Debbie: My Life

Written by Debbie Reynolds and David Patrick Columbia

Narrated by Debbie Reynolds

Debbie: My Life is a heartfelt, feel-good autobiography that chronicles the rags-to-riches-to-rags story of the indomitable Debbie Reynolds. The much-beloved actress first grabbed America's heart when, as a poor 16-year-old, she entered and won the Miss Burbank contest. Ms. Reynolds went on to embody fresh-faced American grace and gumption in such classic films as Singing' in the Rain, How the West Was Won, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Debbie shares vivid memories of her public and private life: her widely publicized and turbulent marriages to Eddie Fisher and businessman Harry Karl; her experiences with other stars like Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Bette Davis, Shelley Winters, Glenn Ford, Robert Wagner, and Fred Astaire; and her enduring relationships with her son, Todd Fisher, and daughter, actress and author Carrie Fisher. Against the backdrop of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Debbie: My Life—read by Reynolds herself—is a witty and frank account of a survivor whose screen performances have touched us all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Phoenix Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9781607470779

Debbie Reynolds

Debbie Reynolds was an actress, comedienne, singer, dancer, and author best known for her leading roles in Singin' in the Rain and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and on TV as Bobbi Adler in Will & Grace. After more than sixty years in the entertainment industry, she was a true Hollywood icon, beloved by millions of fans of all ages around the world. Debbie Reynolds died on December 28, 2016, at the age of 84, just one day after the death of her daughter, actress and author Carrie Fisher.

Reviews for Debbie

[dara85 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Debbie—My Life by Debbie Reynolds This biography is about the life of Mary Frances Reynolds whose name was later changed to Debbie Reynolds. Mary Frances got her start in show business when she entered the Miss Burbank contest. She did not want to win or expect to win. She entered, so she could get a free blouse and scarf. She won and was asked to do a screen test for Warner Brothers studio. Reynolds was an excellent mimic and became a big star. Her biography tells of her three marriages including her tumultuous marriage to Eddie Fisher. She had a good relationship with her two children Carrie Fisher and Todd Fisher. Her second husband, Harry Karl was a big gambler. He gambled away nearly everything Debbie had. After her divorce she sometimes lived out of her car. She finally found happiness with her third husband. If you enjoyed Debbie in one many movies Singin’ in the Rain, Tammy or Unsinkable Molly Brown you’ll enjoy this book.

[moonshineandrosefire · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Born Mary Frances Reynolds in El Paso, Texas in 1932 - the child who would eventually become known as Debbie Reynolds - wasn't planning on ever having a career in Hollywood. Although she grew up in poverty, Debbie was catapulted to fame at a very young age - when she won the 'Miss Burbank' Beauty Pageant at the age of sixteen. What had started out as a chance to win some new clothes, also earned Debbie a screen test with Warner Brothers Studios. And so began the acting career of Debbie Reynolds.From the very beginning, her fans identified with her and called her 'the kid' - the kid with guts, the kid with personality, the kid sister - and to movie audiences she was truly 'America's Sweetheart'. As Hollywood's reigning ingenue, Debbie Reynolds was the fresh-faced embodiment of American grace and gumption. Throughout her career, starring in such film classics as: Singin' in the Rain, How the West Was Won, Tammy and the Bachelor, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Debbie always portrayed a sassy, spunky, and bright personality. Yet behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood - beyond the dazzling spotlight of instant fame - was a young woman thrown into the starmaking machine, and whose only hope was to achieve personal happiness for herself.Now, taking readers inside her private world, Debbie tells it all: about an extraordinary life spent in the limelight - the tears, the laughter, and the bitter moments of her career - all is revealed in this candid, funny, and gutsy self-portrait. She reveals the real story behind her marriage to Eddie Fisher - a marriage that blew apart when he began a torrid love affair with Elizabeth Taylor - and abandoned Debbie to the hurricane winds of a sensational white-hot scandal. Here, too, is a startling expose of the years spent with her second husband Harry Karl - a compulsive gambler and womanizer who left her in a state of financial ruin.Yet there are also so many wonderful memories as well - star-studded recollections from the Golden Era of Hollywood: memories made with such stars as Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, Bette Davis and Robert Wagner; the famous movies and movie moguls; as well as her hardwon, yet enduring relationship with her children, Carrie and Todd Fisher. As the last of the red-hot troupers, Debbie Reynolds has lived through it all: the hard times and the happy times, and she has somehow managed to retain her dauntless determination to make her dreams come true. This is so much more than just the saga of a legendary Hollywood star, it is also the fascinating and poignant story of a true survivor - someone who has emerged from her various trials and tribulations, perhaps somewhat battered, but ultimately triumphantly resilient.Despite reading Ms. Reynolds second autobiography back in April of 2016 - after her recent passing in December of 2016 - I wanted to read her first autobiography. Actually, I found that this book focused more on her hard-scrabble childhood and in my opinion, she held nothing back. I must admit that I found Ms. Reynolds to be a wonderful person, lovingly honest and surprisingly forgiving - to be perfectly honest, perhaps more forgiving than I would be if I were in her circumstances.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, although if I did have any problems with it, it would probably be that Ms. Reynolds tended to drop names of stars into the story fairly frequently. Although having said that, I suppose that this would certainly be something to be expected when a bonafide Hollywood legend writes her autobiography. I would definitely give this book an A!