Reynolds rap

Mention Debbie Reynolds to six people and you get six versions of "I loved her in. . ." Besides the obvious "Singin' in the Rain," her long list of credits includes "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," "How the West Was Won," "Tammy and the Bachelor," the hysterical mother in Albert Brooks's film "Mother," and Grace's mother on "Will & Grace." The singing, dancing, acting, impersonating, joke-telling star has been at it for almost 60 years, and she ain't done yet. She brings her variety show to the Robinson Theatre in Waltham this weekend , and we spoke with her on the phone a few days before her 75th birthday.

JUNE WULFF

Q. How does it feel to be turning 75?

A. It's sort of a shock. Mentally I know I'm not that age. I feel just like I felt when I was in my 30s and I'm as busy as I was. I wish I knew then what I know now.

Q. What would you have done differently?

A. I would have spent more time on myself instead of worrying so much about my children and getting everybody else settled. I wanted to study the piano and guitar, and take French, and there weren't enough hours in the day. I raised five children and had three failed marriages. My one regret is that I have no ability to choose the right husband or the right man.

Q. With each relationship did you learn a little bit more?

A. About how dumb I am.

Q. How do you keep in shape? Do you watch your own exercise video?

A. Actually I do. It's old, but it's still perfect, and I run it because it has '40s music.

Q. Do you live in California?

A. I live in Las Vegas and California.

Q. It must be nice to not have to go to a hotel room after you perform in Las Vegas.

A. I stay in the hotel because I like room service and [when my kids were young] they would get french fries and throw them over the balcony into the pool. I'd make the kids go down with me every morning, get the pool net, and pick them up. I did two shows a night and didn't get through work until 2 in the morning. I would put the kids in a golf cart and we'd sing and drive through the sprinklers at 2 a.m.

Q. Are you like the mothers you played in "Mother" and "Will & Grace"?

A. Mostly Bobbi [from "Will & Grace"]. I played me. That's really me, a bit flamboyant and a bit bossy, interfering without meaning to, all for the good. When they called me, I said write her funny, write her interesting.

Q. Which costumes of yours will be in your Hollywood Motion Picture Museum when it opens next year in Tennessee?

A. The "Good Morning" blue skirt and blue sweater and Gene's [Kelly] and Donald's [O'Connor] outfits. I have all the costumes from "Singin' in the Rain." I have the ruby slippers and gingham dress from "The Wizard of Oz" and I have Marilyn Monroe's white subway dress from "The Seven Year Itch." I have 4,000 costumes.

Q. Tell me about your show and the impressions you do.

A. I call it a variety show. I talk about stars I've worked with and things that have happened in my life. I run the [movie] clips and sing a song from each movie. [In her Katha rine Hepburn voice:] Well, I do Katha rine Hepburn, you know, because she's amusing to me [end of impression]. I'm trying to decide what to wear right now. Do I wear the gold dress? Do I wear the teal? Do I wear the red dress? I hate to shop.