Carrie Fisher

Last year was famous for celebrity deaths. If you were famous in 2016, you were on notice. Most of those celebrities died of cancer or drug overdoses. I'm never surprised when anyone dies of cancer. It is more of a surprise when someone can live to 80 or 90 and never get cancer. Celebrity and drug overdoses go hand in hand. What surprised me in 2016 was Carrie Fisher's death and then, the very next day, Debbie Reynolds.

Debbie Reynolds was 84 and had been in poor health. Carrie Fisher was 60 and getting in better shape for the new Star Wars movies. She was also a lifelong smoker and fought drug addiction for as long as she struggled with mental illness. She often said she was surprised she lasted as long as she did.

Carrie Fisher will always be known as Princess Leia. Nothing can change that. She was primarily an actor and that was her most famous role. But she was also a writer. She wrote seven books, two plays and was a sought after script doctor.


Postcards from the Edge
Surrender the Pink
Delusions of Grandma
The Best Awful There Is
Wishful Drinking
Shockaholic
The Princess Diarist

Wishful Drinking
A Spy in the House of Me


Shampoo
directed by Hal Ashby
written by Robert Towne & Warren Beatty
produced by Warren Beatty
starring Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn, Lee Grant, Jack Warden, Carrie Fisher

Star Wars: A New Hope
directed & written by George Lucas
starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, James Earl Jones

Come Back, Little Sheba
directed by Silvio Narizzano
starring Laurence Olivier, Joanne Woodward, Carrie Fisher

Ringo
directed by Jeff Margolis
written by Pat Proft & Neal Israel
starring Ringo Starr, Art Carney, Carrie Fisher, George Harrison

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
directed by Irvin Kershner
written by Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas
starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Alec Guinness, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Frank Oz, James Earl Jones

The Blues Brothers
directed by John Landis
written by Dan Aykroyd & John Landis
starring John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Carrie Fisher, John Candy, Kathleen Freeman, Henry Gibson, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Cab Calloway, James Brown

Under the Rainbow
directed by Steve Rash
starring Chevy Chase, Carrie Fisher, Eve Arden, Billy Barty, Mako, Pat McCormick, Adam Arkin, Zelda Rubinstein

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
directed by Richard Marquand
written by Lawrence Kasdan & George Lucas
starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Alec Guinness, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Ian McDiarmid, Frank Oz, James Earl Jones

Garbo Talks
directed by Sidney Lumet
starring Anne Bancroft, Ron Silver, Carrie Fisher, Betty Comden

The Man with One Red Shoe
directed by Stan Dragoti
starring Tom Hanks, Dabney Coleman, Lori Singer, Charles Durning, Carrie Fisher

Hannah and Her Sisters
Directed & written by Woody Allen
Produced by Robert Greenhut
Starring Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Barbara Hershey, Woody Allen, Michael Caine, Sam Waterston, Carrie Fisher, Daniel Stern, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julie Kavner, Max Von Sydow, Joanna Gleason, John Turturro, Lloyd Nolan, Richard Jenkins, JT Walsh

Hollywood Vice Squad
directed by Penelope Spheeris
starring Ronny Cox, Carrie Fisher, Frank Gorshin

Amazon Women on the Moon
“Reckless Youth” directed by Joe Dante
starring Carrie Fisher, Paul Bartel

The Time Guardian
directed by Brian Hannant
starring Tom Burlinson, Carrie Fisher, Dean Stockwell

Appointment with Death
directed, written & produced by Michael Winner
starring Peter Ustinov, Lauren Bacall, Carrie Fisher, John Gielgud

The 'Burbs
directed by Joe Dante
starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher

Loverboy
directed by Joan Micklin Silver
starring Patrick Dempsey, Kate Jackson, Carrie Fisher

When Harry Met Sally...
directed by Rob Reiner
written by Nora Ephron
starring Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby

Sibling Rivalry
Directed by Carl Reiner
Written by Martha Goldhirsh
Starring Kirstie Alley, Jami Gertz, Bill Pullman, Ed O'Neill, Carrie Fisher, Scott Bakula, Frances Sternhagen, John Randolph, Sam Elliott

Postcards from the Edge
directed by Mike Nichols
written by Carrie Fisher
produced by Mike Nichols & John Calley
music by Carly Simon
starring Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman, Richard Dreyfuss, Rob Reiner, Mary Wickes, Conrad Bain, Simon Callow, CCH Pounder, Dana Ivey

Drop Dead Fred
directed by Ate de Jong
starring Phoebe Cates, Rik Mayall, Marsha Mason, Carrie Fisher

Soapdish
directed by Michael Hoffman
starring Sally Field, Kevin Kline, Elisabeth Shue, Robert Downey Jr, Cathy Moriarty, Whoopi Goldberg, Carrie Fisher, Kathy Najimy, Teri Hatcher, Garry Marshall

Hook
directed by Steven Spielberg
starring Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith, Carrie Fisher, Phil Collins

This Is My Life
directed by Nora Ephron
written by Nora Ephron & Delia Ephron
starring Julie Kavner, Samantha Mathis, Gaby Hoffmann, Carrie Fisher, Dan Aykroyd, Caroline Aaron, Kathy Najimy, Estelle Harris, Tim Blake Nelson, Marita Geraghty, Valri Bromfield

Lisa Picard Is Famous
directed by Griffin Dunne
written by Laura Kirk & Nat DeWolf
starring Laura Kirk, Nat DeWolf, Griffin Dunne, Carrie Fisher, Buck Henry, Melissa Gilbert, Mira Sorvino

Heartbreakers
directed by David Mirkin
starring Sigourney Weaver, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Gene Hackman, Ray Liotta, Anne Bancroft, Carrie Fisher

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
directed & written by Kevin Smith
starring Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, George Carlin, Carrie Fisher

These Old Broads
directed by Matthew Diamond
written by Carrie Fisher & Elaine Pope
starring Shirley MacLaine, Debbie Reynolds, Joan Collins, Elizabeth Taylor, Jonathan Silverman, Peter Graves, Pat Harrington

The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch
directed & written by Eric Idle
starring Eric Idle, Neil Innes, Ricky Fataar, John Halsey, Bill Murray, Catherine O'Hara, Robin Williams, Carrie Fisher, Steve Martin, Mike Nichols, Kevin Nealon

Wonderland
directed by James Cox
starring Val Kilmer, Kate Bosworth, Dylan McDermott, Carrie Fisher, Christina Applegate, Janeane Garofalo

Stateside
directed & written by Reverge Anselmo
produced by Robert Greenhut
starring Rachael Leigh Cook, Agnes Bruckner, Joe Mantegna, Carrie Fisher, Val Kilmer, Penny Marshall

Undiscovered
directed by Meiert Avis
starring Pell James, Steven Strait, Carrie Fisher, Ashlee Simpson

Romancing the Bride
directed & written by Kris Isacsson
starring Laura Prepon, Matt Cedeño, Carrie Fisher, Maria Thayer

Friendly Fire
directed by Michele Civetta
written by Michele Civetta & Sean Lennon
starring Sean Lennon, Bijou Phillips, Lindsay Lohan, Carrie Fisher

Suffering Man's Charity
directed by Alan Cumming
starring Alan Cumming, David Boreanaz, Anne Heche, Karen Black, Carrie Fisher

Cougar Club
directed by Christopher Duddy
starring Warren Kole, Jason Jurman, Kaley Cuoco, Carrie Fisher, Faye Dunaway, Joe Mantegna

The Women
directed & written by Diane English
produced by Diane English & Mick Jagger
starring Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Carrie Fisher, Cloris Leachman, Bette Midler, Candice Bergen

White Lightnin'
directed by Dominic Murphy
starring Edward Hogg, Carrie Fisher, Muse Watson

Fanboys
directed by Kyle Newman
produced by Kevin Spacey
starring Jay Baruchel, Kristen Bell, Billy Dee Williams, Danny Trejo, Seth Rogen, Carrie Fisher, William Shatner

Sorority Row
directed by Stewart Hendler
starring Audrina Patridge, Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Rumer Willis, Jamie Chung, Margo Harshman, Carrie Fisher

Wishful Drinking
directed by Fenton Bailey & Randy Barbato
written by Carrie Fisher & Joshua Ravetch
starring Carrie Fisher

It's Christmas, Carol!
directed by Michael Scott
starring Emmanuelle Vaugier, Carrie Fisher, Carson Kressley

Maps to the Stars
directed by David Cronenberg
starring Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack, Olivia Williams, Carrie Fisher

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
directed by JJ Abrams
written by Lawrence Kasdan, JJ Abrams, Michael Arndt
starring Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Max von Sydow

Bright Lights
directed by Fisher Stevens & Alexis Bloom
starring Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds

Star Wars: The Last Jedi
directed & written by Rian Johnson
starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Anthony Daniels, Laura Dern, Frank Oz

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
directed by JJ Abrams
written by JJ Abrams & Chris Terrio
starring Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Anthony Daniels, Ian McDiarmid, Billy Dee Williams


She also played guest roles in dozens of TV shows, from Laverne & Shirley to Sex and the City to The Big Bang Theory, and was a recurring character on Family Guy.