Hollywood remembers Garry Marshall: ‘He had a heart of the purest gold’

Garry Marshall was a writer-director who specialized in delivering upbeat fare with a smile. It was a trait that defined his East Coast wit as he put a distinctive stamp on the TV landscape with landmark comedies such as “Happy Days,” “Laverne and Shirley” and “Mork & Mindy.”  

His special brand of sly humor, supplemented at times with outrageous slapstick, also carried over in popular films such as “Pretty Woman,” “The Princess Diaries” and “Overboard,” as well as the Bette Midler tearjerker, “Beaches.”

FULL COVERAGE: Garry Marshall | 1934 - 2016 »

“Garry of course was one of those truly important people  one is blessed to meet in one's lifetime. Besides being the pulse and life force of Pretty Woman... a steady helmsman on a ship that could have easily capsized,” said “Pretty Woman” star Richard Gere in a statement. “He was a super fine and decent man, husband and father who brought real joy and love and infectious good spirits to every thing and everyone he crossed paths with. Everyone loved Garry.

“He was a mentor and a cheerleader and one of the funniest men who ever lived. He had a heart of the purest gold and a soul full of mischief. He was Garry."

From stars of the TV show “The Odd Couple,” where he served as the executive consultant, to a myriad of actors he worked with throughout his career, everyone had a kind word to say about the legendary writer-director-producer:

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UPDATES:

This article was updated with additional reactions.

This article was originally published at 10:25 p.m.