Penny Marshall, Actress and Director, DEAD @ 75
Penny Marshall may be best remembered from costarring in the top-rated 1970s and ’80s sitcom “Laverne & Shirley.” She also was well known for directing hit movies such as “Big” and “A League of Their Own.”
She appeared on many TV shows including one of this writers favorite comedies, "The Odd Couple." Her brother Garry Marshall cast her in that show and her character "Myrna Turner" was a semi-regular alongside Tony Randal and Jack Klugman.
In an LA Times interview in 1988 Marshall was quoted, “I’m sure people thought I got parts because my brother was being nice, and at first I probably thought the same thing, but my brother finally told me, ‘I’m not giving you a job ’cause I’m nice. I’m not that nice."
Her first feature film as director was the 1986 Whoopi Goldberg comedy “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”
That led to some very successful movies. “Big,” which starred Tom Hanks. “Awakenings” starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams. That film earned three Oscar nominations, including best picture and actor in a leading role for De Niro.
Other notable films include “A League of Their Own,” “Renaissance Man”, “The Preacher’s Wife” and “Riding in Cars with Boys”.
Marshall had a documentary in set for upcoming release in September of 2019 about former NBA superstar and recent international diplomat Dennis Rodman calledl “Rodman.”
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