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Hollywood has seen its fair share of talent, and Garry Marshall will always be remembered as one of the bests. Marshall wasn’t just an actor but was celebrated for his abilities to write, produce, and, of course, direct. 

Pretty Woman, Never Been Kissed, and A League of Their Own are just a few of the many titles Marshall is best-remembered for. However, the star was also well-known for being a great friend, on and off the screen, especially concerning his friend Hector Elizondo.

A look back into Hector Elizondo and Garry Marshall’s relationship

Fans and followers of Garry Marshall can probably recall that Hector Elizondo often appeared in his films. Though Elizondo, an actor from New York City, is a gifted actor, that wasn’t the complete story behind the co-star’s long journey together. 

Elizondo and Marshall’s history of sharing sets stems back to their serendipitous meeting. Of all places, they met for the first time by chance on a basketball court back in 1979. Still in the early stages of his acting career, Elizondo instantly took to Marshall. 

After throwing a bad pass to Marshall and even accidentally hitting him in the face, Marshall responded, “Hey, that’s not a good pass but I think we gotta talk about a movie.” Elizondo shared with ET that it was as if the two had already been friends for 30 years. 

The sweet reason Elizondo is in so many Garry Marshall Movies

Hector Elizondo and Garry Marshall at the Seattle, Washington, premiere of 'Mother's Day' at the Cinerama Theater
Hector Elizondo and Garry Marshall | Mat Hayward/Getty Images

After hitting it off successfully, Hector Elizondo was cast as Angelo in Young Doctors in Love. The 1982 film that was directed by Garry Marshall marked the first of many movies the pair would work together on, but that was by no coincidence. 

Marshall’s friendship and fondness for Elizondo led him to write a clause into the contract of every movie he worked on after that. Marshall’s requested clause stipulated that his good friend, Elizondo, would be cast in any film he directed. It wasn’t until many years later that Elizondo found out about Marshall’s special and sweet arrangement. 

In ET‘s “EXCLUSIVE: Hector Elizondo Remembers Director Garry Marshall: ‘He Was My Best Friend,'” Elizondo reflects on Marshall’s career and the man he knew as his best friend. 

Hector Elizondo and Garry Marshall’s history together on the big screen

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Young Doctors in Love marked the first of many movies Hector Elizondo and Garry Marshall got to collaborate on. In The Flamingo Kid, a film directed and co-written by Marshall, Elizondo took on the part of Arthur Willis. A few years later, in 1986, the pair teamed up again for Nothing in Common.

No matter how small the role, like Elizondo’s uncredited appearances in Overboard and Beaches, Marshall still made sure it happened. 

Pretty Woman, Frankie & Johnny, Exit to Eden, Dear God, and The Other Sister were many of the titles the two appeared together in throughout the 1990s. Runaway Bride, a 1999 classic, was another movie Elizondo and Marshall got to work alongside each other on. 

The trend continued into the 2000s. In The Princess Diaries, another cinematic staple, Elizondo played the part of Joe as Marshall showcased his directing skills. The pair struck again in the 2007 film Georgia Rule. A few years later, Marshall took on Valentine’s Day, and his BFF took on the part of Edgar. 

Mother’s Day would be the last movie Marshall and Elizondo would work on together. In 2016, Marshall died. Unfortunately, after a severe stroke, the beloved star passed of pneumonia.

Their friendship and collaborative spirit seem to live on in their many shared titles. As for Elizondo, the actor continues to expand on his impressive resume. More recently, Elizondo’s fans and followers have gotten to enjoy watching him in the CBS series B Positive and Netflix’s Green Eggs and Ham.

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