It was the summer of 1992 and I was living my Gilmore Girl life before the Gilmore Girls were even a thought. My mom was Lorelai Gilmore and I, Rory Gilmore. While my mom was cleaning our apartment, I took it upon myself to find something to watch. So little four-year old me was rifling through our VHS (let that sink in as to how old I am) cabinet and I came across a movie that would most likely change my life as I know it. So, I parked my little tush in my teddy bear chair and pressed play and the opening credits rolled out in front of me.
“I don't need to fall at your feet
Just cause you cut me to the bone
And I won't miss the way that you kiss me
We were never carved in stone”
That opening song stuck in my head and then you see the Sunset Strip and then the title of “Pretty Woman” comes up. Boom. Life is finished as I know it. I continue to watch the movie (obviously not knowing what the entire movie was about except for a pretty woman named Vivian) and the story of Vivian and Edward. Fast forward to 2001; a year into the Millennium, where the biggest trends of the time: Harry Potter, PlayStation 2, butterfly hair clips and glitter—tons and tons of glitter. I’m convinced that entire year was just lost in a huge cloud of glitter. Britney Spears was (and still is) a huge hit, and then a little movie was released in theaters by Disney. “The Princess Diaries” starred a budding actress by the name of Anne Hathaway and the legendary Dame Julie Andrews. We all related to Mia Thermopolis in a way, minus the one little title of PRINCESS. Mia perceived through high school, all while finding herself and falling in love for her best friend’s brother, Michael.
We’ve fallen in love with characters such as Vivian Ward, Edward Lewis, Mia Thermopolis, Felix Unger, Oscar Madison, Laverne DeFazio, Shirley Feeney, Mork, Mindy McConnell, and even a character that goes by Arthur Fonzarelli. But what do all these characters have in common? Garry Marshall created each of them. He “protected” us from three witches named Winifred, Sarah and Mary who were all looking for the black flame candle, he made us laugh with Fonzie walking in going “AYYY!!!” with his thumbs sticking out, he introduced us to an alien named Mork and introduced us to the most fantastic comedian in the world, Robin Williams.
Garry Marshall was born November 13, 1934 in Bronx, New York to a mother who was a tap dance teacher and a father who was an industrial film director. His sister, Penny, grew up to become an actress and later on a film director and his brother Ronnie, a television producer. Garry had a bright career and a very famous one at that. All he did was make the world laugh when the world needed it. I remember watching his films cracking up at his jokes and laughing even harder because they were funnier due to his heavy New York accent. He gave us heartwarming movies such as “Mother’s Day,” “New Year’s Eve” and “Valentine’s Day.” He featured wonderful actors such as Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Robin Williams and everyone’s favorite, Hector Elizondo, who was featured in every single movie that Marshall directed.
At 3:30 AM this morning, I was awoken to my cat slapping me in the face because he decided that he was hungry. It was at that point that I looked at the TV and in bold letters across my television screen read “ACTOR/DIRECTOR GARRY MARSHALL DEAD AT 81.” I had to rub my eyes to make sure that I read the headline correct. I sat there in bed, shocked at what I just read. It felt like a blow to the chest; the way it felt when Robin Williams passed away (actually that was way worse). I’m not one to get all emotional over celebrities passing away, because in honesty, they all come and go. But this was a shocker. I quickly checked my phone and all over the internet was the same headline with not much information. It was then released throughout the day that he passed away from complications from a pneumonia after suffering a stroke.
For someone like myself, movies and books are a means of escape from reality, where I can get lost and not have anyone bother me. Where I cannot be judged because of the way that I look, or my skin color, etc. So hearing about the death of Garry Marshall, hurt. Robin Williams hurt more, but this hurt.
The world lost someone who made us laugh and cry, but more importantly, he made us laugh more than anything.
So, Mr. Marshall, the curtains have closed and it’s time to bid our goodbyes, but most importantly, we’ll learn to live like Mia, love like Vivian and Edward, and help save the planet like Buck Cluck.
We’ll miss you.
