Marion Ross

Marion Ross was an American actress who is best known for her role as Marion Cunningham on the ABC comedy ‘Happy Days.’ From 1974 until 1984, she appeared in the sitcom. For the sitcom, she received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. She was also renowned for her recurrent performances on ‘The Drew Carey Show,’ ‘The ’70s Show,’ and ‘Brothers & Sisters,’ as well as her voice work on animated television shows such as ‘King of the Hill’ and ‘SpongeBob SquarePants.’

What was the Net Worth of Marion Ross?

The estimated net worth of Marion Ross was around $10 million, and her professional work was her primary source of income.

Marion Ross looks back on life as 'Happy Days'' Mrs. Cunningham in new  memoir - Pasadena Weekly
Marion Ross smile. (Source: Pasadena Weekly)

Early Life and Education

She was born in Watertown, Minnesota, on October 25, 1928. Marian Ross is her birth name, and she is 90 years old. Ellen (Hamilton) Ross is her father’s name, and Gordon Ross is her mother’s name. Her parents are Saskatchewan, Canada natives. She moved from Waconia to Willmar, Minnesota, and then to Alberta Lea, Minnesota. At the age of 13, she changed her name from Marian to Marion because she thought it would look better on a marquee.

Marion Ross
Caption: Marion Ross and Paul Michael (Source: Zimbio)

Marion moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota after finishing her sophomore year of high school, where she studied acting at the MacPhail Center for the Arts and eventually attended Southwest High School. She graduated from San Diego’s Point Loma High School. She was voted the school’s most outstanding actress after enrolling at San Diego State University.

Professional Life and Career

Following her graduation in 1950, she worked in summer theatre at La Jolla, California. The director advised her to look for work in movies. Marion made her cinematic debut in 1953 with ‘Forever Female,’ and went on to star in films such as ‘The Glenn Miller Story,’ ‘Sabrina,’ ‘Lizzie,’ ‘Some Came Running,’ ‘Honky,’ and many others. She made her television debut in 1953 on the series ‘Life With Father,’ where she stayed for two years. In 1954, she appeared on ‘The Lone Ranger,’ ‘Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer,’ and ‘The Donna Reed Show,’ and in 1959, she appeared on ‘The Donna Reed Show.’

Best TV Moms: 'Happy Days' Marion Ross Remembers Hit ABC Comedy | TVLine
Marion made her cinematic debut in 1953. (Source: TVLine)

Marion debuted as a mail-order bride on ‘Rawhide’ and appeared in the CBS sitcom ‘Mrs. G. Goes to College’ from 1961 to 1962. ‘Airport’ from 1970 and ‘Colossus: The Forbin Project’ are among her other works. Marion became more well-known with the sitcom ‘Happy Days,’ which aired on ABC for 11 episodes from 1974 to 1984. She later performed in the comedy-drama ‘Brooklyn Bridge’ and was on ‘The Love Boat’ between 1978 and 1986. She voiced Ms. Wakefield on the Fox animated series ‘King of the Hill,’ as Crane’s mother on ‘Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness,’ as Grandma SquarePants in ‘SpongeBob SquarePants,’ and many more characters.

Marion appeared in the films ‘Music Within’ in 2007, ‘Superhero Movie’ in 2008, ‘The New Adventures of Old Christine’ in 2009, ‘Nurse Jackie’ in 2010, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in 2010, ‘The Middle’ in 2013, ‘Two and a Half Men’ in 2014, and made brief appearances on meTV in September 2015 to share her memories of her ‘happy Days’ co-stars.’ Marion declared in 2018 that she will be retiring from acting.

Awards and Nominations

In 1979 and 1984, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance on the sitcom “Happy Days.” She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in ‘The Evening Star.’ In 2014, she received the LA Femme Filmmaker Award, and in 1997, she won the Lone Star Film & Television Awards for Best Supporting Actress in ‘The Evening Actress.’

Controversy/Scandal and Rumors

On April 19, 2011, Ross and four of her ‘Happy Days’ co-stars filed a $10 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against CBS. If their sole photographs were used, they were meant to get 5% of the net proceeds of merchandising, and 50% if they were in a group. Were claimed they owed millions, while CBS stated that the actors were only owing $8500 and $9000 respectively.

However, in October 2011, a judge dismissed the group’s fraud allegation, and on June 5, 2012, a motion filed by CBS to have the lawsuit dismissed was granted, and the matter was set to go to trial on July 17. Finally, in July 2012, the performers and CBS reached an agreement, with each receiving $65,000 and a guarantee to uphold the terms of their contracts.

Body Stats and Social Media

She stands 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 57 kilograms. Her hair is red, and her eyes are brown. She didn’t appear to be on social media. She hasn’t set up accounts on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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Quick Facts of Marion Ross

Age: 93 years 3 months
Birth Date: October 25, 1928
Horoscope (Sunshine): Scorpio
Full Name: Marion Ross
Birth Place: Watertown, Minnesota, U.S.A.
Net Worth: Around $10 million
Height / How tall : 5 feet 5 inches (1.65m)
Nationality: American
Profession: Actress
Father’s Name: Ellen (Hamilton) Ross
Mother’s Name: Gordon Ross
Education: San Diego State University
Weight: 57 Kg
Hair Color: Red
Eye Color: Brown
Lucky Number: 8
Lucky Stone: Garnet
Lucky Color: Purple
Best Match for Marriage: Capricorn, Cancer, Pisces
Last Update: Feb, 2022