Penny Marshall is an American actress, voice actress, producer, and director best known for her role as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Happy Days, after appearing in various supporting roles on television.
The actress’s performance was well received, prompting the creation of a spin-off sitcom, Laverne & Shirley. She has also played the DeFazio role for the entire run of the show, from 1976 to 1983.
Quick Facts
| Celebrated Name: | Penny Marshall |
|---|---|
| Real Name/Full Name: | Carole Penny Marshall |
| Gender: | Female |
| Age at the time of death: | 75 years old |
| Birth Date: | 15 October 1943 |
| Date of death: | 17 December 2018 |
| Birth Place: | The Bronx, New York, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 1.68 m |
| Weight: | 95 kg |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Divorced |
| Husband/Spouse (Name): | Rob Reiner (m. 1971–1981), Michael Henry (m. 1963–1967) |
| Children: | Yes (Tracy Reiner) |
| Profession: | American actress, director, and producer |
| Net Worth: | $45 million |
Penny Marshall Biography
Penny Marshall was born in 1943 to Marjorie Irene Masciarelli and Anthony “Tony” Masciarelli. Her birthplace was New York City in the state of New York. She grew up in 3235 Grand Concourse, which is located in the Bronx. She also graduated from Walton High School and attended the University of New Mexico.
Marjorie was a tap dance instructor who ran the Marjorie Marshall Dance School, whereas Anthony was a manager of industrial films and later became a producer. This actress is known to be the sister of actor Garry Marshall and television producer Ronny Hallin.
Penny Marshall Age, Height, Weight
Penny Marshall was 75 years old when she died on October 15, 1943. Her height was 1.68 m, and she weighed 95 kg.
Career
Penny Marshall began her career by appearing in a television commercial for cosmetic shampoo. The actress was cast as an adolescent with unattractive hair, while Farrah Fawcett was cast as a person with thick and bouncy hair.
While the team was preparing for the set, Marshall’s stand-in carried a placard that read “Homely Girl,” and Fawcett’s stand-in carried a placard that read “Pretty Girl.” Furthermore, feeling Marshall’s insecurity about her appearance, Farrah Fawcett crossed out “Homely” and wrote “Plain” on the Marshall stand-in poster.
She rose to prominence as a television actress in a recurring guest role as Myrna Turner on The Odd Couple (from 1971 to 1975).
In 1974, Allan Burns and James L. Brooks, executive producers of the popular situation comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show, cast Marshall as Janice Dreyfuss, Paul Dreyfuss’s sister-in-law in the series Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers.
Penny Marshall Achievements and Awards:
Penny Marshall was nominated for a Golden Globe three times for her performance. The actress directed films such as Big, the first film directed by a woman to gross more than $100 million at the United States box office.
Her performance in Awakenings earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. She received the Women in Film Crystal Award in 1991. Women in Film and Video also honored her with the Women of Vision Award in 2013.
Penny Marshall’s Net Worth In 2024
Penny Marshall’s net worth was estimated to be $45 million as of February 2024. Her fortune comes from her actress, producer, and director work.
She had a string of minor television roles before landing the role of a lifetime as Laverne DeFazio on the 1970s sitcom Laverne & Shirley. Her brother, Garry Marshall, was identified as the show’s creator and part-time writer, and it featured her sister, Penny.
Both depicted single roommates who worked as bottle-cappers in a fictitious Milwaukee brewery called Shotz Brewery. The characters were first introduced in the popular 1970s sitcom Happy Days.
The actress has made a good living as a director and has appeared in blockbusters such as Big. Her early television roles included appearances on sitcoms such as The Odd Couple and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Penny Marshall has established herself as a multi-talented individual by demonstrating her abilities in acting, production, and direction. The 1970s were a watershed moment in her career, propelling her to prominence.
Throughout her four-year battle with cancer, her friend Carrie Fisher, best known for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars, has stated that she was by her side.
