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A TV veteran from a showbiz family whose directing career started as an acting career, Marshall had her first major continuing role as Jack Klugman's secretary Myrna Turner on her brother Garry's first hit series, "The Odd Couple" P(ABC, 1970-75). With her pretty/ugly looks, whiny voice and brilliant comic timing, Marshall was akin to a modern Patsy Kelly or Polly Moran. Her next series was as Paul Sand's sister-in-law on "Friends and Lovers" (CBS, 1974-1975), then came the role that made her a star--Laverne DeFazio in the hit sitcom "Laverne and Shirley" (ABC, 1977-1983). First introduced on an episode of "Happy Days", Marshall's Laverne was spun-off to her own sitcom produced by brother Garry and sometimes directed by Penny herself. The show was a lowbrow but often hilarious tale of two blue-collar pals (Marshall and Cindy Williams) in late 1950s Milwaukee. Marshall also appeared in a handful of TV-movies, beginning with a bit part in "The Feminist and the Fuzz" (ABC, 1971). Her first starring part was in "Wives" (CBS, 1975), and she co-starred with husband Rob Reiner in "More Than Friends" (ABC, 1978) and John Ritter in "Love Thy Neighbor" (ABC, 1984).

Marshall's film acting career never really took off. She played small parts in "How Sweet It Is" (her 1968 debut), Steven Spielberg's "1941" (1979) and did delicious cameos in "The Hard Way" (1991), "Hocus Pocus" (1993) and "Get Shorty" (1995).

Marshall began to segue to directing with an episode of the fleeting TV sitcom "Working Stiffs" in 1979. Her first feature helming assignment came when she was called in as a replacement director on the Whoopi Goldberg comedy, "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1986). While that film was not the most promising debut, "Big" (1988) quickly established Marshall as one of the most effective comic directors in Hollywood. She deftly handled the whimsical and the warm-hearted elements of the age-switching comedy, eliciting a particularly charming and credible performance from Tom Hanks. Marshall also displayed a shrewd understanding of her audience: "Big" allowed many to bare their nostalgia for their ostensibly innocent American childhoods, and untapped emotion that lay buried somewhere under double-breasted suits and the self-centered 80s work ethic.

After this critical and box-office success, Marshall turned to a more sobering topic with her Oscar-nominated psychological hospital drama, "Awakenings" (1990), a somewhat sleepy version of the Oliver Sacks book. Marshall again proved her skill with handling talented actors, vis-a-vis Robert De Niro's aphasiac. Her TV work of the same period included directing segments of the comedy-variety program, "The Tracey Ullman Show" (Fox, 1987-90), and directing the premiere episode of "A League of Their Own" (CBS, 1993), a failed spin-off of her 1992 hit film.

By the time she had directed the feature, "A League Of Their Own", Marshall was one of the most bankable directors around, and by default, the most famous woman film director working currently. "League" was the bubbly tale of an all-female baseball team during World War II. It re-teamed her with Hanks as an alcoholic manager and featured Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Rosie O'Donnell and Madonna among the players.

Marshall produced the little-seen Jason Priestley vehicle "Calendar Girl" and the pallid "Getting Away with Murder" (1996). She returned to the director's chair with "Renaissance Man/By the Book" (1994), an amiable comedy starring Danny De Vito as an ad man turned English teacher at an Army base who, as might be expected, inspires the recruits to take learning seriously. Just in time for Christmas 1996, Marshall helmed the heartwarming romance "The Preacher's Wife" (a loose remake of 1947's "The Bishop's Wife"), starring Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston. It was perhaps the first time a white woman directed a big-budget, all-black movie. In 2001 she returned to the director's chair with the bittersweet comedy "Riding in Cars With Boys".

Also Credited As: Carole Penny MarscharelliBorn: on 10/15/42 in Bronx, New YorkJob Titles: Director, Actor, ProducerFamily
Brother: Garry Marshall. born 1938; producer of TV series, "The Odd Couple" and "Laverne and Shirley"
Daughter: Tracy Reiner. born c. 1964; father Michael Henry; brought up by Rob Reiner whose last name she adopted; appeared in films by both parents; gave birth to a boy in October 1992
Father: Tony Marscharelli. born in 1906; producer of "Laverne and Shirley" (1976-83); died on July 12, 1999 at age 93
Grandson: Spencer Reiner. born October 1992
Mother: Marjorie Irene Marscharelli. died of Alzheimer's disease in 1983
Sister: Ronny Marshall. worked on "Laverne and Shirley"
Significant Others
Husband: Michael Henry. met while Marshall was a student at the University of New Mexico; biological father of Tracy Reiner; divorced 1966
Husband: Rob Reiner. second husband; married April 10, 1971; divorced c. 1980
Milestones
1967 Made TV debut on "The Danny Thomas Hour"
1968 Appeared in films "How Sweet It Is" and "The Savage Seven"
1979 TV directing debut, an episode of the sitcom "Working Stiffs"
1982 Directed episodes of "Laverne and Shirley" toward the end of its run (date approximate)
1986 Feature directorial debut, "Jumpin' Jack Flash", a Whoopi Goldberg comedy vehicle
1988 Directed Tom Hanks to his first Oscar nomination in "Big"
1990 Feature executive producing debut, "Awakenings"; film earned a Best Picture Oscar nomination
1992 Helmed "A League of Their Own", about the women's baseball league; film starred Geena Davis and Hanks and featured Rosie O'Donnell and Madonna in supporting roles
1994 Suffered what may have been a heart attack
1995 Began appearing with Rosie O'Donnell in a series of TV commercials for K-Mart
1996 Helmed "The Preacher's Wife", a remake of the 1942 film "The Bishop's Wife"; Marshall's version starred Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston and Courtney B Vance
1996 Signed three-year, first-look deal with Universal Pictures
2001 Directed the comedy-drama "Riding in Cars With Boys", starring Drew Barrymore
2004 Played Lieutenant Chevetone in the drama "Stateside" also starring Carrie Fisher and Rachael Leigh Cook
2004 Received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (August)
Asked by Paramount to direct feature film, "The Joy of Sex" starring John Belushi; Belushi was then found dead and the film was made by Martha Coolidge in 1984
Competed on and won "Ted Mack's Amateur Hour" with friends at age 14
Performed as teenager on "The Jackie Gleason Show"
Played one season of summer stock in Durango, CO in the mid-1960s
Played recurring role of Myrna Turner on the ABC sitcom, "The Odd Couple"
Starred as Laverne opposite Cindy Williams on the ABC sitcom "Laverne and Shirley"

TV's Greatest Sidekicks (2004) (TV) .... Host
Stateside (2004) (uncredited) .... Lt. Chevetone
Entertainment Tonight Presents: Laverne and Shirley Together Again (2002) (TV) .... Laverne De Fazio
Special Delivery (1999/I)
The Odd Couple: Together Again (1993) (TV) .... Myrna
Hocus Pocus (1993) (uncredited) .... The Master's Wife
The Hard Way (1991) .... Angie, Nick's Agent
Movers & Shakers (1985) .... Reva
Challenge of a Lifetime (1985) (TV) .... Nora Schoonover
Love Thy Neighbor (1984) (TV) .... Linda
"The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley with the Fonz Show" (1982) TV Series (voice) .... Laverne
"Laverne and Shirley in the Army" (1981) TV Series (voice) .... Laverne DeFazio
1941 (1979) (uncredited) .... Miss Fitzroy
More Than Friends (1978) (TV) .... Matty Perlman
The Barry Manilow Special (1977) (TV)
"Laverne & Shirley" (1976) TV Series .... Laverne DeFazio
Let's Switch! (1975) (TV) .... Alice Wright
How Come Nobody's on Our Side? (1975) .... Theresa
"Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers" (1974) TV Series .... Janice Dreyfuss
The Couple Takes a Wife (1972) (TV) .... Paula
The Crooked Hearts (1972) (TV) .... Waitress
Evil Roy Slade (1972) (TV) .... Bank Teller
"The Odd Couple" (1970) TV Series .... Myrna Turner (1971-1975)
The Feminist and the Fuzz (1971) (TV) .... Liberation Lady
Wacky Zoo of Morgan City (1970) (TV) .... Mayor's Secretary
Where's Poppa? (1970) (uncredited) .... Courtroom spectator
The Grasshopper (1970) .... Plaster Caster
How Sweet It Is! (1968) .... Tour Girl
The Savage Seven (1968) .... Tina

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Link To Us	Penny Marshall Biography Filmography Links Contact Galleries Date of birth:15 October 1942 Birth Place: The Bronx, New York, USA Biography A TV veteran from a showbiz family whose directing career started as an acting career, Marshall had her first major continuing role as Jack Klugman's secretary Myrna Turner on her brother Garry's first hit series, "The Odd Couple" P(ABC, 1970-75). With her pretty/ugly looks, whiny voice and brilliant comic timing, Marshall was akin to a modern Patsy Kelly or Polly Moran. Her next series was as Paul Sand's sister-in-law on "Friends and Lovers" (CBS, 1974-1975), then came the role that made her a star--Laverne DeFazio in the hit sitcom "Laverne and Shirley" (ABC, 1977-1983). First introduced on an episode of "Happy Days", Marshall's Laverne was spun-off to her own sitcom produced by brother Garry and sometimes directed by Penny herself. The show was a lowbrow but often hilarious tale of two blue-collar pals (Marshall and Cindy Williams) in late 1950s Milwaukee. Marshall also appeared in a handful of TV-movies, beginning with a bit part in "The Feminist and the Fuzz" (ABC, 1971). Her first starring part was in "Wives" (CBS, 1975), and she co-starred with husband Rob Reiner in "More Than Friends" (ABC, 1978) and John Ritter in "Love Thy Neighbor" (ABC, 1984). Marshall's film acting career never really took off. She played small parts in "How Sweet It Is" (her 1968 debut), Steven Spielberg's "1941" (1979) and did delicious cameos in "The Hard Way" (1991), "Hocus Pocus" (1993) and "Get Shorty" (1995). Marshall began to segue to directing with an episode of the fleeting TV sitcom "Working Stiffs" in 1979. Her first feature helming assignment came when she was called in as a replacement director on the Whoopi Goldberg comedy, "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1986). While that film was not the most promising debut, "Big" (1988) quickly established Marshall as one of the most effective comic directors in Hollywood. She deftly handled the whimsical and the warm-hearted elements of the age-switching comedy, eliciting a particularly charming and credible performance from Tom Hanks. Marshall also displayed a shrewd understanding of her audience: "Big" allowed many to bare their nostalgia for their ostensibly innocent American childhoods, and untapped emotion that lay buried somewhere under double-breasted suits and the self-centered 80s work ethic. After this critical and box-office success, Marshall turned to a more sobering topic with her Oscar-nominated psychological hospital drama, "Awakenings" (1990), a somewhat sleepy version of the Oliver Sacks book. Marshall again proved her skill with handling talented actors, vis-a-vis Robert De Niro's aphasiac. Her TV work of the same period included directing segments of the comedy-variety program, "The Tracey Ullman Show" (Fox, 1987-90), and directing the premiere episode of "A League of Their Own" (CBS, 1993), a failed spin-off of her 1992 hit film. By the time she had directed the feature, "A League Of Their Own", Marshall was one of the most bankable directors around, and by default, the most famous woman film director working currently. "League" was the bubbly tale of an all-female baseball team during World War II. It re-teamed her with Hanks as an alcoholic manager and featured Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Rosie O'Donnell and Madonna among the players. Marshall produced the little-seen Jason Priestley vehicle "Calendar Girl" and the pallid "Getting Away with Murder" (1996). She returned to the director's chair with "Renaissance Man/By the Book" (1994), an amiable comedy starring Danny De Vito as an ad man turned English teacher at an Army base who, as might be expected, inspires the recruits to take learning seriously. Just in time for Christmas 1996, Marshall helmed the heartwarming romance "The Preacher's Wife" (a loose remake of 1947's "The Bishop's Wife"), starring Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston. It was perhaps the first time a white woman directed a big-budget, all-black movie. In 2001 she returned to the director's chair with the bittersweet comedy "Riding in Cars With Boys". Also Credited As: Carole Penny MarscharelliBorn: on 10/15/42 in Bronx, New YorkJob Titles: Director, Actor, ProducerFamily Brother: Garry Marshall. born 1938; producer of TV series, "The Odd Couple" and "Laverne and Shirley" Daughter: Tracy Reiner. born c. 1964; father Michael Henry; brought up by Rob Reiner whose last name she adopted; appeared in films by both parents; gave birth to a boy in October 1992 Father: Tony Marscharelli. born in 1906; producer of "Laverne and Shirley" (1976-83); died on July 12, 1999 at age 93 Grandson: Spencer Reiner. born October 1992 Mother: Marjorie Irene Marscharelli. died of Alzheimer's disease in 1983 Sister: Ronny Marshall. worked on "Laverne and Shirley" Significant Others Husband: Michael Henry. met while Marshall was a student at the University of New Mexico; biological father of Tracy Reiner; divorced 1966 Husband: Rob Reiner. second husband; married April 10, 1971; divorced c. 1980 Milestones 1967 Made TV debut on "The Danny Thomas Hour" 1968 Appeared in films "How Sweet It Is" and "The Savage Seven" 1979 TV directing debut, an episode of the sitcom "Working Stiffs" 1982 Directed episodes of "Laverne and Shirley" toward the end of its run (date approximate) 1986 Feature directorial debut, "Jumpin' Jack Flash", a Whoopi Goldberg comedy vehicle 1988 Directed Tom Hanks to his first Oscar nomination in "Big" 1990 Feature executive producing debut, "Awakenings"; film earned a Best Picture Oscar nomination 1992 Helmed "A League of Their Own", about the women's baseball league; film starred Geena Davis and Hanks and featured Rosie O'Donnell and Madonna in supporting roles 1994 Suffered what may have been a heart attack 1995 Began appearing with Rosie O'Donnell in a series of TV commercials for K-Mart 1996 Helmed "The Preacher's Wife", a remake of the 1942 film "The Bishop's Wife"; Marshall's version starred Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston and Courtney B Vance 1996 Signed three-year, first-look deal with Universal Pictures 2001 Directed the comedy-drama "Riding in Cars With Boys", starring Drew Barrymore 2004 Played Lieutenant Chevetone in the drama "Stateside" also starring Carrie Fisher and Rachael Leigh Cook 2004 Received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (August) Asked by Paramount to direct feature film, "The Joy of Sex" starring John Belushi; Belushi was then found dead and the film was made by Martha Coolidge in 1984 Competed on and won "Ted Mack's Amateur Hour" with friends at age 14 Performed as teenager on "The Jackie Gleason Show" Played one season of summer stock in Durango, CO in the mid-1960s Played recurring role of Myrna Turner on the ABC sitcom, "The Odd Couple" Starred as Laverne opposite Cindy Williams on the ABC sitcom "Laverne and Shirley" Filmography TV's Greatest Sidekicks (2004) (TV) .... Host Stateside (2004) (uncredited) .... Lt. Chevetone Entertainment Tonight Presents: Laverne and Shirley Together Again (2002) (TV) .... Laverne De Fazio Special Delivery (1999/I) The Odd Couple: Together Again (1993) (TV) .... Myrna Hocus Pocus (1993) (uncredited) .... The Master's Wife The Hard Way (1991) .... Angie, Nick's Agent Movers & Shakers (1985) .... Reva Challenge of a Lifetime (1985) (TV) .... Nora Schoonover Love Thy Neighbor (1984) (TV) .... Linda "The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley with the Fonz Show" (1982) TV Series (voice) .... Laverne "Laverne and Shirley in the Army" (1981) TV Series (voice) .... Laverne DeFazio 1941 (1979) (uncredited) .... Miss Fitzroy More Than Friends (1978) (TV) .... Matty Perlman The Barry Manilow Special (1977) (TV) "Laverne & Shirley" (1976) TV Series .... Laverne DeFazio Let's Switch! (1975) (TV) .... Alice Wright How Come Nobody's on Our Side? (1975) .... Theresa "Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers" (1974) TV Series .... Janice Dreyfuss The Couple Takes a Wife (1972) (TV) .... Paula The Crooked Hearts (1972) (TV) .... Waitress Evil Roy Slade (1972) (TV) .... Bank Teller "The Odd Couple" (1970) TV Series .... Myrna Turner (1971-1975) The Feminist and the Fuzz (1971) (TV) .... Liberation Lady Wacky Zoo of Morgan City (1970) (TV) .... Mayor's Secretary Where's Poppa? (1970) (uncredited) .... Courtroom spectator The Grasshopper (1970) .... Plaster Caster How Sweet It Is! (1968) .... Tour Girl The Savage Seven (1968) .... Tina Links CelebrityAutoGraphs: Penny Marshall Penny Marshall - Ultimate resources for pictures, wallpapers and biography Contact