Broadway actress and Police Academy star Marion Ramsey has died at the age of 73. She was best known for playing Officer Laverne Hooks in the popular 1980s comedy franchise.
According to People, Ramsey died in her Los Angeles home Thursday morning. No cause of death has been released.
Roger Paul Inc., the management company who worked with Ramsey, released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, writing how Ramsey “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,” the management company continued. “We will miss her and always love her.”
Ramsey’s career started in 1976 after appearing on The Jeffersons and Cos, sketch comedy show created by Bill Cosby, as Essence reports. The Hollywood Reporter also wrote about Ramsey’s stage career, starring in productions like Hello, Dolly, Miss Moffat opposite Bette Davis, the Los Angeles run of The Little Shop of Horrors and more.
Her career, which also included advocacy for HIV and AIDS education and research, continued into the recent years with voice acting and TV appearances, including voice acting work for shows like Cartoon Network’s animated The Addams Family series and Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!. Her last film role was in 2018 indie film When I Sing, about a struggling singer who faces Grammy gatekeepers as she vies for one of the industry’s coveted awards.
