Marion Ross (born Marian Ellen Ross; October 25, 1928) is an American actress. Her best-known role is that of Marion Cunningham on the ABC television sitcom Happy Days, on which she starred from 1974 to 1984 and for which she 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 (1954), Sabrina (1954), Lust for Life (1956), Teacher's Pet (1958), Some Came Running (1958), Operation Petticoat (1959), and Honky (1971), as well as several minor television roles, one of which was on television's The Lone Ranger (1954). She was also twice nominated successively in 1992 and 1993 for the Primetime Emmy Award for her performance on the CBS television comedy-drama Brooklyn Bridge and later netted another Emmy nomination (her fifth and last) in 1999 for a two-episode appearance on the popular CBS drama Touched by an Angel. Ross also starred in the high-profile, long-anticipated sequel to Terms of Endearment (1983), The Evening Star (1996), in a turn for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as both a nomination and win for a Lone Star Film and Television Award for Best Supporting Actress. Since the 1990s, Ross has been known for voice-over work on animated television series, including King of the Hill and SpongeBob SquarePants, among others, and recurring roles on The Drew Carey Show, Gilmore Girls, and Brothers & Sisters and guest appearances. Early life Ross was born on October 25, 1928, in Watertown, Carver County, Minnesota, the daughter of Gordon and Ellen (née Hamilton) Ross, natives of Saskatchewan, Canada. She lived in Waconia, then moved to Willmar, and eventually to Albert Lea, Minnesota. At the age of 13, 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, 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 received her undergraduate degree from San Diego State University. Career Early film and television roles: 1953–73 Ross made her 1953 film debut in Forever Female, starring Ginger Rogers and William Holden. She found steady work in film, appearing in