Hollywood legend and mother of Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, passed away on Wednesday, a day after her daughter’s death. Debbie died a few hours after she suffered a stroke, her son Todd Fisher said. She was 84
The legendary actress, who won millions of hearts with her performance in musical comedy Singin’ in the Rain, suffered a stroke and was rushed to the hospital in Los Angeles. Debbie died a day after Carrie died of a heart attack.
“My mother passed away a short time ago. She spoke to me this morning and said she missed Carrie,” Todd told CNN, adding, “She’s with Carrie now.”
Born as Mary Frances Reynolds on April 1, 1932, Debbie was discovered by a talent scout when she was just 16. After a small stint in June Bride, MGM signed her in 1950 and that same year she performed the hit song Aba Daba Honeymoon with Carleton Carpenter. She continued to work in films, but she shot to fame in 1952 with Singin’ in the Rain.
Her stardom increased when she acted opposite Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Dick Powell, Frank Sinatra, Bette Davis, her then-husband Eddie Fisher, Tony Randall and Astaire among others. However, at the peak of her career she was hit by scandal. She divorced her husband singer Eddie in 1959 after he had an affair with actress Elizabeth Taylor.
In an interview with Rage Monthly in 2010, Debbie talked about her life. “I always go by a five-year plan,” she said. “I get through today and I’m not going to get upset for five years. I always picture a long tunnel and at the end of the tunnel, there’s a light. I know I can make it to that light and I’ll take five years to get there. Now…I’ve gone through many tunnels. So, I just keep trying. I never give up.”
