Famed actress and director Penny Marshall died “peacefully” at her Hollywood Hills Home on Tuesday, her publicist confirmed. The Laverne & Shirley star and director died from complications caused by her diabetes.
“Our family is heartbroken over the passing of Penny Marshall,” a spokesperson of Marshall’s family said.
Born in 1943, Penny started acting from an early age. Her breakthrough came in the hit sitcom Laverne & Shirley between 1976 and 1983. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC and Penny was both an actress and a director in it.
In the following 20 years, the New York-born actress ventured in film directing. She found success in her 1988 film Big, Awakenings in 1990, The Preacher’s Wife in 1996 and Riding in Cars with Boys released in 2001. The movie Big was of particular significance to Penny as it helped her become the first woman to ever direct a film that grossed over $100 million. She also repeated the same success with A League of Their Own in 1992.
With the Awakenings, Penny got to work with Robert De Niro and Robby Williams. The film also got three Oscar award nominations.
Marshall leaves behind her daughter Tracy and five grandchildren.
