 Director/writer/actor Albert Brooks (qv) asked Nancy Reagan (who  used to act under the name Nancy Davis (I) (qv)) to play the part  of his mother. Nancy really wanted to come out of acting retirement  to play the role, but declined because she couldnt bear to be away  from husband and former president Ronald Reagan (I) (qv),  suffering from Alzheimers disease. Also on Brooks list of former  actresses to play his mother was Doris Day (I) (qv), but she  showed no interest in coming out of acting retirement. Brooks is an  old friend of actress/writer Carrie Fisher (qv), and he knew her  famous mother (Debbie Reynolds (I) (qv)) through her. (Debbie used  to try to pair Albert and Carrie off for marriage.) Brooks was  looking for a big