Marion Eileen Ross (born October , ) is a retired American actress.
Her best-known role is that of Marion Cunningham on the ABC television
sitcom Happy Days, on which she starred from to and received two
Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Before her success on Happy Days,
Ross appeared in a variety of film roles, appearing in The Glenn
Miller Story (), Sabrina (), Lust for Life (), Teacher's Pet (), Some
Came Running (), Operation Petticoat (), and Honky (), as well as
several minor television roles, one of which was on television’s The
Lone Ranger (). Ross also starred in The Evening Star (), for which
she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting
Actress.Since the s, Ross has been known for voice-over work on
animated television series such as King of the Hill and SpongeBob
SquarePants among others and recurring roles on The Drew Carey Show,
Gilmore Girls and Brothers & Sisters and guest spots.Ross was born in
Watertown, Carver County, Minnesota, the daughter of Gordon and Ellen
(Hamilton) Ross, natives of Saskatchewan, Canada. She lived in
Waconia, then moved to Willmar, and eventually to Albert Lea,
Minnesota. At the age of , she changed the spelling of her name from
"Marian" to "Marion" because she thought it would look better on a
marquee. After completing her sophomore year in high school, she moved
to Minneapolis, Minnesota, studying drama at the MacPhail Center for
Music and attending Southwest High School. A year later, her family
moved to San Diego, California. She graduated from Point Loma High
School in San Diego.Ross enrolled at San Diego State University, where
she was named the school's most outstanding actress. After graduation
in , she performed in summer theater in La Jolla, California. The
director was impressed by her talent and suggested that she audition
for work in films.[citation needed]
Her best-known role is that of Marion Cunningham on the ABC television
sitcom Happy Days, on which she starred from to and received two
Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Before her success on Happy Days,
Ross appeared in a variety of film roles, appearing in The Glenn
Miller Story (), Sabrina (), Lust for Life (), Teacher's Pet (), Some
Came Running (), Operation Petticoat (), and Honky (), as well as
several minor television roles, one of which was on television’s The
Lone Ranger (). Ross also starred in The Evening Star (), for which
she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting
Actress.Since the s, Ross has been known for voice-over work on
animated television series such as King of the Hill and SpongeBob
SquarePants among others and recurring roles on The Drew Carey Show,
Gilmore Girls and Brothers & Sisters and guest spots.Ross was born in
Watertown, Carver County, Minnesota, the daughter of Gordon and Ellen
(Hamilton) Ross, natives of Saskatchewan, Canada. She lived in
Waconia, then moved to Willmar, and eventually to Albert Lea,
Minnesota. At the age of , she changed the spelling of her name from
"Marian" to "Marion" because she thought it would look better on a
marquee. After completing her sophomore year in high school, she moved
to Minneapolis, Minnesota, studying drama at the MacPhail Center for
Music and attending Southwest High School. A year later, her family
moved to San Diego, California. She graduated from Point Loma High
School in San Diego.Ross enrolled at San Diego State University, where
she was named the school's most outstanding actress. After graduation
in , she performed in summer theater in La Jolla, California. The
director was impressed by her talent and suggested that she audition
for work in films.[citation needed]
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