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Obituary: Debbie Reynolds, the singer who became Hollywood's golden girl

Hollywood actress Debbie Reynolds, who has died barely a day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher, posing for pictures in London as she celebrated her 78th birthday and announced her first UK tour in 2010. Picture by Stefan Rousseau, Press Association
Hollywood actress Debbie Reynolds, who has died barely a day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher, posing for pictures in London as she celebrated her 78th birthday and announced her first UK tour in 2010. Picture by Stefan Rousseau, Press Associ Hollywood actress Debbie Reynolds, who has died barely a day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher, posing for pictures in London as she celebrated her 78th birthday and announced her first UK tour in 2010. Picture by Stefan Rousseau, Press Association

DEBBIE Reynolds, mother of the late actor Carrie Fisher, has died aged 84, just over a day after her daughter's death.

Born Mary Francis Reynolds in April, 1932, the American actor and singer was just a teenager when she shot to fame for her role in the 1950 film Three Little Words, earning her a Golden Globe nomination for most promising newcomer.

But one of her most memorable roles in her early career was as the fiery and talented Kathy Selden in the world-renowned 1952 musical Singin' In The Rain, which saw her dance and sing alongside Gene Kelly when she was just 20 years old.

She became synonymous with the Hollywood cinema glamour of the 50s and 60s, taking over the big screen with roles such as Pansy Hammer in The Affairs Of Dobie Gillis (1953), Jane Hurley in The Catered Affair (1956), Tammy in Tammy and the Batchelor (1957), Molly Brown in The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), and Sister Ann in The Singing Nun (1966).

Though she married three times, it was her first marriage to musician Eddie Fisher in 1955 that led to the birth of Carrie and her son Todd.

But while she continued to have a loving relationship with her own and her ex-husband's children, including Joely Fisher, the marriage ended sourly, after news emerged of Fisher's affair with movie star Elizabeth Taylor.

The pair divorced in 1959 and she married Harry Karl the following year, then Richard Hamlett in 1984.

As well as a successful career on Broadway, in her later years, she played the recurring role of Bobbi Adler, mother of Grace in the hit American sitcom Will And Grace.

She was also known for her charity work, devoting 56 years to The Thalians mental health charity, from its foundation in 1955 until 2011.

Debbie Reynolds, right, at the Derby, with, from left, Mike Todd, actress Elizabeth Taylor, and singing star Eddie Fisher in 1957. Picture by Press Association   
Debbie Reynolds, right, at the Derby, with, from left, Mike Todd, actress Elizabeth Taylor, and singing star Eddie Fisher in 1957. Picture by Press Association   Debbie Reynolds, right, at the Derby, with, from left, Mike Todd, actress Elizabeth Taylor, and singing star Eddie Fisher in 1957. Picture by Press Association  

She also became as famous for her role in a love triangle that rocked Hollywood as she was for her biggest movies.

She and husband Eddie Fisher were one of Tinseltown's most glamorous couples in the 1950s and were close friends with Elizabeth Taylor and producer Mike Todd.

When Taylor and Todd married in 1957, Fisher was Todd's best man and Reynolds was Taylor's matron of honour.

But after Todd died in a plane crash the following year, Fisher began an affair with his wife's childhood friend, who was her classmate at the MGM Studios school.

He divorced Reynolds and married Taylor, leaving his ex-wife to raise their young children Carrie and Todd alone.

Reynolds told The Oprah Winfrey Show: "He went to New York for some business, I didn't know it was monkey business.

"I called his room and he wasn't there, so I called Elizabeth's room and Eddie took the call.

"Then I heard Elizabeth saying; 'Who is it darling?' and I said 'Would you just roll over and put Elizabeth on the phone?'

"The whole thing was so sad because Elizabeth was in deep mourning and turned to Eddie out of this deep need."

While Taylor eventually left Fisher for Richard Burton, the former best friends did not speak for years.

However, Reynolds later told People magazine she blamed her husband far more than Taylor.

She said: "I felt you can't make a man leave, you can't make him do something he doesn't want to do. He obviously chose to leave, didn't he? She didn't lasso him.

"She was just beautiful Elizabeth Taylor. He wanted her, and he wanted to be her lover, so he left and he was. He was the selfish one. She just gave him what he wanted."

The duo even reconciled before Taylor died in 2011 after they both joined the same cruise without knowing the other was on the same ship.

Once aboard, the two sent each other notes and Taylor visited Reynolds in her stateroom.

She told the magazine: "At that time, in my cabin, before we went to dinner, we both made our little (amends). I said, 'Why in the world would you want him anyway?'

"She said, 'Well, I don't know why I did it, and I certainly was wrong. But look what I have now!' I said, 'Well, lucky you!' And that's how that got over'."

Reynolds and Taylor even went on to co-star in TV movie These Old Broads, written by Carrie Fisher.