Abigail Breslin and Bette Midler add more tributes to Garry Marshall

Abigail Breslin, Bette Midler, and Tom Hanks have added their heartwarming tributes to late director Garry Marshall following his death on Tuesday (19Jul16).

The celebrated filmmaker, TV writer, and actor passed away aged 81, after suffering complications from pneumonia due to a stroke, and the sad loss has prompted an outpouring of messages from celebrities including his Happy Days stars Henry Winkler and Ron Howard, Richard Gere and Hector Elizondo from Pretty Woman, and The Princess Diaries actress Julie Andrews.

The tributes have continued to pour in, and on Wednesday (20Jul16), 20-year-old Breslin expressed her grief at Garry's passing, revealing he was like a grandfather to her after working together in 2004's The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and 2011 romantic comedy New Year's Eve.

"My heart hurts," she begins in an emotional Instagram post. "Garry Marshall was one of the most wonderful people in the world. He was kind and hilarious and giving and so fun. He treated his film sets like they were parties. You never felt like you were going to work. He was like a grandpa to me and I feel so lucky that his sets were such a big part of not only my career, but my childhood."

She adds, "Even up til this past year, Garry never forgot to send me a birthday card. They always made me smile.

Thank you Garry, you truly were the best. Heaven just got a lot funnier with you up there."

Bette Midler, who was directed by Garry in her 1988 hit Beaches, honours her "wonderful, hilarious, big-hearted friend", while the moviemaker's Nothing In Common star Tom Hanks echoes Bette's sentiments, tweeting, "Garry Marshall was a wonderful man, hilarious, gifted in the ways of humanity and storytelling. He launched and nurtured more careers than he had shoes. Oh lord, how he will be missed."

His Keeping Up with the Steins co-star Daryl Hannah remembers Garry as "a huge bright light", Soapdish actress Whoopi Goldberg describes Garry as "just extraordinary", and Goldie Hawn posts, "Our beloved Garry Marshall has passed. Our family will miss him so very much. RIP dear one."

Marshall worked with Hawn and her longtime partner Kurt Russell on 1987 film Overboard, and the actress' daughter, Mother's Day star Kate Hudson, has also marked the loss online, insisting, "He was more than my director, he was family."

Meanwhile, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch star Melissa Joan Hart also reveals her heartbreak at Garry's death by sharing a screen shot of the pair on the set of the hit Nineties kids' show.

"I am overwhelmed by the sad news that my friend and mentor Garry Marshall has passed away...!" she writes. "He truly was an inspiration, a kind soul and a loving person. Not to mention the epic television he created for us all!! God (rest) this soul and give comfort to his family!"

Further tributes also came from Valentine's Day star Jessica Alba, New Year's Eve actor Josh Duhamel, and John Stamos, who has long considered Marshall his "showbiz godfather".

"Garry Marshall, without you there'd be no me. My heart is aching," he mourns.