Eddie Mekka, known for playing Carmine Ragusa on 70s sitcom ‘Laverne & Shirley’ died on Saturday at his home in Newhall, California. He was 69. 

His long-time friend Pat Benti announced the actor’s death on Facebook. He said that Mekka “passed away peacefully.” The cause of death is not known. 

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Mekka’s role in ‘Laverne & Shirley’ was a part-time boxer with dreams of becoming a dancer and singer. In the final episode of the series, Carmine lands a role in the Broadway musical Hair.

Eddie Mekka appeared in 150 episodes of  ‘Laverne & Shirley’ that ran on ABC from 1976 to 1983.  It was the most watched show on TV from 1977-1979. 

Mekka also featured in Beaches (1989), A League of Their Own (1992), Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003), Dreamgirls (2006) and Hail Mary! (2018).

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Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Eddie Mekka (born Edward Rudolph Mekjian) earned a Tony nomination in 1975 for his lead role in ‘The Lieutenant’ on Broadway. He then moved to Los Angeles. ‘Laverne & Shirley’ was his first major role. 

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“I got to do a great jitterbug number with Madonna in A League of Their Own. And on Laverne & Shirley, because I love to sing Tony Bennett, we worked in a recurring bit where, whenever Laverne is mad at Carmine, all he has to do is sing the line from the Tony Bennett song, ‘You know I’d go from rags to riches …’ and she forgives him,” Mekka can be quoted from a 2014 interview with The Boston Globe.