After a career that lasted more than half a century, and only months after the release of his most recent comedy Mother’s Day, Garry Marshall has died at the age of 81.
The prolific writer/director/producer/actor had an extensive career in film and television, writing for The Tonight Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Lucy Show, and eventually adapted the hit Neil Simon comedy The Odd Couple for television. Although Garry Marshall would eventually have a number of unsuccessful TV shows under his belt – including the notorious short-lived sitcom Me and the Chimp – he solidified his place in television history by creating the iconic sitcoms Happy Days, Morky and Mindy and Laverne and Shirley, the latter of which starred his sister Penny Marshall (who herself would become the director of hit films, including Big and A League of Their Own).
Garry Marshall went on to great success directing feature comedies including The Flamingo Kid, Overboard and Beaches. His 1990 comedy Pretty Woman starred Julia Roberts as a prostitute who romances a millionaire (played by Richard Gere), a film that earned Roberts an Oscar nomination and jumpstarted her career. The film was an enormous financial success that has gone on to become, arguably, one of the most popular motion pictures ever made.
Buena Vista Pictures
In the years that followed Garry Marshall made a series of films that seemed to be based on the success of Pretty Woman, including The Princess Diaries (which in turn made Anne Hathaway a star) and The Runaway Bride (which reunited Julie Roberts and Richard Gere). Recently, his particular brand of sentimental comedies took a somewhat novel turn, focusing on a series of interconnected melodramas taking place simultaneously, over the course of a particular holiday. Marshall’s last three films, each told in this style would eventually form a holiday trilogy: Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve and Mother’s Day.
In the wake of Pretty Woman, Garry Marshall’s films came under close scrutiny from many critics for promoting antiquated romantic and sometimes sexist behaviors for the sake of entertainment. It’s an accusation that can be lobbed at many of his films, particularly Overboard, which is a “romantic comedy” (and not a horror movie) about a man who takes advantage of an amnesiac woman by convincing her that she’s his housewife.
But even so, Garry Marshall was a respected and important figure in the entertainment industry, whose impact on the mediums of film and television could not, and should not be ignored. He reinvigorated the comedy genre several times throughout his life, and helped bring some of our most talented performers into the spotlight. He was a legend, and he will be missed.
Top Photo: Nancy R. Schiff/Getty Images
William Bibbiani (everyone calls him ‘Bibbs’) is Crave’s film content editor and critic. You can hear him every week on The B-Movies Podcast and Canceled Too Soon, and watch him on the weekly YouTube series Most Craved, Rapid Reviews and What the Flick. Follow his rantings on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
