Penny Marshall (1943-2018)
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 2:00PM by Nathaniel R
We were terribly sad last night to receive word that America's most successful female sitcom-star-turned-director had passed away at the age of 75 of complications from diabetes. We'd long hoped that showbiz legend Penny Marshall, who became a household name in the 1970s as one of half of Laverne & Shirley before getting behind the camera in the 1980s (to immediate success), had another movie or two in her. That was wishful thinking, we realize, since she hadn't directed a feature since 2001. Still, we'll always have her two indisputable comedy classics Big (1988) and A League of Their Own (1992) to remember her by...
In her pioneering directorial career -- she was the first female director to helm two $100 million-grossing hits, those two aforementioned classics -- she also gave us the Whoopi Goldberg hit Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), the Best Picture nominee Awakenings (1990), the Danny DeVito comedy Renaissance Man, the romantic fantasy remake The Preacher's Wife (1996), and her least successful final film, the Drew Barrymore vehicle Riding in Cars with Boys (2001). She was apparently working on a documentary about the athlete Dennis Rodman before her death so perhaps we'll see that still.
Penny Marshall with her stars at the premiere of "Awakenings" in 1990, her only Best Picture nominee. If Oscar wasn't immune to comedies, "Big" might have shared that honor
Funny Ladies: Penny Marshall with friend Carrie Fisher
Penny directing Madonna in "A League of Their Own"
the iconic Laverne & Shirley
Penny Marshall is survived by her daughter Tracy Reiner, five grandchildren, and her older sister Ronny Harlin. Marshall's very successful directing older brother Gary Marshall (of Pretty Woman, Princess Diaries, and Beaches fame) and her close friend Carrie Fisher passed away just two years ago so there is probably quite a hilarious reunion happening in the hereafter at we type. But she'll be missed right here.
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Reader Comments (19)
"America's most successful sitcom-star-turned-director..." Ron Howard might quibble with that. But per capita, she's at least America's *best* sitcom-turned-director. Big and A League of Their Own are stone-cold classics, Jumpin' Jack Flash is a hoot, and Awakenings and Riding in Cars with Boys are underrated gems. She already is missed—since 2001.
This stings.
I keep hearing her line delivery of "Wait til you see what I'm gonna call ya..." from Hocus Pocus in my head. R.I.P.
Your typo refers to Carrie Fisher as her "lose friend" As a self-described loose woman, I think Carrie would have gotten kick out of that. ; )
I always forget that Penny Marshall is Gary Marshall's sister.
Biggs-
LOL She absolutely would have howled at that gaffe. :-)
It wasn't deep, but "Laverne & Shirley" was sometimes great physical comedy. Nobody makes shows like that much anymore.
Rest in Peace.
ALOTO is her best.
She directed one of Robert De Niro's greatest scenes ever, the smile in Awakenings.
Penny Marshall and Randa Haines. Those were the only female directors I knew as a child.
She totally derserves a documentary like the one Nora Ephron had. Why do we always wait until they're gone?
The pic of Marshall & Fisher is really rather sad to look at now. Where has all this time gone?
RIP Penny Marshall.
What a character, and what a life. Penny Marshall with her accent and comedic timing was a gifted sitcom actress. Then she managed to direct 2 great films, Big and A League of Their Own, which both have iconic moments that shine.
Check out Rosie O'donnell's twitter for some great pictures, and Alec Baldwin's podcast "Here's the Thing" has a Rosie interview where she talks about how much fun it was working with Penny Marshall and Madonna. Marshall's success as a director helped pave the way for others to follow.
Awakenings is such a great movie. She should have been nominated for best director for that one.
I am sorry, but I absolutely love RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS. I think it’s a film that constantly gets better each time you watch it and I will never tire of it. I also think it contains Drew Barrymore’s best performance, ever! She was robbed of an Oscar nomination, so was Steve Zahn, actually.
Today filmmakers and actors are fluid between the various mediums of film television and stage. That was not the case 40 years ago. Penny Marshall got her start in TV, became a big star due to a hit TV show that relied on physical comedy. For her to transition to directing movie hits as a woman was trailblazing. She deserves all the recognition coming to her. She will be greatly missed.
Yet another female director the Directing Branch should be ashamed about ignoring.
I remember seeing JUMPIN' JACK FLASH and immediately becoming a fan of it and especially Whoopi. And discovering A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN through the Madonna video and watching it on VHS with my mother.
Tom G. and Bhuray, Condragulations, you are BOTH the winner of this week's challenge. RIP Penny, I adored Laverne and Shirley as a child, and even had the theme as my ringtone on my phone for a long time.
I so adored her - she managed to draw out of Robin Williams his finest dramatic turn and Tom Hanks his best comic work. Also, she was one hell of an actress and comedian. The collective loss of Nora, Carrie and Penny is very tough to take.
Steve Zahn was GREAT In Riding in Cars With Boys.