Penny Marshall's death struck a chord in many in Hollywood as well as her fans.
Born Carole Penny Marshall, the actress and director died at 75 while at her home in the Hollywood Hills on December 17. According to a document obtained by The Blast, her death was a result of heart failure attributed to her having atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The death certificate also revealed that Marshall was cremated. Her remains were given to her older sister, actress Ronny Hallin. "Our family is heartbroken over the passing of Penny Marshall," the Marshall family said in a statement via spokesperson Michelle Bega, according to CNN.
Marshall's older brother was director Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries), who died from pneumonia in July 2016.
Marshall became a noteworthy name in Hollywood through her role as Laverne DeFazio in the 1970s sitcom Laverne & Shirley. Her acting efforts in the popular series, which was a spin-off of Happy Days, earned her three Golden Globe nods. She appeared on other television shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Mork & Mindy in addition to movies, including Everybody Wants to Be Italian. She also directed the movies Big, The Preacher's Wife and Riding in Cars With Boys.
Before Marshall's death, she directed the upcoming documentary on the life of NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman, titled Rodman. The film is currently in postproduction, according to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). It was scheduled to debut in September 2019.
Marshall was mourned by many, including her ex-husband Rob Reiner. Reiner, who was married to Marshall from 1971 to 1981, tweeted on December 18, saying it was "so sad about Penny" dying.
"I loved Penny. 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," the 71-year-old wrote. "I was very lucky to have lived with her and her funnybone. I will miss her."
So sad about Penny.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) December 18, 2018
I loved Penny. 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.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) December 18, 2018
Ron Howard recognized via Twitter how Marshall was able to "transition from sitcom star to A-List movie director with ease & had a major impact on both mediums" all while being "relaxed, funny & totally unpretentious." Reese Witherspoon said via Twitter that Marshall was an "inspiring woman" who was "so supportive of my career from the very beginning and I will always be so grateful." Tom Hanks, who was directed by Marshall in Big, also tweeted: "Goodbye, Penny. Man, did we laugh a lot! Wish we still could. Love you. Hanx."
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Dory Jackson is a New York-based entertainment journalist from Maryland. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College—in May 2016—with a focus in Communication ... Read more
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