PENNY MARSHALL Funny & FEARLESS

THE LAVERNE & SHIRLEY STAR OVERCAME HER INSECURITIES AND HAD THE LAST LAUGH

Penny Marshall stopped wearing heels around the same time she became a film director. "When you're directing, your shoes are the most important thing," she told Closer. "You gotta find shoes that are comfortable. I have more Chuck Taylors than you can imagine, in every color. I have Adidas. I have Pumas. I have spangled ones to match my dress-up stuff."

In showbiz, where a star's looks and image are everything, Penny stood out for being down-to-earth and unapologetically herself. With heart, gumption, and impeccable comic timing, she became a beloved TV star on Laverne & Shirley and, later, one of the world's most popular and successful female directors. "I don't like horror, and I don't do superheroes," Penny said. "Call me crazy, but I like to tell a story."

Penny's own story started in New York, where her dad made industrial films and her mom taught dance. "My mother was a tapdancing teacher, so I had to dance all my childhood," she explained.