Happy Birthday to...
...the unsinkable Debbie Reynolds! On-screen, she was Grace's mom on "Will & Grace" (we all love the "I Told You So" dance!) and off-screen, the mother of Carrie Fisher who is just an interesting in her own right. I love Debbie in "Singing in the Rain" and really love Debbie in her Oscar-nominated role in "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." But It's been so great to see her later role including playing Albert Brooks' mother in... "Mother" which my sister swears was really about our own mother and me.
She also played Kevin Kline's mother in "In & Out" and starred with Elizabeth Taylor, Shirley MacLaine and Joan Collins in the critically-panned "These Old Broads" written by Carrie Fisher. "Broads" is worth watching mostly for the touching scene between Debbie and Elizabeth when they talk about the ex-husband they have in common: "Freddie Hunter." It was a poke at Eddie Fisher who famously left Debbie (and their two kids) for Elizabeth in the late 50s. It made her the Jennifer Aniston in the Brad and Angelina triangle. Whatever her private pain, Debbie always had a sense of humor about it in public and never stopped smiling.
Debbie, a star for nearly six decades, 76 today. She's still performing on stage and on screen, still dazzling us with her unsinkable personality.
Greg Hernandez has covered the entertainment industry for the Daily
News since 2001. He's considered a bit odd by some for his obsession
with box office numbers, has been known to camp out near the kitchen
at premieres for first crack at the hors d'oeurves, and Greg's never
seen a red carpet he didn't want to stroll down.
Comments
When I worked backstage at a Regional Arts Centre, I met a lot of touring celebrities.
Hands down, Debbie Reynolds was in a wonderful class by herself. So gracious, out-going, and friendly.
She should be teaching today's self-centered celebutantes how to handle themselves in public.
Posted by: Mo | April 1, 2008 12:09 PM