Profile of the Day: Penny Marshall

Penny Marshall

Today we remember actor and director Penny Marshall, who passed away on December 17 at the age of 75.

She was born Carole Penny Marshall on October 15, 1943 in the Bronx in New York City, New York. Her father, Tony Marshall, was a director and producer and her mother, Marjorie, was a dance teacher. With both parents in the entertainment business, it was only natural for Marshall and her siblings, Garry and Ronny, to follow in their parents’ footsteps.

In 1967, she moved to Los Angeles to join her brother, who was working as television writer at the time. With his help, Marshall landed several roles on television, including The Odd Couple and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. But it wasn’t until her guest spot on Happy Days playing Laverne De Fazio, alongside Cindy Williams as Shirley Feeney, that her career would take off. Seeing potential in the wisecracking duo, Garry co-created a spinoff starring the pair. The highly successful show, Laverne & Shirley, would run for eight seasons and earn Marshall three Golden Globe nominations.

In addition to her work as an actress, Marshall was also an accomplished director. She directed several successful films, including Big and A League of Their Own, and became the first woman to direct a film that would earn over $100 million at the box office.

Marshall died on December 17, 2018 in Los Angeles from complications from diabetes.
 

View Penny Marshall’s Geni Profile

Image: Wikimedia Commons