Penny Singleton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Penny Singleton
Penny Singleton in 1938
Born	Mariana Dorothy McNulty (1908-09-15)September 15, 1908 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	November 12, 2003(2003-11-12) (aged 95) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress labor leader
Years active	1925–1990
Spouse(s)	Laurence Scroggs Singleton ​ ​ (m. 1937; div. 1939)​ Robert Sparks ​ ​ (m. 1941; died 1963)​
Children	2

Penny Singleton (born Mariana Dorothy McNulty) was an American actress. She was also a strong leader for workers' rights. Penny was born on September 15, 1908, and passed away on November 12, 2003.

She had a long career, working for 60 years in theater, movies, radio, and television. Penny was best known for playing the comic strip character Blondie Bumstead. She starred as Blondie in 28 movies made between 1938 and 1950. She also played Blondie in a popular radio show from 1939 to 1950. Later, Penny Singleton became the voice of Jane Jetson in the cartoon series The Jetsons from 1962 to 1963.

Beyond acting, Penny Singleton made history. She was the first woman to lead an AFL-CIO union. She served two terms as president of the American Guild of Variety Artists. She spoke up for women performers in front of the government. In 1967, she even led a strike for the famous Radio City Rockettes.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Penny Singleton was born in Philadelphia. Her parents were Bernard J. "Benny" McNulty and Mary Dorothy McNulty. She started performing when she was just a child. She only went to school until the sixth grade.

Starting Her Career

Penny Singleton as Blondie and Arthur Lake as Dagwood Bumstead, from a 1944 publicity photograph

Penny began her career singing at silent movie theaters. She also performed in vaudeville shows. She was part of a group called "The Kiddie Kabaret." She sang and danced with famous people like Milton Berle and Gene Raymond. Penny also performed on Broadway in a show called The Great Temptations. She toured many nightclubs and acted in plays and musicals across the country.

Becoming a Star: Blondie and Beyond

Penny Singleton appeared as a nightclub singer in the movie After the Thin Man. She was first cast as Blondie in the 1938 movie Blondie. Her co-star was Arthur Lake, who played Dagwood. This movie was based on the popular comic strip.

The Blondie Movies and Radio Show

Penny and Arthur were very popular as Blondie and Dagwood. They continued their roles in a radio comedy starting in 1939. They also made guest appearances on other radio shows. Because they were so loved, they made 27 more Blondie movies. These movies were released from 1938 until 1950. The radio show also ended in 1950. Penny's husband, Robert Sparks, produced 12 of these movies. In 1950, Penny also had her own radio show called The Penny Singleton Show.

Other Acting Roles

Penny Singleton was the main star in the 1941 movie Go West, Young Lady. She was even billed above her male co-star, Glenn Ford. At that time, only a few other female stars were top-billed singing cowgirls. Later in her career, she voiced Jane Jetson in The Jetsons. This animated series ran from 1962 to 1963.

Fighting for Workers' Rights

Penny Singleton was very active in unions. She was a strong voice in the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA). She was elected president of the AGVA twice, from 1958 to 1959, and again from 1969 to 1970.

Speaking Up for Performers

In 1962, she spoke to a United States Senate committee. She talked about how women in variety shows were treated unfairly. She also pointed out how the union was not doing enough to help them. Penny bravely told the committee that "exotic and strip artists have been abandoned... by the very union to which they pay dues."

Leading Strikes

In 1967, Penny led a successful strike by the Radio City Rockettes. The strike lasted a month, and it helped them get better working conditions. During her time as president, she also led talks during a strike for the Disney on Parade show in the 1970s. This show was a huge success, touring all over the world. Penny led a slowdown in a performance in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Then, the cast walked out in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The strike was settled the next week in Houston, Texas. The main issue was that a special stage used by dancers was removed to save money. This caused dancers to get shin splints. Thanks to Penny, the strike was settled, and the show continued.

Personal Life and Achievements

Penny Singleton married Laurence Scroggs Singleton, a dentist, in 1937. They divorced in 1939, but she kept his last name. She married again in 1941 to Robert C. Sparks, a film producer. They stayed married until he passed away in 1963. Penny had two daughters, Dorothy and Susan. She was a lifelong Catholic and a Democrat.

In 1960, Penny Singleton received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This honored her work in both radio and movies. Her radio star is at 6811 Hollywood Boulevard. Her film star is at 6547 Hollywood Boulevard.

Later Years

Penny Singleton passed away on November 12, 2003. She was 95 years old. She died from respiratory failure in Sherman Oaks, California. She was buried at San Fernando Cemetery.

Filmography

Short Films

• Belle of the Night (1930)
• Campus Cinderella (1938)
• Screen Snapshots Series 19, No. 1 (1939)

Television Shows

• Pulitzer Prize Playhouse (1950) - Wilhelmina
• Frances Farmer Presents (1958) - Belinda Pendergast
• The Quick Draw McGraw Show (1959) – The Cattle Battle Rattled – Wife
• The Jetsons (1962–1963, 1985–1987) - Jane Jetson (voice)
• Death Valley Days (1963) - Maggie Franklin
• The Twilight Zone (1964) - Sounds and Silences- Mrs. Flemington
• Murder, She Wrote (1986) – "The Perfect Foil" – Aunt Mildred
• Rockin' with Judy Jetson (1988) - Jane Jetson (voice)
• The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones (1989) - Jane Jetson (voice)
• Hanna-Barbera's 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration (1989) - Jane Jetson (voice)
• The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera (1990) - Jane Jetson (voice)

Stage Performances

• Sky High (1925)
• Sweetheart Time (1926)
• The Great Temptations (1926)
• Good News (1928)
• Hey Nonny Nonny! (1932)
• Call Me Madam (1959)
• Never Too Late (1964)
• No, No, Nanette (1971)
• No, No, Nanette (1974)
• Little Me (1983)

Theme Park Voice Work

• The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera (ride) (1990) – Jane Jetson (voice)

See also

In Spanish: Penny Singleton para niños