Veteran filmmaker Garry Marshall, the man behind some of the best Hollywood romantic comedies like Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride and Valentine’s Day, has died at the age of 81.
According to his representative, Marshall died from complications of pneumonia following a stroke at a hospital in Burbank, California, on Tuesday, reported E! Online.
His sister, actress and director Penny Marshall, also confirmed the news.
Born in Bronx, Marshall graduated from Northwestern U’s Medill School of Journalism and began his career as a joke writer for comedians including Joey Bishop, then worked on the writing staff of The Tonight Show With Jack Paar.
He made his directorial debut in 1967 with TV show Hey, landlord and went on to create some of the 1970s’ most iconic sitcoms including Happy Days, and The Odd Couple.
The first feature Marshall directed was the 1982 comedy Young Doctors in love, but his first big screen blockbuster was 1990’s Pretty Woman, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.