# Eddie Mekka (Laverne and Shirley) dies at 69 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 3, 2021, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-mekka-laverne-and-shirley-dies-at-69/955404 "2021-12-03T00:30:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-mekka-laverne-and-shirley-dies-at-69/955404/1 "2021-12-03T00:30:18Z")
Carmine The Big Ragoo” Ragusa has left the building. Eddie Mekka was primarily a stage actor. He was nominated for a Tony award. He continued in the theater after L&S. Penny Marshall cast her old friend in League of Their Own. Eddie danced with Madonna in a memorable scene. I find it difficult seeing young actors from my high school days die. Laverne and Shirley was the cool show back then. > **[Eddie Mekka, ‘Laverne & Shirley’ Star and Tony Award Nominee, Dies at 69](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/eddie-mekka-dead-laverne-shirley-star-was-69-1235056231/?_escaped_fragment_=)** > > The actor played Carmine Ragusa on the 1976-83 comedy. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-mekka-laverne-and-shirley-dies-at-69/955404/2 "2021-12-03T00:31:26Z")
Wow. A lot younger than I thought he’d be. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-mekka-laverne-and-shirley-dies-at-69/955404/3 "2021-12-03T00:37:43Z")
The cast of L&S aged quickly. Penny and Gerry Marshall died a few years ago. David Lander, Squiggy died in 2020 after years of bad health. Cindy Williams posted a nice tribute to Eddie. > **[Cindy Williams Remembers ‘Laverne & Shirley’ Co-Star Eddie Mekka: “I Love...](https://deadline.com/2021/12/cindy-williams-eddie-mekka-laverne-shirley-tribute-twitter-1234883546/)** > > Cindy Williams paid tribute to her Laverne & Shirley co-star Eddie Mekka today, tweeting her love and calling the late actor “a world-class talent who could do it all.” The tweet (s… ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-mekka-laverne-and-shirley-dies-at-69/955404/4 "2021-12-03T02:53:24Z")
Old thread about Betty Garrett and Eddie Mekka. I checked the linked news article and it’s still valid. > [@RIP Betty Garrett (aka Irene Lorenzo, aka Edna Babish-DeFazio)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-betty-garrett-aka-irene-lorenzo-aka-edna-babish-defazio/571258): > > She [made it to 91](http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/betty-garrett-blacklisted-musical-actress-dies-91/story?id=12906366)and taught an acting class just last week, but still sad to see her go as she was always a blast on interview programs. Very interesting life: young starlet (who never quite became a star), married to a star (Larry Parks), survivor of the Blacklist, rebuilt her life a couple of times (once from the financial damage done by McCarthyism, then rebuilt her career in her 50s), and a very fit and vital senior. Best remembered for her early work in On the Town and her later TV work … ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-mekka-laverne-and-shirley-dies-at-69/955404/5 "2021-12-03T02:58:54Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > David Lander, Squiggy died in 2020 after years of bad health. I didn’t realize he’d died. Great title for an autobiography: > **[Fall Down Laughing: How Squiggy Caught Multiple Sclerosis and Didn't Tell...](https://www.amazon.com/Fall-Down-Laughing-Multiple-Sclerosis/dp/1585420522)** > > Fall Down Laughing: How Squiggy Caught Multiple Sclerosis and Didn't Tell Nobody \[Lander, David\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Fall Down Laughing: How Squiggy Caught Multiple Sclerosis and Didn't Tell Nobody ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-mekka-laverne-and-shirley-dies-at-69/955404/6 "2021-12-03T07:15:29Z")
I watched L&S back in high school in the 70s. And I remember the dance scene with Madonna in _A League of Their Own_. RIP Eddie Mekka. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2021, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddie-mekka-laverne-and-shirley-dies-at-69/955404/7 "2021-12-04T14:20:09Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Carmine The Big Ragoo” Ragusa has left the building. There’s a candy here called [Ragusa](https://www.ragusa.ch/en/), which I always thought reminded me of someone’s name. And now I have the correct connection. I really enjoyed Laverne and Shirley and still get random earworms from the theme song. My childhood is disappearing. 😢