CULTURE

Penny Marshall Mourned by Rosie O’Donnell, Ex-Husband Rob Reiner, and More

The actress and director died on Monday night at the age of 75.


Penny Marshall, Rosie O'Donnell
Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Penny Marshall’s family confirmed that she had died the previous evening. Marshall, 75, reportedly died peacefully in her Hollywood Hills home on Monday, due to complications from diabetes. “Our family is heartbroken over the passing of Penny Marshall,” her family said in a statement. “We hope her life continues to inspire others to spend time with family, work hard and make all of their dreams come true.”

Immediately after the news broke, many of Marshall’s famous friends and colleagues took to social media to mourn her passing. There was plenty to mourn: Throughout her 50-year career, the prolific actress and director accrued dozens of credits both in front of and behind the camera. She started out in Hollywood playing Laverne DeFazio in her older brother Garry Marshall’s show Laverne & Shirley, then soon transitioned to more behind-the-scenes roles, directing films like Big, A League of Their Own, The Preacher’s Wife, and Riding in Cars With Boys, and producing Cinderella Man and Bewitched, among others.

Among those remembering Marshall on Tuesday were A League of Their Own stars Rosie O’Donnell and Geena Davis, Cinderella Man‘s Russell Crowe, and Ron Howard, who directed Cinderella Man and also starred in Happy Days, from which Laverne & Shirley was spun off. Billie Lourd, who was Marshall’s goddaughter, shared a photo of her late mother Carrie Fisher with Marshall. Rob Reiner, married to Marshall from 1971 to 1981, shared several heartfelt messages on Twitter. “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,” he wrote. Friends like Billy Crystal, William Shatner, and Kathy Griffin also offered their condolences.

Beyond Marshall’s many colleagues and close friends, countless fans paid their respects on Instagram and Twitter, too. Among these were stars like Ava DuVernay, Busy Philipps, Sean Astin, and many more.

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