Anyone who has had an encounter with Debbie Reynolds (and to my way of thinking that is probably half of the population of the United States) can tell you one distinct thing....she is a powerhouse of energy that loves her fans and is enthusiastic and just plain nice. I've met her three times. She'll answer questions, talk about the good old days when MGM was still the top studio before it was cut up, pose for pictures and signs autographs. She is an atypical celebrity who comes across like a normal human being.
This book is an interesting read from beginning to end. It starts with the breakup of her last marriage which was the one that got the least coverage. It was a pretty rough experience once she realized #3 was robbing her blind and sending her into a mountain of debt much like #2 millionaire shoe magnet Harry Karl did. The tenacious Reynolds is willing to admit that she was blinded by trust, but she fought the good fight trying to reclaim what was rightfully hers. It was nice to know that she was mad but she was also someone who didn't let that anger consume her. She got back up, went back to work, and bailed herself out of debt to resume her career and jump start it at a time when most people would kick back poolside and down pitchers of margaritas.
The reality is that Reynolds has had a long and productive career that wasn't going to necessarily be either. She came to Burbank CA by way of El Paso TX during the Depression. Her family wasn't rich in the conventional sense, but they were loving, close, hard working, and honest. Debbie got into show business by way of a beauty contest that had a talent component. She saw movies as her way to make some money so she could go to college and become a Physical Education teacher. The rest just sort of fell her way. She loved to perform and audiences loved her and still do.
This book is crammed with anecdotes about Debbie's career and her friends (famous and non-famous) that she has met along the way, as well as her family which include her daughter Carrie, son Todd, and granddaughter Billie. She talks about Carrie with a mother's deep concern but also intense pride. Ditto for her son and the rest of the family.
Ava Gardner, Gene Kelly, Carleton Carpenter and Liz Taylor are among those included. Surprisingly after an estrangement of several years mended fences with Taylor pretty easily. This part had me laughing because they both seemed bonded by friendship and their misfortune to have been married to the less than stellar Eddie Fisher.
There was so much in this book that I found interesting. Reynolds has never lost the capacity to be a fan and her stories of life at MGM are amazing. I also loved her description of how she doggedly tracked down old Hollywood artifacts and scoured the studio auctions for costumes and other pieces of Hollywood history. One thing she clarified was the shady history of trying to find a permanent home for her collections. I found myself wondering why so many people dropped the ball on this one and her explanation of all the false starts was sad but true.
By the end, what you get is a frank, no frills look into the life of a woman who is a force of nature unto herself.
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