(CNN) Penny Marshall crammed a lot of creativity into a relatively concentrated period, from her iconic sitcom work to her transition into directing, producing an iconic TV show and a memorable string of movies.

Marshall, who died Monday at age 75 , left her mark both in front of and behind the camera. Her older brother, producer and director Garry Marshall, was certainly instrumental in her TV stardom, casting her in "The Odd Couple" (as Myrna the secretary) before she landed on "Happy Days" and eventually her own wildly popular spinoff, "Laverne & Shirley."

Still, Garry was quick to reassure his sister that nepotism wasn't responsible for her good fortune. In a 1988 interview, Penny told the Los Angeles Times that her brother had said, "'I'm not giving you a job 'cause I'm nice. I'm not that nice.'"

Marshall's gifts as a comic actress turned out to be the most recognizable aspect of her career, but not necessarily the most impressive. Having directed a few episodes of "Laverne & Shirley," she had the opportunity to direct "Jumpin' Jack Flash," a 1986 comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg.

The movie failed, but it opened the door to the film world, which paid off with "Big," the whimsical comedy-fantasy starring Tom Hanks. That box-office hit made Marshall the first woman to direct a movie that earned more than $100 million.

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