Public memorial held to honour Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher

By The Associated Press

Fans and friends have paid tribute to Debbie Reynolds at a poignant, laughter-filled memorial for the late actresses.

The two-hour ceremony Saturday was a mix of music and dance spliced with some never-before-seen footage of the mother-daughter duo reflecting on their lives.

The ceremony was led by Todd Fisher, who lost his mother and sister one day apart in late December. Fisher said his mother didn’t like memorials, so he was calling it a show that would reveal his loved ones like never before.

Moments included a dance tribute by performers from the dance studio Reynolds founded to music from “Singin’ in the Rain,” the classic film that made her a star.

The ceremony started with a video montage using “Star Wars” music to show Fisher from infancy, displaying tender moments with her and her mother interspersed with highlights from her career.

At the end of the montage, a working R2D2 unit came on stage and mournfully beeped at a picture of Fisher and at an empty director’s chair with Fisher’s name on it.

Actress Ruta Lee delivered a touching eulogy about Reynolds and her philanthropy. As with much of the ceremony, Lee sprinkled humour throughout.

Dan Aykroyd also cracked jokes, describing Fisher as a chatterbox who never let him speak during their relationship.

The ceremony also featured a new song Fisher’s friend James Blunt wrote in memory of her.

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