. >> i was only 16, and still mary frances reynolds when i enter the miss burbank contest. year, i was under contract to the biggest studio in hollywood. >> she was born mary frances reynolds in texas. her father move ed them to california. >> my mother grew up in burbank, a batonist, she thought she was going to be a gym teacher. >> reporter: fortunately for us, she ended up making movies again. the first role, coming when she was just 17. she had never danced professionally. >> she said gene kelly didn't like her, because he wanted a professional dancer. >> reporter: mgm gave her a three-month course, and then she was on her own. >> she kept up with them. >> she was a revelation, sort of when we saw jennifer lawrence for the first time, she was so breathtaking and we fell in love with her. >> reporter: more than 30 other movies. in 1955, she was in "the tender trap." >> like to go to license bureau, and have a baby, and another baby. >> reporter: she got some sage advice from frank sinatra. >> she ignored the warning, marrying a crooner named eddie fisher. ♪ may i thank y

born mary frances reynolds on april 1, 1932 in el paso texas, she had her breakout role in 1950s 3 little but danced her way into film history 2 years later when she costarred with gene kelly and donald o'connor in singing in the rain . >> [ video playback ] >> reporter: the success and 50 continued with the affairs of dobie gillis, susan slept here, and tammy and the bachelor. the title role in 1964 the unthinkable molly brown garnered her the best actor oscar nomination. in between movies and stage shows she also headlined the sick come, the debbie reynolds show. debbie was married and divorced 3 times most famously to carrie fisher's singer father eddie who left her for her good friend elizabeth taylor. over the years she amassed a huge collection of movie memorabilia which she later was forced to auction off due to bankruptcy. in 2011 she told us why so many people find these items so endearing. >> we all would like to have our favorite movie star live with us and be quiet. it is just nostalgic and it is for our hearts.>> reynolds remained active well into her 80s was recognized for h

. >> ♪ >> reporter: born mary frances reynolds on april thursday, 1932 in el paso texas she had her breakut role in 1950s three little words. but danced her way into film history two years later when she co starred with gene kelly and donald o'connor in syncing in the rain. >> ♪ i'm singing in the rain >> reporter: sorry success in the '50's continued with the affairs of doby gillis, susan slept here and tammy and the bachelor. the title role in 1964 the unsinkable molly brown garnered her best actress oscar nomination in between movies and stage shows, she also headlined the sitcom the debbie reynolds show. debbie was married and divorced three times. most famously to carrie fisher singer father eddie who left her for reynolds good friend elizabeth taylor. reynolds remained active well into her 80s and recognized for her charity work with the humanitarian oscar at this year's show. >> i'm so excited. >> reporter: lifetime achievement award from the screen acts guild. she is survived by her son todd. in hollywood trace gallon lager fox news. >>> police are trying to figure out how a south

. >> ♪ >> reporter: born mary frances reynolds on april thursday, 1932 in el paso texas she had her breakut role in 1950s three little words. but danced her way into film history two years later when she co starred with gene kelly and donald o'connor in syncing in the rain. >> ♪ i'm singing in the rain >> reporter: sorry success in the '50's continued with the affairs of doby gillis, susan slept here and tammy and the bachelor. the title role in 1964 the unsinkable molly brown garnered her best actress oscar nomination in between movies and stage shows, she also headlined the sitcom the debbie reynolds show. debbie was married and divorced three times. most famously to carrie fisher singer father eddie who left her for reynolds good friend elizabeth taylor. reynolds remained active well into her 80s and recognized for her charity work with the humanitarian oscar at this year's show. >> i'm so excited. >> reporter: lifetime achievement award from the screen acts guild. she is survived by her son todd. in hollywood trace gallon lager fox news. >>> police are trying to figure out how a south

born mary frances reynolds on april 1, 1932 in el paso texas she had her breakout role in 3 little wordsbut danced the word -- way into some history when she costarred with gene kelly and donald o'connor when she costarred in singing in the rain. her success in the 50s continued with the affairs of dobie gillis, susan and tammy and the bachelor. the title role in the unsinkable molly brown currently her a best actor oscar nomination. in between movies and stage shows she also headlines the sitcom the debbie reynolds show. debbie was married and divorced 3 times most famously to carrie fisher's singer father eddie left her for her good friend, elizabeth taylor. over the years she has amassed a huge collection of movie memorabilia which she was ordered to auction off due to bankruptcy. in 2011 she told us why so many people find these items endearing. >> we all would like to have our famous movie star -- favorite movie chart -- start to live with us and be quiet . it is just nostalgic and from our highs. >> she remained at the well into the 80s and was recognized for his charity work at th

. >> ♪♪ >> reporter: born mary frances reynolds on april 1st, 1932 in i el paso, texas, she had hererd her way into films history two yearsea later when she co starred with w gene kelly and donald o'connor o in syncing in the rain.ai ♪♪ her success in the '50's50's continued with the affairs of doby gillis, susan slept hereler and tammy and the bachelor. >> reporter: title role in i 1964 the unsinkable molly brownb garnered her a best actressctre oscar nomination. in between movies and stage sitcom the debbie reynolds show. debbie was married and divorcedr three times.im most famously to carrie fisher's singer father eddie who left her for reynolds good frienddri elizabeth taylor.. ♪♪ >> reporter: over the years, reynolds a mass a huge hug collection of movie memorabilia she was later was forced to auction off due to bankruptcy.y in 2011 she told us why so many people find these items so endearing.enaring. >> well we all would like toik have our favorite movie star str live with us let's say and be quiet, and it's just nostalgia and it's for our hearts. hea >> reporter: she remainedem

historian, humanitarian and avid collector of film of fi memorabilia.lia >> ♪♪ >> reporter: born mary frances reynoldsstory two years later with ono she co starred with gene kelly k and donald o'connor in syncingyi in the rain.n. ♪♪ >> reporter: her success inuc the '50's continued with the affairs of doby gillis, susan slept here and tammy and thend e bachelor. >> ♪♪ >> reporter: title>> role ine i 1964 the unsinkable molly brownb garnered her a best actress oscar nomination. in between movies and stage shows, she also head lined the e sitcom the debbie reynolds show. debbie was married and divorcedr three times. tes most famously to carrie fisher's singer father eddie who left foo reynolds good friend elizabethla taylor.or. ♪♪ >> reporter: over the years, ye, reynolds a massed a hugeug collection of movie memorabiliaa she later was forced to auctionu off due to bankruptcy. in 2011, she told us why so many people find these items so s endearing.endearing. our favorite movie star live itt wuss and be quiet. qui it's just nostalgia and it's for our hearts.ea >> reporter: reynolds remainedei active well

picture and i had never danced and then the head of the studio said "gene, this is debbie reynolds." mary frances changed to debbie. they said she will be your new leading lady. gene said, "really? do you dance? " isaid, "well, no." and i'm sure he was aghast. and there are complicated dance scenes in that movie, aren't there? i'd say. as tough as you could get. how did you tackle it? they asked if i could do the time step. and i could. and then he asked "can you do the maxie ford?" and i said "i don't have a car." because a maxie ford... is a dance step. so then gene knew he was dead, that he had to teach me how to dance. so i did and i worked like a dog. i had five different teachers and in six months they prepared me to work and i worked really hard because he's a taskmaster and a great dancer and this was his idea. and gene kelly and fred astaire and stanley donen, they were the creators. donald o'connor could dance to drop dead. his family were all from the circus, you know. he was great. he could run up the wall around backwards. they say he was taskmaster and some people say he was tough o