Debbie Reynolds: Unsinkable

The Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actress Debbie Reynolds opens the Ferst Center for the Arts season at Georgia Tech on Sept. 11 with her variety show, an evening of music and comedy that will include her impressions of Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn and songs from Singin’ in the Rain and The Unsinkable Molly Brown. At 78, Reynolds says she has no plans to retire, that the 42 weeks a year she spends on the road help keep her out of trouble.

1. How do you stay so young looking?

I don’t think I do stay young looking. I just enjoy what I do. If you have a happy face, I think maybe you come off looking OK.

2. Do you own up to any plastic surgery?

Oh sure. Many years ago I had my neck fixed because it was just going another way. I didn’t want to go down that path so I had a little tuck done. … I haven’t bothered [with a face-lift] because I want to play parts that are my age. And I don’t like the pulled-back look.

3. Is it true that you were discovered in a beauty pageant?

Yes, in Burbank, California, when I was 16. I entered a local beauty contest ’cause it gave away a free blouse and scarf. I didn’t expect to win because I was just 16 and was nobody’s beauty, but I was funny. I did a record impression of Betty Hutton. I didn’t have high heels so I came out barefoot. We were from a very poor family. I guess the judges found me amusing, and I won the contest. There was a talent scout there, and that started it. They took me to Warner Brothers, where they did a screen test of me and changed my name from Mary Frances to Debbie. And that changed my life to a different path.

4. Did you want to be an actress?

I wanted to be a gym teacher. I didn’t have any aspirations to be a movie star. Who wakes up thinking, “Oh, I’ll be a movie star”? Not the average person. You think, “Well, am I going to be a writer?” “Am I going to be a salesman?” “Am I going into business?” “Am I going to be a cook or what?” I wanted to be a gym teacher, and I was going to go to college. I was working hard to get good grades so maybe I could get a scholarship. And then this happened by accident.

5. Did you get a choice whether you wanted to go by Debbie?

They don’t do that in show business. They just tell you what you’re going to do. I didn’t like it. I didn’t answer to it for two years. I had to fight to keep the name of Reynolds. I said I wouldn’t change that. That was my dad’s name.

6. Were you a trained dancer?

Not at all. When I did Singin’ in the Rain, I had to learn how to dance to keep up with Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor. It was really hard and a lot of work, but I did it and I’m very proud of the job that little girl did.

I was so dumb about show business that I was not scared. I didn’t know enough to be scared, but I was a little intimidated. It was such a lot to learn and in a very short time, but I thought it was a challenge. I just had to keep up with them.

I loved Donald. We had a good time. He was only 27, and I was 17. Gene Kelly was 39. He was the boss. He was tough, and he was in charge. He wanted to make a great movie, and he did. We minded him. He was the principal, and we were the students.

7. I recently saw Susan Slept Here on television and was struck by how incredibly tiny your waist looked. Did the studio monitor what you ate?

No, I was just conceited about that. I always wanted my waist to be a 17 so I just exercised. I was always dancing and working out, especially my waist. I was always twisting and turning. I must say I had an inner conceit, that’s all. When I was pregnant … it drove me crazy. I wore elastic bands until I could get it back down.

8. I know you’re probably asked all the time about your favorite role, but I’m going to ask anyway. Which one?

The Unsinkable Molly Brown. And then maybe Mother with Albert Brooks.

9. And your favorite co-star?

Oh gosh, well, Glenn Ford and Donald O’Connor and Dick Van Dyke. I loved working with Dick Van Dyke on Divorce American Style. And Fred Astaire. I loved Fred Astaire. He was really sweet. And I loved Jimmy Stewart. He was a wonderful man. I had some great co-stars. I was lucky to work with all of the greats — Gregory Peck, Frank Sinatra. I had a lot of fun working with Frank. I’ve been very blessed, and I’ve been lucky. I had a lot of great times, and I’m still having them. I just got a movie [July 16], so you see, life goes on. You’re always busy doing new things. If Betty White can do it, so can I. Maybe I’ll live that long and I’ll be cool and make it and have a lot of fun. Betty has a lot of fun. She’s a really nice gal.

10. Who is in the new movie you’ll be filming?

I always have to look at how to spell her name because it’s a hard name to do. I mean, it’s new to me. I’m not good about a lot of the new big stars, you know. I’m looking it up. It’s Katherine …

11. Heigl?

Yes, Heigl. She’s doing a new movie, and I had to audition and read for it and make a test to play her grandmother.

12. Are you kidding? You had to audition?

That’s the way show business is. It’s tough to the finish. After 63 years you still have to audition. It’s kind of silly, isn’t it? But that’s what they had me do. I was a little nervous about it because in the old days you didn’t have to do that, they just put you in the film. They knew you could do it, so you did it. Nowadays they say, “What does she look like now?” They want to look at you and what can you do and can you still cut it. … She’s sort of a mafiosa, tough grandma, a funny grandma. They wanted to see if I could do it. So I did the test. I didn’t want to, but I did. They were very nice. I was nervous, but I got through it. Then they called me and said I got the part.

13. You still get nervous?

Film, not on stage. I never get nervous on stage. Music is what I love. I love the stage.

14. You’ve never gotten butterflies before a stage show?

Never. It’s wonderful fun. You hear the people’s voices. You hear the hubbub, the talking before you go on. You hear the music. I can’t wait to get out on stage. I love it. That’s my favorite arena.

15. You’ve talked about some of your favorite co-stars. Will you dish a little bit and tell me some of your least favorites?

Walter Matthau was really tough to work with because he was so crazy. We had some problems. You never knew what he was going to do. He threw me over his shoulder one day. All I had on was little panty hose, so my rear end was to the camera. He couldn’t have cared less. He laughed like hell. He said, “It’s funny, it’s funny. You have a great rear, Debbie, shut up.” You just went along with the program. He’s the only one who kind of gave me a rough time. I always got along great with everybody. I always gave them top billing. I’m not a hard person to work with. I love the business, and I have fun. Men like top billing, and men like to be in charge, so I just let them be.

16. Have you learned that men shouldn’t always be in charge? You’ve been very open about financial problems that were caused by two of your former husbands. Do you now consider yourself a role model for women to take charge of their own finances?

Well, I’ve certainly talked about it enough. I hope that they listen. We’re still always gullible for the men. He walks in, says how gorgeous you are, and he’s really nice and sweet. Then behind that is a con artist, and they steal all your money and in the end wipe you out. You should always be careful, keep your money separate, keep the house in your name, keep the car in your name or certainly both names. Otherwise you’ll be very sorry.

17. You were blindsided? You had no idea that you were broke?

No, you never know until it’s over, until they come and put big boards up on your house and … take away your cars. I think women are very gullible. We love love. We want to think we’re in love and that they love us. We are sensitive, and we do fall for that line. It happens every day.

18. Were you able to recoup some of the movie treasures that you lost, including the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz and Marilyn Monroe’s dress from The Seven Year Itch?

They didn’t get that. They took my furniture and my homes and my cars but not any of my memorabilia. I have 5,000 costumes. I have the largest private collection in the world. … I hope [soon] we’ll be moving it to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, right down the street from Dolly Parton’s Dollywood. They’re opening a new [entertainment district] called Belle Island. We’re hoping, we’re wishing, we’ve got our fingers crossed that everything will get to go there and be saved. It will be a museum with film clips and all the props.

19. Are you in a relationship now?

No. Then I’ll say never after that. You finally have to realize that it’s just not written in the stars. You might be a star, but it’s not in the stars to find the right man. I’m at the age now where I really want to continue to be happy and not to be marred by any mistake, and I’ve made three. That’s enough. [Seventy-eight is] pretty up there, so I don’t want to screw around with the time, you know what I mean? You have to be smart. Why would I mess around?

20. Any bitter feelings you had toward Elizabeth Taylor are long gone?

Long gone. We just have our bitter feelings for the men. We forgive the women.

Buy tickets for Reynolds’ 8 p.m. Sept. 11 show at Georgia Tech at ferstcenter.gatech.edu.

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