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Penny Marshall: Director of “A League of Their Own” Passes Away

By Manny Gómez|
Fans leave tributes on Penny Marshall's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame shortly after the news that the actress died aged 75 was made public, in Hollywood, California, on December 18, 2018. - Penny Marshall, the star of ABC's "Laverne and Shirley" who became one of the most successful female directors in history at the helm of "Big," "A League of Their Own" and a string of other hit movies, has died. She was 75. The filmmaker died peacefully in her Hollywood Hills on Monday, December 17, 2018 due to complications from diabetes, her publicist told AFP. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)
Fans leave tributes on Penny Marshall's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame shortly after the news that the actress died aged 75 was made public, in Hollywood, California, on December 18, 2018. - Penny Marshall, the star of ABC's "Laverne and Shirley" who became one of the most successful female directors in history at the helm of "Big," "A League of Their Own" and a string of other hit movies, has died. She was 75. The filmmaker died peacefully in her Hollywood Hills on Monday, December 17, 2018 due to complications from diabetes, her publicist told AFP. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)

On Monday night, ground-breaking director and actress Penny Marshall died in her home due to complications from diabetes. She was 75 years old.

It’s difficult to think of a single person in Film & TV as influential as Penny Marshall. From Laverne & Shirley, the most watched TV show in 1977, to Big, where Marshall became the first woman ever to direct a film to gross over $100M, Ms. Marshall was truly one of a kind.

In a statement, Marshall’s family recalled that “Penny was a tomboy who loved sports, doing puzzles of any kind, drinking milk and Pepsi together, and being with her family.”

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I’ll remember her most for my favorite baseball movie of all time, A League of Their Own (ALOTO). Released in 1992, ALOTO told the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) which lasted just 12 years, from 1943 – 1954. The film featured the likes of Geena Davis, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, and Tom Hanks to name a few.

In 2012, ALOTO was one of 25 films selected for preservation by the National Film Registry, which was established in 1989. According to the Los Angeles Times, 

"Under the conditions of the National Film Preservation Act, the librarian of Congress names 25 films yearly that are “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”"

A movie that featured all the elements of a classic film,  ALOTO is best known for its plethora of timeless quotes and comedy bits, like this one:

According to Penny Marshall’s filmography, Marshall recently worked on a documentary called Rodman in which she tells the story of none other than former NBA star Dennis Rodman. The film is currently in post-production, according to IMDB.

Penny Marshall will most certainly be missed. May she rest in peace.

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