Garry Marshall, the legendary director, writer and producer who is often credited for ensuring Julia Roberts’ success with his film Pretty Woman, has died on Tuesday evening from complications of pneumonia following a stroke at a Burbank hospital. He was 81.
Marshall was responsible for some of the best small screen entertainment in the 1970s, creating such iconic sitcoms as Mork & Mindy, Happy Days and The Odd Couple. But his success isn’t limited to television. Over his storied career he helmed such films as Overboard, two Princess Diaries films and Valentine’s Day.
A forceful figure in the world of television comedy, Marshall earned five Emmy nominations over the course of his highly celebrated career: four for The Odd Couple and one for Mork & Mindy. But the trophy itself always eluded him.
Marshall studied journalism at Northwester University and served a stint in the army prior to entering the world of show business. He continued to create during his final days, releasing Mother’s Day this past April and completing a rewrite of the book for a Broadway adaptation for Pretty Woman, one of his most recognized big screen creations.
About Stephen Davis
I owe this hobby/career to the one and only Stephanie Peterman who, while interning at Fox, told me that I had too many opinions and irrelevant information to keep it all bottled up inside. I survived my first rated R film, Alive, at the ripe age of 8, it took me months to grasp the fact that Julia Roberts actually died at the end of Steel Magnolias, and I might be the only person alive who actually enjoyed Sorority Row…for its comedic value of course. While my friends can drink you under the table, I can outwatch you when it comes iconic, yet horrid 80s films like Adventures in Babysitting and Troop Beverly Hills. I have no shame when it comes to what I like, and if you have a problem with that, then we’ll settle it on the racquetball court. I see too many movies to actually win any film trivia contest, so don’t waste your first pick on me. My friends rent movies from my bookcase shelves, and one day I do plan to start charging. I long to live in LA, where my movie obsession will actually help me fit in, but for now I am content with my home in Austin. I prefer indies to blockbusters, Longhorns to Sooners and Halloween to Friday the 13th. I miss the classics, as well as John Ritter, and I hope to one day sit down and interview the amazing Kate Winslet.
