As reported by CNN and others, Penny Marshall has died at the age of 75. Marshall became famous as the Laverne half of Laverne and Shirley on the classic sitcom, and went on to success as a director of films like Big, A League of Their Own, and Awakenings. As Muppet Wiki tells us, “at one point” she was attached to direct an adaptation of Into the Woods featuring puppets by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
Strangely enough, Marshall never worked with the Muppet Show characters. But Muppet fans may or may not recall that she starred with Rosie O’Donnell in a series of Kmart commercials in the 1990s, including some for Sesame Street products. Here’s the one I found on YouTube:
Marshall also made a live appearance with Big Bird while this campaign was going on. When we interviewed Matt Vogel way back in 2008, he told us an amusing story about how Marshall “lost her footing and grabbed Big Bird by the right wing– ripping it off the puppet! In front of everyone– Cameras, reporters, children!” Fortunately, Big Bird reassured the audience that it would grow back, and Penny Marshall was able to continue her career without a scandal.
Click here to remember Penny Marshall on the Tough Pigs forum.
by Ryan Roe – Ryan@ToughPigs.com
