TV, film legend Garry Marshall dies at 81
Hollywood actor, director, writer and producer Garry Marshall is gone at age 81.
The comedy giant died at 5 p.m. PT Tuesday from complications of pneumonia following a stroke at a hospital in Burbank, Calif., his representative Michelle Bega confirmed to USA TODAY.
A beloved figure in show business, Marshall leaves behind a legacy as a hitmaker on television and in films, a comedian with impeccable delivery, and a warm personality to those he encountered.
Appreciation: Garry Marshall, auteur of odd couples
He was born in the Bronx to a tap dance teacher and an industrial film director. "My mother was special, she gave us our humor," Marshall recalled in an interview with USA TODAY in April. "I remember her saying, 'Never be boring.You gotta entertain people.' And at 16 years old, I didn't know what boring meant. I said, 'What is boring, Ma?' She said, 'Your father,' " he said, chuckling.
Marshall broke into showbiz in the late 1950s as a joke writer, eventually earning his way to becoming a writer on The Tonight Show with Jack Paar. In 1970, Marshall adapted his first TV hit, The Odd Couple, from a play with writing partner Jerry Belson. He went on to create sitcoms Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley (which starred his sister, Penny Marshall) and Mork & Mindy (which introduced the world to Robin Williams).
In the '80s, Marshall turned his talents to feature films, finding his first hit with The Flamingo Kid (1984), followed by Overboard (1987) and Beaches (1989).
The hits kept coming, from 1990's Pretty Woman (which propelled Julia Roberts to stardom), 1999's Runaway Bride and 2001's The Princess Diaries (which made Anne Hathaway a household name).
Then came the celebrity-filled, holiday-themed comedies: 2010’s Valentine’s Day, 2011’s New Year’s Eve and this year, Mother's Day.
He was also a memorable actor, starring in '90s films such as Soapdish and A League of Their Own and serving as micro-managing network president Stan Lansing on TV's Murphy Brown. More recently, he appeared on episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bojack Horseman and Hot in Cleveland.
The spirit on Marshall’s set is all about family, he told USA TODAY recently. Longtime friend Hector Elizondo was in 18 films of Marshall's films; in Mother's Day, Marshall's wife, Barbara, had a cameo. Roberts starred in four films for her director. Kate Hudson's family was entwined with his — not only did she star in Marshall's Raising Helen (2004) but also yelled "Action!" from Marshall's lap as a kid when her mother, Goldie Hawn, starred in Overboard.
"On Mother’s Day, I had Kate’s son (Bingham) on my lap when Kate was acting,” Marshall told USA TODAY. “It’s all circles. I know the family. I see them grow.”
'Mother's Day' is all about family for director Garry Marshall
He remained prolific, having recently finished a rewrite of Pretty Woman for the Broadway-bound musical. "He loved telling stories, making people laugh, and playing softball, winning numerous championships," read a statement sent by his rep. "Even at age 81, he had a record this year of 6 - 1 pitching for his team."
Funeral services will be private, and a memorial is being planned for his birthday on Nov. 13.
Marshall is survived by his wife of 53 years, nurse Barbara Sue Marshall; two sisters, Ronny Hallin and Penny Marshall; three children, Lori, a writer, Kathleen, a theater producer, and Scott, a film and TV director; and six grandchildren.
Contributing: Bryan Alexander
