BEVERLY HILLS—Actress Debbie Reynolds, 84, the mother of “Star Wars” actress Carrie Fisher has died. The actress was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to seek medical treatment on Wednesday, December 28 after suffering from an apparent stroke. Reynolds was at the home of her son Todd Fisher in Beverly Hills. He informed the Associated Press that Carrie’s death was “too much” for his mother to handle.
According to reports, the actress was listed in “fair to serious condition.” Carrie’s half-sister, Joely Fisher tweeted “God speed mama,” with a photo of her and Debbie on Tuesday afternoon.
Reynolds lost her daughter Carrie, 60, on Tuesday, December 27, after the actress suffered a heart attack on a flight from London to LAX on Friday, December 23.
TMZ reported that 911 officials were called to Todd’s home shortly after 1 p.m. The actress who was born as Marie Frances Reynolds in 1932 in El Paso, Texas. She and her family moved to Burbank, CA in 1939. She is known for her breakout role in the 1950 film “Three Little Words,” where she earned a Golden Globe Award. She later starred in the 1952 musical “Singin’ in the Rain” alongside Gene Kelly. She recorded the song “Tammy” in 1957 that remained on top of the Billboard charts for several weeks.
She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance in the 1964 film “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.” She earned a Emmy Award for her guest appearance on the NBC comedy series “Will and Grace” where she portrayed the mother to actress Debra Messing’s character.
She founded The Thalians, an organization in 1955 that raised awareness for provided treatment for children and adults suffering from mental illness.
In 2015, Reynolds received the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to her by her daughter, Carrie. She married singer Eddie Fisher in 1955. Her marriage to Fisher ended when he left her for her best friend, actress Elizabeth Taylor. Debbie later married Harry Karl in 1960 and married real estate developer Richard Hamlett in 1984. She recently appeared in the documentary “Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds” in 2016.
Actor William Shatner tweeted, “Debbie Reynolds was one of the last of Hollywood Royalty. It breaks my heart that she is gone. I’d hoped that my grieving was done for 2016.”
Ellen DeGeneres tweeted, “I can’t imagine what Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds’ family are going through this week. I send all of my love.”
Director Carl Reiner tweeted, “How shocked we were to learn that Debbie Reynolds passed away just a day after her daughter Carrie. I loved & worked both of these icons.”
Reynolds is survived by her son Todd, and her granddaughter Billie Lourd who stars in the FOX TV series “Scream Queens” alongside Emma Roberts and Abigail Breslin.
Written By Casey Jacobs