Penny Marshall

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Birthday:

15 October 1943, The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Birth Name:

Carole Penny Marshall

Height:

168 cm

Penny Marshall was born Carole Penny Marshall in the Bronx, New York, on October 15, 1943. The Libra is 5' 6 1/2", with brown hair and green eyes. She is the daughter of Marjorie (Ward), a tap dance teacher, and Anthony "Tony" Marshall, an industrial film director. She is the younger sister of filmmakers Garry Marshall and Ronny Hallin. Her father was of Italian descent (originally surnamed "Masciarelli") and her mother was of German, Scottish, English, and Irish ancestry.Penny was known in her family as "the bad one"... because not only did she walk on the ledge of her family's apartment building, but she snuck into the movies as a child and even dated a guy named "Lefty." She attended a private girls' high school in New York and then went to the University of New Mexico for 2 1/2 years. There, Penny got pregnant with daughter, Tracy Reiner, and soon after married the father, Michael Henry, in 1961. The couple divorced two years later in 1963. She worked as a secretary for awhile. Her first film debut came from her brother Garry Marshall, who put her in the movie How Sweet It Is! (1968) with the talented Debbie Reynolds and James Garner. She also did a dandruff commercial with Farrah Fawcett - the casting people, of course, giving Farrah the part of the "beautiful girl" and Penny the part of the "plain girl." This only added to Penny's insecurity with her looks.She then married Rob Reiner on April 10, 1971, shortly after getting her big TV break as Oscar Madison's secretary, Myrna Turner, on The Odd Couple (1970). She also played Mary Richards' neighbor, Paula Kovacks, on Mary Tyler Moore (1970) for a couple of episodes. However, her Laverne & Shirley (1976) fame came when her brother needed two women to play "fast girls" who were friends of Arthur Fonzarelli and would date Fonzie and Richie Cunningham on Happy Days (1974). Penny had been working on miscellaneous writing projects ("My Country Tis Of Thee", a bicentennial spoof for Francis Ford Coppola and "Paper Hands" about the Salem Witch Trials) with writing partner Cindy Williams. Cindy happened to be a friend and ex-girlfriend of Henry Winkler's, so Garry asked the two to play the parts of these girls. The audience saw their wonderful chemistry, and loved them so much, a spin-off was created for them.Penny was well-known as Laverne DeFazio. She and Rob had a terrible divorce in 1980. The show ended three years later, half a year after Cindy Williams left the show due to pregnancy (her first baby, Emily, from now ex-husband Bill Hudson)... they wanted Williams to work the week she was supposed to deliver.Soon after, Penny began directing such films as Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), Big (1988) and A League of Their Own (1992). Her hobbies include needlepoint, jigsaw puzzles and antique shopping. She is best friends with actress Carrie Fisher and is godmother to Carrie's daughter, Billie. Show less «

I have a strange combination of fearlessness and massive insecurity.

You had to learn at a certain age what sarcasm is, you know?

If you're not having a good time, find something else that gives you some joy in life.

My brother and sister were much older. They were planned. I was not planned for. I was called the mistake, amongst other things.

I don't mind if somebody texts me but I'm not a big texter, the things are too small. I don't mind if they text, '7 o'clock', that's fine, t...Show more »

I don't mind if somebody texts me but I'm not a big texter, the things are too small. I don't mind if they text, '7 o'clock', that's fine, that's logistics but, 'What's up?' Get real! Pick up a phone! Show less «

I do feel it's important to entertain people. I try to.

I don't know one lens from another. That's not my job. It's the cinematographer's job. But I can talk to people.

I don't startle easily.

I have season tickets to the Lakers and the Clippers.

I tell stories so only the independents do that and they don't pay you that much. I'd rather do television or an HBO movie.

I've directed seven movies and know a thing or two about dealing with unexpected crises.

My family is well, and that's what's important.

In my opinion, life is more important than show business.

Movie stars are insecure like everyone else. That's why they go into acting!

I'm very happy to watch a video at home with a friend rather than do dinner.

I want you to laugh and cry. That's what I do.

I wish I could sing better.

I would much rather feel comfortable and feel beautiful, than to feel uncomfortable, but look fantastic.

I'll try anything. What are they gonna do, kick me out of show business?

I'm not a hockey fan. I'm not a golf fan.

I live in L.A., so I go to basketball games. But I love baseball.

I think everyone's mother is slightly nuts.

I'm not the most positive person.

We all used to collect baseball cards that came with bubble gum. You could never get the smell of gum off your cards, but you kept your Yank...Show more »

We all used to collect baseball cards that came with bubble gum. You could never get the smell of gum off your cards, but you kept your Yankees cards pristine. Show less «

I do talk like a truck driver sometimes, or I curse. What can I say?

I wasn't like a girly girl. I was a tomboy.

I have a grandson who is 20. He's a computer guy. I'm worried that he can't communicate without his machine. They have no personal contact w...Show more »

I have a grandson who is 20. He's a computer guy. I'm worried that he can't communicate without his machine. They have no personal contact with people. That's the bad part of technology. Show less «

Yankee Stadium was the only thing we had in the Bronx. It was an institution.

I have a good support system of friends and family.

I like arts and crafts.

Once I commit to something, I complete it. If I say 'no', I mean 'no'. I just have to learn how to say 'no' more.

The truth is that I am not a frump... I just enjoy being laid back.

My mother was pretty nuts, but she was also a character.

People who text a lot are not my favorite thing.

When I'm working, I'm obsessively working.

It's better for me to go up against someone's passion with my passion and then clarifying something that he wrote. Then I know how to work a...Show more »

It's better for me to go up against someone's passion with my passion and then clarifying something that he wrote. Then I know how to work around certain things. Show less «

I was born and raised in the Bronx and my grandfather and my brother Garry were huge Yankees fans. One of my first memories is of them liste...Show more »

I was born and raised in the Bronx and my grandfather and my brother Garry were huge Yankees fans. One of my first memories is of them listening to a game on the radio and screaming at the radio. My brother would cry when they lost, and when I was really little, I didn't know why he was crying. Show less «

Look at YouTube, how many talented people there are. It's a whole new world of how to express yourself. I don't know how to work that world,...Show more »

Look at YouTube, how many talented people there are. It's a whole new world of how to express yourself. I don't know how to work that world, but take advantage of it. Show less «

I'm not someone who has had to deal with much personal drama outside of the usual: growing up with parents who hated each other, two marriag...Show more »

I'm not someone who has had to deal with much personal drama outside of the usual: growing up with parents who hated each other, two marriages and divorces of my own. There was the cancer thing, too. Show less «

You need to see what the actor needs. This one wants to be talked to privately. That one doesn't mind if you block it for them. Just tell me...Show more »

You need to see what the actor needs. This one wants to be talked to privately. That one doesn't mind if you block it for them. Just tell me the truth and I'll adapt to it. Show less «