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Penny Marshall

Penny Marshall

Actor, director and producer · Died December 17, 2018, aged 75 · The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Carole Penny Marshall (October 15, 1943 - December 17, 2018) was an American actress, producer and director. After playing several small roles for television, she was cast as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Laverne & Shirley. A ratings success, the show ran from 1976 until 1983, and Marshall received three Golden Globe award nominations for her performance. 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). In more recent years, she produced Cinderella Man (2005) and Bewitched (2005). Description above from the Wikipedia article Penny Marshall, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 15, 1943
Died
December 17, 2018 (aged 75)
From
The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, director and producer
Titles
53 on MovieCove · 81 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

What are Penny Marshall's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
38%
Bonds
29%
Society
10%
Morality
9%
Survival
7%
Power
4%
Ideas
3%
Self-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeParenthood2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 12 · Serious 2 · Dark 4

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 13 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 10 · Charged 7 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 12 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 14 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 17 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
8
Warm
9
Hopeful
7
Contemplative
6
Bittersweet
5
Other
18

How their films linger

Hopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Penny Marshall's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 32 of their 53 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Penny Marshall's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

81 credits, 53 with a MovieCove page; 28 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Rodman(2020)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Mother's Day(2016)

    as Opening Mom Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Scooby-Doo! And Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery(2015)

    as The Elder (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Staten Island Summer(2015)

    as Dolores

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Odd Couple(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Patty

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Mulaney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Tutti

  • Sam & Cat(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Sylvia Burke

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • New Year's Eve(2011)

    as Penny Marshall

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Portlandia(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Barbara

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Classic TV Bloopers Uncensored (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Laverne (archive footage)

  • United States of Tara(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Blonde Ambition(2007)

    as Bolo Executive

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Alice Upside Down(2007)

    as Mrs. Plotkin

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Everybody Wants to Be Italian(2007)

    as Teresa the Florist

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • On the Lot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World(2005)

    as Penny Marshall

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Bones(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Penny Marshall

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Bewitched(2005)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Cinderella Man(2005)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Entourage(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Penny Marshall

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Stateside(2004)

    as Lt. Chevetone

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • I'm with Her (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Penny Marshall

  • Riding in Cars with Boys(2001)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • According to Jim(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Saturday Night Live: Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Theresa DeCastiglione (archive footage)

  • Jackie's Back!(1999)

    as Penny Marshall

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • With Friends Like These(1998)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Preacher's Wife(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Getting Away with Murder(1996)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Nash Bridges(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Iris Heller

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Get Shorty(1995)

    as Penny Marshall (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Renaissance Man(1994)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Odd Couple: Together Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Myrna

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Celeste (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Hocus Pocus(1993)

    as The Master's Wife (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Calendar Girl(1993)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • A League of Their Own(1992)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Hard Way(1991)

    as Angie

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Awakenings(1990)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Lucille Botzcowski (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Big(1988)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • She's Having a Baby(1988)

    as Penny Marshall (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Jumpin' Jack Flash(1986)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Movers & Shakers(1985)

    as Reva

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Challenge of a Lifetime(1985)

    as Nora Schoonover

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Love Thy Neighbor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Linda Wilson

  • The Mork & Mindy / Laverne & Shirley / Fonz Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 26 episodes · as Laverne DeFazio (voice)

  • Lily for President? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Laverne DeFazio

  • Laverne & Shirley in the Army (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 13 episodes · as Laverne DeFazio

  • Bosom Buddies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • 1941(1979)

    as Miss Fitzroy (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Working Stiffs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • More Than Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Maddy Perlman

  • Mork & Mindy(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Laverne Defazio

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Taxi(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Penny Marshall

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Barry Manilow Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Waitress

  • Good Heavens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Laverne & Shirley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 178 episodes · Director · as Laverne DeFazio

  • Let's Switch! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Alice Wright

  • How Come Nobody's on Our Side? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Theresa

  • Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Janice Dreyfuss

  • Chico and the Man(1974)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • Happy Days(1974)

    Show 5 episodes · as Laverne DeFazio

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • The Couple Takes a Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Paula

  • The Crooked Hearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Waitress

  • Albert Brooks' Famous School for Comedians (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Secretary

  • The Bob Newhart Show(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Stewardess

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Banacek(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Receptionist

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Evil Roy Slade(1972)

    as Bank Teller (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Getting Together (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Feminist and the Fuzz(1971)

    as Liberation Lady

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Wacky Zoo of Morgan City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Mayor's Secretary

  • The Odd Couple(1970)

    Show 27 episodes · as Myrna

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Mary Tyler Moore Show(1970)

    Show 2 episodes · as Paula Kovacs · as Toni

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Grasshopper(1970)

    as Plaster Caster Groupie

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Love, American Style (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Mary

  • Then Came Bronson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Claire

  • How Sweet It Is!(1968)

    as Tour Girl

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Savage Seven(1968)

    as Tina

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • That Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mayor's Secretary

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 79 titles from 1954 to 2016; peak year 2015.

Biggest box office

Big (1988)

$152M worldwide

Highest rated

Awakenings (1990)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Odd Couple (1970)

Film career

19542016

Peak 2015 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting65 of 79: 64 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score44thDirecting11 of 79: 7 only directing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score66thProducing7 of 79: 4 only producing, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score49th

79 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s5 · acting1970s25 · 24 acting · 2 crew1980s11 · 9 acting · 2 crew1990s14 · 8 acting · 6 crew2000s14 · 9 acting · 5 crew2010s9 · acting

Billing

usually 12th · top billed in 0% of 8 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Penny Marshall's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 37th percentile, the median of all 35; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 53 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up20
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th20
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 53 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed21

Most divisive · director

Rodman (2020)

84th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, producer

Awakenings (1990)

Midcredits 98th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Penny Marshall's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films and violence & gore and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles2–55 · median 24 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles14–41 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles31–63 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles31–37 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles12–50 · median 29 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Penny Marshall work with?

People who share at least 2 of Penny Marshall's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Amy Lemisch shares the most, 6.

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles