HOLLYWOOD, CA — Penny Marshall, the face of the iconic sitcom “Laverne and Shirley” and one of the most powerful women in Hollywood, has died from complications related to diabetes. She was 75.
The actress and powerhouse filmmaker behind the likes of “Big” and “A League of Their Own” died Monday at her home in Hollywood Hills, her publicist confirmed. As a filmmaker, Marshall broke barriers and blazed trails for other actresses looking to take control of their own projects. In directing “Big,” Marshal became the first woman to helm a film that earned more $100 million domestically. Her success opened doors for other female filmmakers, many of whom mourned her passing Tuesday.
“Our family is heartbroken over the passing of Penny Marshall,” her family wrote in a statement released Tuesday.
Funeral services were pending Tuesday for the actress famous for her signature slapstick style and disarming wit. The Bronx native rose to fame with her portrayal of the street-wise Laverne De Fazio in the 1970s sitcom “Laverne and Shirley.” In many ways, it was a groundbreaking show starring two female leads navigating the travails of dating, working and dreaming in the era of women’s liberation. Marshall would go on to direct and produce films, serving as a mentor and model for powerful women in Hollywood.
“Laverne and Shirley” was co-created by her brother director/producer Garry Marshall, and it was her breakout role after a series of smaller television gigs, including at turn as Oscar Madison’s secretary in the TV series “The Odd Couple.” She was also a regular on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” A guest spot as Laverne De Fazio on “Happy Days” catapulted her to fame when it landed her the spinoff “Laverne and Shirley” alongside Cindy Williams, who played Shirley Feeney. “Laverne and Shirley” ran from 1976 to 1983.
The sitcom gave Marshall the chance to try her hand at directing, and she quickly parlayed that into a career behind the camera directing hits such as Whoopi Goldberg’s “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and the Tom Hanks classic “Big.” “Big” is like many of the projects for which she is best known. It has a brash protagonist breaking rules and barriers with an endearing mix of childlike street-smarts.
Marshall went on to direct the Oscar-nominated “Awakenings,” “The Preacher’s Wife” and “Riding in Cars with Boys.”
Marshall was once married to and had a daughter with actor/director Rob Reiner in the 1970s.
“I loved Penny,” Reiner wrote on his Twitter page. “I grew up with her. She was born with a great gift. She was born with a funnybone and the instinct of how to use it. I was very lucky to have lived with her and her funnybone. I will miss her.”
She is survived by her sister — TV producer Ronny Hallin — daughter Tracy Reiner and three grandchildren, Spencer, Bella and Viva. Garry Marshall died in 2016.
Billy Crystal added: “Sad to hear of Penny Marshall’s passing. A great comedienne a terrific director and a dear friend.”
Friends and fans took to social media Tuesday to share their grief and celebrate her legacy.
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City News Service contributed to this report. Photo: Penny Marshall attends the SNL 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/Associated Press)