RIP Penny Marshall ~ Actor, producer, and director best known for her role as Laverne DeFazio on TV’s “Laverne & Shirley” (1976-83), a role she created on “Happy Days” (1975-79) created by her brother, Garry Marshall. The relationship between Laverne and Shirley (Cindy Williams) was often compared to that of Lucy and Ethel. That was not coincidental. Garry Marshall worked as a writer for Lucille Ball from 1964 to 1966. Penny and Lucy worked together on two specials: “Circus of the Stars II” (1977) and “General Electric’s All-Star Anniversary” (1978). In 1985 Penny Marshall tried her hand at theatre with off-Broadway’s EDEN COURT. It ran two weeks so that was that – back to Hollywood. Penny Marshall was 75 years old.