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Debbie Reynolds

Debbie Reynolds

Actor · Died December 28, 2016, aged 84 · El Paso, Texas, USA

Oscar winner · Screen Actors Guild Award winner · Primetime Emmy nominee · 1 other major award body

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.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 1, 1932
Died
December 28, 2016 (aged 84)
From
El Paso, Texas, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
65 on MovieCove · 92 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

What are Debbie Reynolds' films like?

Across their 49 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy30 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Animation3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
43%
Self
27%
Society
13%
Morality
11%
Survival
4%
Power
3%
Romantic love21 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds16 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth9 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition8 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity10 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 49 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 42 · Serious 5 · Dark 2

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 19 · Stylized 28 · Heightened 2

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 29 · Charged 19 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 41 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 27 · Funny 15

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 29 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 42 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 46 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

35 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 13 of 35 analyzed roles.

Hero
13 of 35
Ally
7 of 35
Mentor
7 of 35
Shapeshifter
5 of 35
Herald
1 of 35
Threshold guardian
1 of 35
Trickster
1 of 35
Show the 35 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
31
Warm
22
Romantic
21
Hopeful
10
Bittersweet
9
Other
35

How their films linger

Feel-good34 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy31
  • Bittersweet16
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Debbie Reynolds' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 28 of their 65 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Debbie Reynolds' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

92 credits, 65 with a MovieCove page; 74 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Slippers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • The 7D(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Grandmommers Whimsical (voice)

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • Behind the Candelabra(2013)

    as Frances

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • In the Picture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Aunt Lilith

  • One for the Money(2012)

    as Grandma Mazur

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Penguins of Madagascar(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Granny Squirrel (voice)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • The Jill & Tony Curtis Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Actor

  • Return to Halloweentown(2006)

    as Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Halloweentown High(2004)

    as Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Rugrats: Babies in Toyland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Lulu Pickles (voice)

  • Kim Possible(2002)

    Show 4 episodes · as Nana Possible (voice)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • First Monday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge(2001)

    as Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • These Old Broads(2001)

    as Piper Grayson

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Rugrats in Paris(2000)

    as Lulu Pickles (voice)

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Virtual Mom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Gwen

  • Gift of Love: The Daniel Huffman Story(1999)

    as Shirlee Allison

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Family Guy(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Wilson (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • The Christmas Wish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Ruth

  • Halloweentown(1998)

    as Agatha 'Aggie' Cromwell

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Zack and Reba(1998)

    as Beulah Blanton

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie(1998)

    as Mrs. Claus / Mitzi / Mrs. Prancer / School Teacher (voice)

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Will & Grace(1998)

    Show 12 episodes · as Bobbi Adler

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas(1998)

    as Debbie Reynolds (voice)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • In & Out(1997)

    as Berniece Brackett

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Mother(1996)

    as Beatrice Henderson

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Wedding Bell Blues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Debbie Reynolds · as Self

  • Touched by an Angel(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Betty Poplovich

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Heaven & Earth(1993)

    as Eugenia

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Bodyguard(1992)

    as Debbie Reynolds

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Battling for Baby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Helen

  • Rugrats(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lulu Pickles (voice)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Wings(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Deedee Chappel

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder(1989)

    as Amanda Cody

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Roseanne(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Sidewalks Entertainment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Couples Do It Debbie's Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Actor

  • Sadie and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Sadie

  • The Golden Girls(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Truby

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • That's Dancing!(1985)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Jennifer Slept Here (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Alice Farrell

  • Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Aloha Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 8 episodes · as Sydney Chase

  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Alice

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 2 episodes · as Doris Talbert · as Sheila Evans

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Alice(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • That's Entertainment, Part II(1976)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Sonny and Cher Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Charlotte's Web(1973)

    as Charlotte (voice)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • What's the Matter with Helen?(1971)

    as Adelle

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Bracken's World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Debbie Reynolds Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 26 episodes · as Debbie Thompson

  • How Sweet It Is!(1968)

    as Jenny

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Mondo Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • Divorce American Style(1967)

    as Barbara Harmon

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • The Singing Nun(1966)

    as Sister Ann

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Goodbye Charlie(1964)

    as Charlie Sorel / Virginia Mason

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Unsinkable Molly Brown(1964)

    as Molly Brown

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Mary, Mary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Mary McKellaway

  • My Six Loves(1963)

    as Janice Courtney

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • How the West Was Won(1962)

    as Lilith Prescott

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Second Time Around(1961)

    as Lu Rogers

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Pleasure of His Company(1961)

    as Jessica Poole

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Pepe(1960)

    as Debbie Reynolds

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Rat Race(1960)

    as Peggy Brown

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Gazebo(1959)

    as Nell Nash

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • It Started with a Kiss(1959)

    as Maggie Putnam

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Say One for Me(1959)

    as Holly LeMaise

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Mating Game(1959)

    as Mariette Larkin

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Kraft Music Hall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • This Happy Feeling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Janet Blake

  • Tammy and the Bachelor(1957)

    as Tammy

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Bundle of Joy(1956)

    as Polly Parish

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Catered Affair(1956)

    as Jane Hurley

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Meet Me in Las Vegas(1956)

    as Debbie Reynolds (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Tender Trap(1955)

    as Julie Gillis

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Ford Star Jubilee (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • MGM Parade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Hit the Deck(1955)

    as Carol Pace

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Athena(1954)

    as Minerva

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Susan Slept Here(1954)

    as Susan Beaurgard Landis

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Give a Girl a Break(1953)

    as Suzy Doolittle

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Affairs of Dobie Gillis(1953)

    as Pansy Hammer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • I Love Melvin(1953)

    as Judy LeRoy

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Skirts Ahoy!(1952)

    as Debbie Reynolds (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Singin' in the Rain(1952)

    as Kathy Selden

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Challenge the Wilderness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Narrator (uncredited)

  • Mr. Imperium(1951)

    as Gwen

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Two Weeks with Love(1950)

    as Melba Robinson

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Three Little Words(1950)

    as Helen Kane

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Maureen O'Grady

  • June Bride(1948)

    as Boo's Girlfriend at Wedding

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 92 titles from 1948 to 2016; peak year 1997.

Biggest box office

Rugrats in Paris (2000)

$103M worldwide

Highest rated

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneNomination
19482016

Peak 1997 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 14 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting92 of 92: 92 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score59th

By decade

1940s1 · acting1950s26 · acting1960s15 · acting1970s6 · acting1980s11 · acting1990s17 · acting2000s11 · acting2010s5 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 19% of 27 roles
52576797

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

an Oscar and a Screen Actors Guild Award from 9 major nominations, 1951–2016.

WinNomination
  1. 2016
    • Oscar, won
  2. 2015
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won
  3. 2000
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
  4. 1997
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  5. 1970
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best TV Actress - Comedy or Musical
  6. 1965
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actress - Comedy or Musical
  7. 1957
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actress - Comedy or Musical
  8. 1951
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Most Promising Newcomer

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Debbie Reynolds' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 58th percentile, the median of all 53; across their 49 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 58th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 49

Approval · how many liked their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 49

Reach · how many have seen their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 49

Midcredits score across 65 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th24
  • 25th to 49th21
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

41 of their 65 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser41
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

Zack and Reba (1998)

79th percentile spread · 28% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Midcredits 99th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 46 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Debbie Reynolds' work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles7–55 · median 24 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles6–47 · median 17 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles2–50 · median 11 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles11–29 · median 17 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles15–35 · median 28 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Debbie Reynolds work with?

People who share at least 2 of Debbie Reynolds' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jeff Alexander shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles