Police Academy and Broadway star Marion Ramsey has passed away at the age of 73.
Her management told the BBC that she died at her home in Los Angeles on Thursday morning but did not mention the exact cause of death.
Marion was best known for her portrayal of the squeaky-voiced Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police Academy comedy film series.
Roger Paul Inc said in a statement: “Her passion for performing and sharing her heart with the world was immense.
“Marion carried with her a kindness and permeating light that instantly filled a room upon her arrival.
“The dimming of her light is already felt by those who knew her well. We will miss her, and always love her.”
Marion from Pennsylvania started her career in theatre, appearing in the original Broadway and the touring productions of Hello, Dolly!
She also appeared as a guest on the sitcom The Jeffersons in 1976.
Her agent said that she was ‘particularly proud’ of Broadway’s Dreamgirls as it became a major motion picture in 2006.
Marion appeared in all six Police Academy movies throughout the 1980s, making her a familiar face to fans of the films.
Her other notable TV credits include The Nanny and Robot Chicken, 90210, Beverly Hills, and MacGyver.
She was a dedicated activist in HIV/AIDS awareness, performing in Sheryl Lee Ralph’s fundraising event Divas Simply Singing in LA.
One fan commented: “I met her at the Police academy reunion in 2019 at Bowlers in Manchester, she was frail but had made the effort to travel and meet her fans, and she came across very well, she was lovely, very polite and a good actress RIP Hooks.”
Another wrote: “There will never be another police academy. The original cast were the very best. I could never work out why, when many people found them hilarious (myself included), the critics always seemed to take a dim view of the films. It just reaffirmed my belief that critics have no sense of humour.”
A third added: “She 100% made the Police Academy movies! Bless her soul.”
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Replaced!