Penny Marshall death: Actor and director of ‘Big’ and ‘A League of Their Own’ dies, aged 75

Marshall, a Bronx native, rose to fame in the Seventies as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Laverne & Shirley

Penny Marshall, the celebrated actor, comedian, and director, has died at the age of 75.

Marshall passed away on Monday at her home in the Hollywood Hills, TMZ reported. She died of complications from diabetes, according to the website. Marshall’s publicist confirmed her passing and cause of death to Reuters.

Marshall, a Bronx native, rose to fame in the Seventies as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Laverne & Shirley.

The situation comedy, which ran on ABC from 1976 to 1983, followed the lives of two single women and their friends in the Fifties and Sixties in Milwaukee.

Penny Marshall attends the celebration of black cinema hosted by Broadcast Film Critics Association at House of Blues Sunset Strip on 7 January, 2014 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images for BFCA) ((Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images for BFCA))

Marshall, known for her bluntness, described the success of the series this way: “We dared to be stupid.”

After the series ended, she became a pioneering film director, whose works include the hit fantasy comedy Big starring and the sports comedy-drama A League of Their Own, both starring Tom Hanks.

The success of Big made Marshall the first woman to direct a film that made more than $100m at the US box office. A League of Their Own made her the first woman to direct two films topping $100m at the US box office.

Hanks delivered a great performance in Big as a 12-year-old boy whose wish to become an adult is magically granted. The film is known for its classic scene in which Hanks and Robert Loggia play duets by dancing on a toy store’s foot-operated electronic keyboard.

Marshall’s other works as director include Jumpin’ Jack Flash with Whoopi Goldberg and Awakenings, starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams.

The Marshall family said in a statement: “Our family is heartbroken.”

Marshall was married to Michael Henry for two years in the Sixties and to the director Rob Reiner from 1971 to 1981.

Their daughter Tracy Reiner is an actress. One of her first roles was a brief appearance in her mother’s Jumpin’ Jack Flash.

Marshall is also survived by her older sister, Ronny, and three grandchildren.

Billy Crystal was among the celebrities who paid tribute to Marshall on social media after the news of her passing broke.

“Sad to hear of Penny Marshall’s passing. A great comedienne a terrific director and a dear friend,” Crystal wrote.

Full-length promotional studio portrait of American actor Penny Marshall wearing cowboy boots, 1970s. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) ((Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images))

Director Ava DuVernay thanked Marshall “for the trails you blazed. The laughs you gave. The hearts you warmed”.

Jane Lynch retweeted a news update announcing Marshall’s death and simply wrote: “No.”

Rosie O’Donnell shared a video of a 1996 commercial in which she starred alongside Marshall.

Agencies contributed to this report.