Garry Marshall: November 13, 1934-July 19, 2016 (Image via YouTube @TVLEGENDS)

So sad to hear that Garry Marshall has died at the age of 81.

Marshall was best known for creating Happy Days (1974-1984) and all its associated shows [including Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983), a '70s fave of mine, and Mork & Mindy (1978-1982)]. He also brought The Odd Couple (1970-1975) to TV and directed a spate of crowd-pleasing movies, including Beaches (1988), Pretty Woman (1990), The Princess Diaries (2001) and his recent trilogy of holiday-themed, star-packed popcorn flicks Valentine's Day (2010), New Year's Eve (2011) and this year's Mother's Day.

Along with his more esteemed credits, I must mention his directorial debut, the jiggle comedy Young Doctors in Love (1982), which I found so titillating as a kid, and his failed series Blansky's Beauties (1977), as jumping out at me as, er, memorable.

With most of the Laverne & Shirley cast + Marshall in 2012 (Image by Matthew Rettenmund)

But along with all of the above-mentioned projects, the man had a hand in contributing to dozens of household-title TV classics.

I was pleased to meet Mr. Marshall at a Hollywood Show, along with his even-more-famous sis, Penny Marshall.

Marshall died of complications from pneumonia following a semi-recent stroke.