selecting restaurants than men.
First, she had to overcome the humiliation of losing Fisher to Taylor, although the two women remained close until Taylor’s death in 2011.
In another turn of misfortune, Reynolds’s second husband, shoe magnate Harry Karl, gambled away most of her savings.
Her third marriage to real estate developer Richard Hamlett in 1985 wasn’t much more successful, ending in divorce in 1996.
To support the family, Reynolds performed at her casino in Las Vegas, where she housed her memorabilia collection until it shut in 1997.
Reynolds, admired for her versatility, starred in her own sitcom, “The Debbie Reynolds Show,” in 1969-1970 and was also known for her Emmy-nominated role as Grace’s quirky mother on NBC’s “Will & Grace.”
Her career in cinema was largely over by the 1970s, though she continued to star in TV movies and series. She also acted on stage and portrayed Liberace’s mother Frances opposite Michael Douglas in 2013′s “Behind the Candelabra.”
“Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds,” a documentary about Reynolds’s at-times rocky relationship with her daughter, premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and is due to air on HBO in March.
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Delighted to hear they’re doing well and I can’t wait for the cheap transatlantic flights. I have zero patience for people who complain that their 10 Euro flight to London was a little cramped!
They wont have transatlantic.
They will, once the price for aircraft drops.
That means never.
Bog, Glen and Ablitive will tell us that another false flag is being planned, by the Z ionists or the Rothchilds, and that another 9/11 will happen, thats when the prices will fall.
Certainly the greatest Irish company of the modern era – it put Irish aviation on the map, is still growing fast and is up there with the best in terms of passenger numbers.
Transatlantic next……
Transatlantic is a different kettle of fish. People pay big bucks and expect comfort and a decent standard of inflight service. They’ll need legroom for a start.
Niall. Ryanair know this….
True, but Jetblue have already said they’ll get they before Ryanair, and they already have a working agreement in other areas with Aer Lingus.
Ryanair too have said their transatlantic flight business plan is entirely dependent on sourcing planes cheaply. There’s none available at the moment
Niall would you like to go into business with aer lingus?the constant threat of strike,the problems withe the pension fund,the spoiled staff they have,that are protected by a strong union that would strike if someone looked at them the wrong way?the constant dip in profits.
Irish aviation has been on the map a long time. It wasn’t Ryanair.
It may have been on the map alright.but Ryanair turned the whole aviation industry on its head and made the cost of flying more affordable for people like me and you
AL need to pony up about 4 years profit to stabilise the pension fund. How can they grow with that millstone around their necks?
Let Michael o Leary take over it.
Great company
You don’t aspire to much do you ?
Used Ryanair for the first time last week Dublin to Birmingham €20 great service.
Are you the 60 yr old who does the ‘two’s company’ ad?
How do I get a gig as a paid hack for Ryanair on comments pages ?
Brilliant company just follow the rules and it’s simple and cost effective. Fly to Liverpool every 3 weeks and generally costs me about 40 return. Couldn’t do it without Ryanair as aer lingus charge about 100 to 120 return for same flights
Even on weekends when Liverpool are playing at home ??
Please please please make an announcement on a transatlantic route, Ryanair.
New York for a long weekend, happy days!
It’ll be at least 5 years time.
They will never do it niall
Transatlantic not gonna happen.
Got a return flight to Brussels with them for less than 50 euro – bargain
Got €12 return to Berlin in 2009, cheaper than the Aircoach!
It’s not 2009 anymore. The days of those kind of prices to places like berlin are long gone.
I paid 78 € for a return trip to Berlin, which is cheaper than what I’ll have to fork out to the Deutsche Bahn fro then getting to my home town from Berlin.
Ryanair may not offer the best service, but they’re sure as heck have mostly the cheapest airfare on offer.
Cheap flights to New York would make a huge killing for them. But I fear an 8 hour flight with zero leg room, no entertainment panel thingy in the headrest and probably landing 2 hours drive away from your supposed destination might put off some people. Paris Beauvais is well outside Paris and is nearly €70 return on bus. It all adds up. Still, Aer Lingus is overpriced and overrated.
If they provide wi-fi on transatlantic they won’t need the entertainment panel.
Haven’t flown Ryanair in a while. Lately it has been AerLingus. I love the new menu on AerLingus. The cheese board is really nice and the prices are cheaper than in the terminal.
A cracking toasted sandwich in fairness
You’re not supposed to eat the board aswell.
Fair play Ryanair
A little too full? Is there people standing now?
Yes, there is, they is standing so they is.
Well done Ryanair. Keep it up.
Cool the Jets.
10 euro to New York one seat you mean .o the crew have to fly there and back do a 19 hour duty no rest o yeah you can do that hitter almighty doesn’t recognise unions
It will be a 10 euro fare but the taxes and charges will be another 150. Probably only 5 seats at that price too. It’s nonsense that he is waiting for cheap planes . American Airlines use 757 ‘ s from the 70 ‘ s to fly the route and they are cheap to buy/lease.
Michael you were an account you have 300 aircraft of course you will have carried more passengers .don’t need to be a rocket scientist to work that one out .
Ryanair did not turn aviation on it’s head, deregulation did. Anybody who thinks we would still be paying extortionate air fares if it wasn’t for Ryanair probably also believe that if it wasn’t for Henry Ford we would all still be on bicycles. Deregulation brought about low fares. If you didn’t have Ryanair in Ireland we would have Easyjet.
As long as they keep landing, I can deal with bag rage
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