'Pretty Woman' director Garry Marshall dies at 81

Los Angeles: Veteran filmmaker and TV personality Garry Marshall has died. He was 81.

Marshall, who created some of the 1970s' most iconic sitcoms including "Happy Days," and "The Odd Couple" and went on to direct hit movies including "Pretty Woman" and "The Princess Diaries," passed away on Tuesday, July 19, reported E! online.

According to his representative, Marshall died from complications of pneumonia following a stroke at a hospital in Burbank, California.

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."

The veteran filmmaker made his directorial debut in 1967 on his series "Hey, Landlord". 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.

The trio reunited for the 1999 box office success "Runaway Bride," about a woman who keeps leaving her fiances at the altar.

The "The Princess Diaries" and its sequel were also big hits for Marshall . The films, which made a star of Anne Hathaway, saw global grosses of USD 165 million and USD 135 million, respectively.

He also had a long acting career that began in the early 1960s. He played a hoodlum in the James Bond film "Goldfinger" and made appearances, most uncredited, in many of his film and TV projects.

Numerous celebrities took to Twitter to pay their respects, including "Happy Days" alum Henry Winkler, who tweeted, "Thank you for my professional life. Thank you for your loyalty, friendship and generosity."

"Garry Marshall gave me one of the best experiences I ever had in my career. Thanks pal. RIP," tweeted Jason Alexander.

Actor Albert Brooks wrote, "RIP Garry Marshall. A great, great guy and the best casino boss in the history of film. #lostinamerica".

"RIP Garry Marshall. You forever changed my father's life, and thus, mine. Thank you for capturing so much joy on film, over and over," Robin Williams' daughter Zelda tweeted.

Marshall is survived by his wife of 53 years, Barbara, and three children, including Scott, a film director.