As an actor, she is best known for playing Laverne in the 70 the new series ”Laverne & Shirley”, a spin-off of the cult film ”the Gang and I” which was directed by her brother Garry Marshall.
As a director, she debuted in 1986 with spionkomedin ”Jumpin’ Jack Flash” with Whoopi Goldberg. Her movie ”Awakenings” from 1990 with Robert De Niro in the lead role was nominated for an Oscar for best film.
Tom Hanks in ”a league of their own” from 1992, when the united states during the second world war started, a female baseball league, when many of the male player was called into the war.
She was married with director Rob Reiner from 1971 to 1981 and had a relationship with singer Art Garfunkel in the ‘ 80s. Marshall and the deceased actor Carrie Fisher were close friends, and Marshall was the godmother to the Fishers daughter Billie Lourd.
”Our family is devastated. Penny was a tomboy who loved sports, puzzle, to mix Pepsi with milk and spend time with the family,” writes marshall’s family in a statement.
75 years old and died of complications resulting from diabetes. Her brother Garry died in 2016.