Penny Marshall Biography

Fast Facts

• As a teen, formed a tap-dancing troupe which won Ted Mack's Amateur Hour and appeared on The Jackie Gleason Show
• First screen appearance was in the 1968 biker flick The Savage Seven; also in '68 appeared with James Garner and Debbie Reynolds in How Sweet It Is! which was scripted by her brother, Garry Marshall
• Appeared with an unknown Farrah Fawcett in a 1970s Head & Shoulders TV commercial
• Big break came when brother Garry cast her as a secretary on his sitcom The Odd Couple and later in two of his other ABC series: Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley
• Was given the directorial reins on Whoopi Goldberg's 1986 movie Jumpin' Jack Flash, even though her directing experience was limited to a few TV episodes
• Became the first woman to direct a $100 million-grossing film with Big; other directorial efforts include the Oscar-nominated Awakenings and A League of Their Own
• Is an avid collector of sports memorabilia