# Penny Marshall dies at age 75 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334 "2018-12-18T19:20:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/1 "2018-12-18T19:20:02Z")
[Penny Marshall has died.](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-penny-marshall-dies-at-75-story.html) I remember watching Laverne and Shirley as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/2 "2018-12-18T19:27:29Z")
Damn. It seems impossible that she was that old, let alone die. It’s very sobering when people that were young and at the top of their game when you were kids die. It doesn’t seem THAT long ago, does it? Anyway, RIP Penny. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/3 "2018-12-18T19:27:32Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > [Penny Marshall has died.](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-penny-marshall-dies-at-75-story.html) > > I remember watching Laverne and Shirley as a kid. “And we’ll do it OUR way, yes, OUR way, we’ll make all our dreeeeeams…come true…for me and yoouuuu!” (Will her coffin have an embroidered “L” for Laverne?) RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/4 "2018-12-18T19:29:36Z")
I enjoyed reading her memoir My Mother Was Nuts a few years ago. I am sorry to hear she passed, RIP Penny. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/5 "2018-12-18T19:31:07Z")
Damn it. Now we can never know the truth about the alternate ending to _Big_. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/6 "2018-12-18T19:33:13Z")
Vo-dee-o-dodo in peace. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/7 "2018-12-18T19:34:31Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Damn. It seems impossible that she was that old, let alone die. > > It’s very sobering when people that were young and at the top of their game when you were kids die. It doesn’t seem THAT long ago, does it? > > Anyway, RIP Penny. Yes and for sure. Is Gary still alive? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/8 "2018-12-18T19:37:11Z")
Garry died in 2016. I read [her autobiography](https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Was-Nuts-Penny-Marshall/dp/0547892624/) a couple years ago. She had a really fun life and seemed like a cool person and a good friend. I loved the bond between her and her brother. She was 75 but it definitely seemed too soon for her! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/9 "2018-12-18T19:41:54Z")
Oh, damn. She was one of the people who we thought would never get old and die. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/10 "2018-12-18T19:52:06Z")
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated! I remember her from _The Odd Couple_, where she played Oscar’s secretary, Myrna. In addition to _Big_, she also directed the following movies: - Jumpin’ Jack Flash Awakenings A League of Their Own Renaissance Man The Preacher’s Wife Riding in Cars with Boys\* ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/11 "2018-12-18T19:52:54Z")
She’s wasn’t just Laverne, although that was her most visible role. I still remember her as Oscar’s secretary, Myrna, on _The Odd Couple_. And, of course, she went on to be a director, helming **Big, Awakenings, a League of their own** , and other films. I’ve read stories about later-successful stars talking about crashing at her place when they were broke. 75 seems so young to me these days… Edited to add - Simulpost! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/12 "2018-12-18T20:53:03Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Damn it. Now we can never know the truth about the alternate ending to _Big_. Yes, exactly as planned… ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/13 "2018-12-18T21:29:25Z")
Aw, man! That’s sad. She was a terrific comedic actress; always made me laugh! ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/14 "2018-12-18T21:44:31Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Damn it. Now we can never know the truth about the alternate ending to _Big_. 13 Going on 30. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/15 "2018-12-18T22:29:09Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > “And we’ll do it OUR way, yes, OUR way, we’ll make all our dreeeeeams…come true…for me and yoouuuu!” (Will her coffin have an embroidered “L” for Laverne?) > > RIP. That wouldn’t surprise me at all (or an “L” on her urn). I was a tween when “Laverne and Shirley” was on the air, and loved that program. RIP, Penny. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/16 "2018-12-18T22:46:24Z")
Shame. ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2018, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/17 "2018-12-18T23:39:30Z")
_solemnly raises a glass of milk and Pepsi_ ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2018, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/18 "2018-12-19T00:57:51Z")
Damn shame. I loved Laverne and Shirley as a kid. RIP Penny. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2018, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/19 "2018-12-19T01:07:30Z")
Oh, I was a fan. RIP Penny. Thanks for entertaining me. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2018, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334/20 "2018-12-19T01:27:47Z")
She was also Paula, Mary Richards’ new neighbor and Mr Grant’s new girlfriend on _ **MTM** _. Ginger or Mary Ann? LaVerne or Shirley? :dubious: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-marshall-dies-at-age-75/826334.md?page=2)