Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds (1932-2016) visited Australia on several occasions, and many of her local television appearances are preserved in the NFSA collection. As a small tribute to Reynolds, we have published clips from one of her visits to The Mike Walsh Show.
In late 1979, she brought her Debbie Reynolds aLas Vegas show to Australian theatres. Jill Sykes in The Sydney Morning Herald said of her performance at the Regent Theatre: 'Debbie shines. She is a marvellous comedienne ... knife-sharp humour ... ingenious dance routines ... fast and extremely clever ... it is impossible to take your eyes off the stage.'
As part of her promotional efforts, Reynolds appeared on The Mike Walsh Show on 13 November. She improvised a dance number with floor manager Mike 'Shirley Temple' Williams, followed by an interview with presenter Mike Walsh.
She said 'I don't think I am sexy, but I can play it - there's a difference', and discussed her views on sex and nudity in film. She also acknowledged the presence of a long-time fan in the audience who travelled from Hawaii to see her.
