Penny Marshall's death caused by heart failure

Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Laverne & Shirley star and filmmaker Penny Marshall died of heart failure resulting from cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to her death certificate, issued Monday.

The death certificate from the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office was obtained by TMZ. Marshall died Dec. 17 at age 75 at her home in Hollywood Hills.

Marshall's body was cremated with her remains going to her sister Ronny Hallin.

Marshall rose to fame in the 1970s with her role as Laverne DeFazio on Happy Days. She reprised the role on Happy Days spinoff Laverne & Shirley, which ran for eight seasons until 1983.

The actress then turned to directing, helming films such as Jumpin' Jack Flash starring Whoopi Goldberg, Big and A League of Their Own with Tom Hanks and Awakenings, starring Robin Williams and Robert De Niro.

"Penny was a girl from the Bronx, who came out West, put a cursive 'L' on her sweater and transformed herself into a Hollywood success story," her family said in a statement at the time of her death.

Notable deaths of 2018