Marion Ramsey, Broadway star and actress of Police Academy fame has died. She was 73.
According to reports, Ramsey passed away at her home in Los Angeles on Thursday (January 7). Roger Paul of Roger Paul Inc., who managed Ramsey, confirmed the unfortunate news to Variety. Her cause of death remains to be determined, though her agency revealed the star had recently been ill.
Ramsey was popularly known for her portrayal of the soft-spoken Officer Laverne Hooks in six Police Academy films from 1984-1989, including Police Academy 6: Under Siege (1989) and Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach.
Many of Ramsey's other film acting credits include Return to Babylon as well as TV movies Recipe for Disaster, Lavalantula and the sequel 2 Lava 2 Lantula, and her final film role, 2018's When I Sing.
Before her launch to stardom on Police Academy, Ramson had made various appearances on small-screen projects in the '70s such as the variety show Keep On Truckin, The Jeffersons, and as a regular on the sketch comedy series Cos.
On stage, Ramsey shone as a thespian, having co-starred alongside Bette Davis in Miss Moffat in 1974 and in Broadway’s 1978 biographical musical Eubie! as jazz pianist Eubie Blake.
Marion is survived by her three brothers.
Photo: Getty Images