What happened to Marion Ross? What is she doing today?

 

Who is Marion Ross?

American actress Marion Ellen Ross was born in Watertown, Minnesota USA, on 25 October 1928, making Scorpio her zodiac sign. She’s had roles in over 200 movies and TV series, but is probably still known best for playing Aunt Lucille in the 2008 action science fiction comedy “Superhero Movie”, which starred Leslie Nielsen and Drake Bell, and was written and directed by Craig Mazin. It follows teenager Rick Riken who’s been bitten by a radioactive dragonfly and has become a superhero; the film won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Breakout Male.

Marion announced her retirement for the second time in 2021, but returned to acting in the same year and has since been involved mostly in online projects; she’d previously announced her retirement in 2018, but changed her mind less than a month later.

Education and early life

Marion was raised in Watertown alongside her brother Gordon Jr. and sister Alicia, by their Canadian parents Ellen (nee Hamilton) and Gordon Ross Sr. who were originally from Saskatchewan, Canada; not many other details have been shared about Marion’s family, as she respects their privacy.

Marion was 13 when she changed her name from ‘Marian’ to ‘Marion’, and she became interested in acting while attending a local high school in Watertown; after two years there, Marion moved to Minneapolis and enrolled at Southwest High School, while she honed her acting skills at the MacPhail Center for Music.

After only a year in Minneapolis, Marion and her family moved to San Diego, California where she attended Point Loma High School, and from which she matriculated in 1947; she continued her education at San Diego State University, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in 1951.

Roles in movies

Marion’s debut film role was playing Patty in the 1953 comedy “Forever Female”, while some of her following roles were in the biographical musical “The Glenn Miller Story”, the action adventure “Secret of the Incas” and the crime drama “Pushover”, all released in 1954.

What marked the ‘50s for her was perhaps playing a supporting character in the 1956 family adventure comedy “Around the World in 80 Days”, which starred Cantinflas and David Niven, and was directed by Michael Anderson. It follows a late 19^th-centuryVictorian Englishman who’s made a bet that he can travel the globe in 80 days, and the movie won 14 of its 19 award nominations, including five Oscar wins, some of which were for Best Cinematography, Best Writing – Screenplay and Best Picture.

Marion appeared in only two movies in the ‘60s: the 1961 crime drama “Blueprint for Robbery”, the 1969 crime drama “Any Second Now”, and then in the  1970 action thriller “Airport”. The year 1971 saw her play Mrs Divine in the romantic drama “Honky”, which starred John Neilson and Brenda Sykes, and was directed by William A. Graham. It follows black teenager Sheila who’s begun dating working class white teenager Wayne, and has asked him to help her sell a kilo of marijuana; the movie was nominated for a 1972 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song – Motion Picture. Two of Marion’s other notable performances in the ‘70s were in the 1972 drama “The Weekend Nun”, the 1979 crime drama “Survival of Dana”.

Little House on the Prairie’s Melissa Sue Anderson is Dana, a shy & smart teen who finds herself moving from the midwest after her parent’s divorce, into the Southern California Valley to live with her grandmother (Marion Ross). Her loneliness leads her to a small gang of misfits pic.twitter.com/bw55AbvuaS

— Amanda Reyes 🐀 (@madefortvmayhem) April 30, 2023

She appeared in only three movies in the ‘80s: the 1980 drama “Skyward”, the ‘81 horror “Midnight Offerings”, and the 1986 drama “Sins of the Father”.

In 1994, she portrayed Charlotte Brandon in the romantic drama “A Perfect Stranger”, which starred Stacy Haiduk and Robert Urich, and was directed by Michael Miller. It follows an attorney who’s fallen in love with the wife of a dying millionaire, and the film was nominated for two awards. Some of Marion’s roles in the remainder of the ‘90s were in the 1995 crime adventure mystery “Hart to Hart: Secrets of the Hart”, the 1996 drama “Hidden in Silence” and the 1996 romantic comedy “The Evening Star”.

She appeared in several popular movies in the 2000s, including the 2007 comedy “Smiley Face”, which starred John Krasinski and Anna Faris, and was directed by Gregg Araki. It follows an actress who’s eaten her roommate’s marijuana cupcakes by mistake, and the film was nominated for a Cannes Film Festival C. I. C. A. E. Award.

Marion appeared in only a couple of films in the 2010s, including the 2011 romantic comedy “Keeping Up with the Randalls”, the 2013 horror “Heebie Jeebies”, and the 2014 family comedy “Sweet Surrender”.

Her most recent movie role has been portraying Marion in the 2021 comedy “Senior Entourage”, which starred Mark Rydell and Edward Asner, and was directed by Brian Connors; it’s a mockumentary which follows the lives of several people aged between nine and 90, and is known as ‘Seinfeld for seniors’.

Roles in TV series

Marion’s debut TV series role was playing Wife of Tribune Reader in the 1953 episode “One Nation Indivisible” of the drama “Cavalcade of America”, and the remainder of the ‘50s saw her appear in an episode or two of many series, including the comedy “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show”, the western “The Lone Ranger”, and the drama “The Millionaire”.

What marked the ‘60s for Marion was starring as Mary Morgan in 158 episodes of the drama “Paradise Bay”, which also starred Heather North and Keith Andes, and was created by Ted Corday; the series aired in 1965 and 1966 and follows the Morgan family who seem to be involved in the murder of teenager Sally Baxter. Some of Marion’s other TV series appearances in the decade were in an episode or two of the crime adventure “The Fugitive”, the crime drama “The Felony Squad” and the family comedy “The Brady Bunch”.

From 1974 through 1984, she starred as Marion Cunningham and played several other characters in all 255 episodes of the critically acclaimed musical family comedy “Happy Days”, which also starred Henry Winkler and Ron Howard, and was created by Garry Marshall. It follows the lives of the Cunningham family and the superhuman greaser Fonzie – the series won 18 of its 37 award nominations. Some of the TV series in which Marion made a guest appearance in the remainder of the ‘80s were the family adventure “Fantasy Island”, the drama “Glitter” and the crime drama “You Are the Jury”.

What marked the ‘90s for her was perhaps playing the lead character Sophie Berger in all 33 episodes of the drama “Brooklyn Bridge”, which also starred Louis Zorich and Danny Gerard, and was created by Gary David Goldberg. The series aired from 1991 through 1993, follows the lives of 14-year-old Alan Silver and his family, and won 13 of its 39 award nominations. Marion appeared in an episode of many series in the ‘90s, including the comedy “Dream On”, the drama “Sweet Justice” and the adventure comedy “Early Edition”.

From 2001 through 2005, she played Marilyn Gilmore in six episodes of the critically acclaimed comedy “Gilmore Girls”, which starred Keiko Agena, Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham, and which Amy Sherman-Palladino created. It tells the story of a teenager and her mother who are living in Stars Hollow, Connecticut, and the series won 23 of its 108 award nominations. Marion could then have been seen making a guest appearance in the romantic drama “Sex, Love & Secrets”, the comedy “Out of Practice” and another comedy “The New Adventures of Old Christine”.

In 2014 and 2015, she played Lynn Carver in the romantic family drama “Chasing Life”, which starred Mary Page Keller and Italia Ricci, and was created by Marco Lagarde and Susanna Fogel. It follows young woman April Carver who’s just been diagnosed with leukemia, and the series was nominated for five awards.

Marion’s three most recent TV series roles have been in the 2018 episode “Gotta Get Outta This Place” of the animated action adventure “Guardians of the Galaxy” (voice role), three episodes of the short comedy “Please Tell Me I’m Adopted” from 2017 through 2020, and the 2021 episode “The Marshall Plan” of the comedy “Viral Vignettes”.

Other credits

Marion sang various songs in seven episodes of the series “Happy Days” from 1974 through 1982, and she sang the song “Child Stars on Your Television” in the 2003 movie “Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star”.

Some of her most recent talk-show appearances have been in “Meet the Biz”, “American Experience” and “Live from Detroit: The Jeff Dwoskin Show”.

Awards and nominations

Marion’s won six of her 16 award nominations.Some of her wins include two Viewers for Quality Television Awards for Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Series in 1992 and 1993, both for her performance in “Brooklyn Bridge”, a 1997 Lone Star Film & Television Award for Best Supporting Actress, for “The Evening Star” and a 2014 LA Femme International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award.

Marion was honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 12 July 2001.

She was nominated for a 1997 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, for “The Evening Star”, and five Primetime Emmys from 1979 through 1999, two for her performance in “Happy Days”, another two for “Brooklyn Bridge” and the last for “Touched by an Angel”.

Love life and marriages

Marion’s been married twice – both marriages ended with her husbands’ deaths. Her first husband was American actor Freeman Morse, also known as Freeman Meskimen; he appeared in 12 movies and TV series, and is probably still remembered best for portraying Private Reed in the 1954 western movie “Battle of Rogue River”. Marion and Freeman exchanged vows on 22 December 1950, and she gave birth to their son Jim Meskimen on 10 September 1959, while their daughter Ellen Kreamer followed on 11 October 1962; Freeman passed away on 28 October 1968.

She married her second husband, American actor Paul Michael in 1988, and he died on 8 July 2011; Paul had 30 roles to his name, and remains remembered for playing King Johnny Romano in the 1969 fantasy horror series “Dark Shadows”.

Marion’s son Jim’s today a successful actor ,and has played and voiced characters in more than 300 movies and TV series, but is probably still known best for his roles in the 1995 historical adventure movie “Apollo 13”, which won Oscars for Best Film Editing and Best Sound, and the 2000 family fantasy comedy movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, which won an Oscar for Best Makeup. Marion’s daughter Ellen’s a successful screenwriter and producer, and is known particularly for producing 113 episodes of the critically acclaimed romantic comedy series “Friends” from 1999 through 2004.

Marion seems to be unattached as of May 2023, has been married twice and has two children with her first husband Freeman Morse (Meskimen).

Interesting facts and hobbies

Marion’s today residing in Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, California and she served as Grand Marshall of Cardiff Centennial Celebrations in July 2011.

She’s an associate artist for the Old Globe Theatre.

Marion’s two closest friends were the late actor Gavin MacLeod and the late actress Barbara Billingsley. Her brother Gordon was 65 when he died on 16 August 1995.

She dislikes social media networks, and isn’t active on any.

Marion today spends most of her time reading books (with her favorites being autobiographies), gardening and watching movies; she’s deeply religious, and spends a lot of time at church.

One of Marion’s favorite actors is the late Robin Williams, and some of her favorite movies include “Insomnia”, “Toys” and “The Fisher King”.

Height, eyes and wealth

Marion’s age is 94. She has brown eyes and ginger hair, is 5ft 5ins (1.65m) tall and weighs about 135lbs (61kgs).

Marion’s net worth’s been estimated at over $10 million as of May 2023.