Penny Marshall Brief Biography

Carole Penny Marshall (born October 15, 1943) is an American actress, voice actress, director, and producer. In 1975, after playing several supporting roles on television, Marshall was cast as Laverne DeFazio for a guest appearance on the sitcom Happy Days. Her performance was well received, prompting a spin-off sitcom, Laverne & Shirley. Marshall reprised the DeFazio role for the show's entire run from 1976 until 1983. She was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her performance three times.

She progressed to directing films such as Big (1988), the first film directed by a woman to gross in excess of $100 million at the U.S. box office; Awakenings (1990), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture; and A League of Their Own (1992). She produced Cinderella Man (2005) and Bewitched (2005), as well as episodes of According to Jim (2009).

Penny Marshall News

• Shocking suicides mark celebrity deaths of 2018 -- including Anthony Bourdain, Kate Spade, Avicii, Verne Troyer, and Mark Salling
• Penny Marshall, 'Laverne & Shirley' star and filmmaker, dead at age 75
• The Almanac for Oct. 15, the 288th day of 2018
• 'A League of Their Own' TV series in development at Amazon