‘Police Academy’ and ‘Hello, Dolly!’ Broadway actress was 73 – Deadline

Marion Ramsey, an actress and singer who appeared on the hit Broadway show in 1978 Eubia! but is best known for her portrayal of the squeaky-voiced Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police academy franchise, died today in her Los Angeles home. She was 73 years old.

Her death was announced by her management team at Roger Paul Inc. A cause has not been determined, although the actress has been ill in recent days.

Born in Philadelphia, Ramsey began her career in stage show business, appearing in both the original Broadway and subsequent touring productions. Hello Dolly! In 1974 she starred alongside Bette Davis in the legendary musical flop Miss Moffat, an adaptation of the classic Davis film from 1945 Corn is green. Directed by Josh Logan, the Broadway musical ended in out-of-town trials.

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Ramsey’s stage career rebounded four years later with Eubia !, the rented biographical musical about jazz pianist Eubie Blake with Gregory and Maurice Hines.

By the time Eubia! open, Ramsey had started what would be a long career in television and film, beginning with a 1976 appearance on the sitcom The Jeffersons. That same year, she became a regular on the Bill Cosby-hosted sketch series. Cos.

His signing role came in 1984 with Police academy, the comedy film starring Steve Guttenberg. As the mild-mannered Officer Laverne Hooks, Ramsey made good use of his high-pitched, whispered voice, a vocal delivery that contrasted with the character’s occasional high-volume explosions. The blockbuster film was followed by five sequels over the next five years, with Ramsey appearing in each one. She briefly reprized the role in the 1993 comedy video John Virgo: playing for fun and, as a voice actress, in a 2006 episode of the animation Robot Chicken.

Other TV credits include the 1992 animated series The Addams Family. In 2015 and 2016, she found Guttenberg in the campy Syfy TV movies Lavalantula and more 2 Lava 2 Lantula! A strong advocate for AIDS / HIV awareness, Ramsey starred in Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Divas just sing, an annual fundraising event in Los Angeles.

Ramsey is survived by three brothers.