Who Is Penny Marshall Married To? The Real Story Behind Her Two Marriages

When you think of Penny Marshall, you probably picture the feisty Laverne DeFazio or the visionary director behind Big and A League of Their Own. But off-camera, her personal life was just as storied as her Hollywood career. If you’re wondering who is Penny Marshall married to, the answer involves two specific men from very different chapters of her life.

Honestly, it's a bit of a bittersweet trip down memory lane. Penny wasn't married when she passed away in 2018, but her two marriages—one to a college athlete and one to a Hollywood powerhouse—shaped the woman we all grew to love.

The First Marriage: Michael Henry (1963–1966)

Long before the bright lights of sitcom sets, Penny was a student at the University of New Mexico. This is where things got real, fast. She met Michael Henry, a campus football player. Life moved at a breakneck pace back then; she became pregnant, dropped out of school, and married Michael in late 1963.

They had a daughter, Tracy.

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But the marriage didn't last. By 1966, they were divorced. Penny found herself as a young single mother working as a secretary and a dance teacher just to keep things afloat. It was a tough period, but it eventually pushed her to move to Los Angeles, where her brother Garry Marshall was already making waves. That move changed everything.

The Power Couple Era: Rob Reiner (1971–1981)

If you grew up in the '70s, Penny Marshall and Rob Reiner were basically royalty. They married on April 10, 1971. At the time, Rob was "Meathead" on All in the Family, and Penny was just starting to find her footing.

This wasn't just a marriage; it was a total blending of lives. Rob even adopted Tracy, Penny's daughter from her first marriage. They were the ultimate TV couple. In fact, on The Odd Couple, Penny’s character (Myrna) actually married a character played by Rob. Talk about art imitating life.

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Why did they split?

It's kinda sad when you look at it. Success is a double-edged sword. As Laverne & Shirley became a massive hit, the schedules became grueling. Penny once mentioned in interviews that they were often apart due to work. While Rob was writing or filming, Penny was at the studio.

They stayed together for about ten years before divorcing in 1981. Despite the split, they remained incredibly close friends for the rest of their lives. It wasn't one of those nasty Hollywood breakups you read about in the tabloids. They genuinely cared for each other until the end.

Life After Marriage and Those Carrie Fisher Rumors

After Rob Reiner, Penny never married again. She did date—most notably actor Larry Breeding, who sadly passed away in a car accident in 1982—but she mostly focused on her groundbreaking career as a director.

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There were always rumors, though. People loved to speculate about her relationship with Carrie Fisher. They were best friends who shared a birthday and threw legendary joint parties. While some fans wondered if they were more than friends, Carrie famously cleared that up, joking that they weren't lesbians, just "loonies." They were just two brilliant, slightly eccentric women who found a platonic soulmate in each other.

The Legacy They Left Behind

Penny passed away on December 17, 2018, due to complications from diabetes. Even then, the impact of her marriages lingered. Rob Reiner tweeted a heartfelt tribute, calling her "so sad" and remembering the laughter she brought to the world.

Quick Facts About Penny Marshall's Marriages

• Michael Henry: Married in 1963, divorced in 1966. He was a football player.
• Rob Reiner: Married in 1971, divorced in 1981. He is a famous actor and director.
• Children: One daughter, Tracy Reiner, who was fathered by Michael and adopted by Rob.
• Status at death: Single (but surrounded by a massive "chosen family" of Hollywood icons).

If you're looking for Penny Marshall's "husband" today, you won't find one. But you will find a legacy of two very different relationships that helped mold one of the most influential women in film history.

If you want to understand her better, I highly recommend checking out her memoir, My Mother Was Nuts. It’s raw, funny, and gives you the real dirt on what it was like navigating those marriages while trying to become a legend. You can also revisit her work in A League of Their Own to see how she channeled her understanding of complex relationships into her directing.