• My Mother Was Nuts

  • A Memoir
  • By: Penny Marshall
  • Narrated by: Penny Marshall
  • Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (3,476 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
My Mother Was Nuts  By  cover art

My Mother Was Nuts

By: Penny Marshall
Narrated by: Penny Marshall
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.00

Buy for $21.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Most people know Penny Marshall as the director of Big and A League of Their Own. What they don’t know is her trailblazing career was a happy accident. In this funny and intimate memoir, Penny takes us from the stage of The Jackie Gleason Show in 1955 to Hollywood’s star-studded sets, offering up some hilarious detours along the way.

My Mother Was Nuts is an intimate backstage pass to Penny’s personal life, her breakout role on The Odd Couple, her exploits with Cindy Williams and John Belushi, and her travels across Europe with Art Garfunkel on the back of a motorcycle. We see Penny get married. And divorced. And married again (the second time to Rob Reiner). We meet a young Carrie Fisher, whose close friendship with Penny has spanned decades. And we see Penny at work with Tom Hanks, Mark Wahlberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert De Niro, and Whitney Houston.

Throughout it all, from her childhood spent tap dancing in the Bronx, to her rise as the star of Laverne & Shirley, Penny lived by simple rules: “try hard, help your friends, don’t get too crazy, and have fun.” With humor and heart, My Mother Was Nuts reveals there’s no one else quite like Penny Marshall.

©2012 Penny Marshall (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“There's as much practical, hard-won advice here as there is Hollywood gossip, and Marshall's boundless energy and no-nonsense attitude make for a fun read.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Hollywood aficionados will get a kick out of Marshall’s anecdotes about her circle of friends, including Albert Brooks, John Belushi, and Carrie Fisher, all told in a funny, down-to-earth manner.” (Booklist)

“Penny Marshall is a fascinating woman who has lived a life few of us could survive. Did you know she gave me two of the best jobs I’ve ever had? Of course not, because when she talks she is barely comprehensible. Read her memoir and you’ll come to love her as much as I do.” (Tom Hanks)

What listeners say about My Mother Was Nuts

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,152
  • 4 Stars
    805
  • 3 Stars
    354
  • 2 Stars
    109
  • 1 Stars
    56
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,039
  • 4 Stars
    570
  • 3 Stars
    273
  • 2 Stars
    103
  • 1 Stars
    59
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,927
  • 4 Stars
    672
  • 3 Stars
    321
  • 2 Stars
    81
  • 1 Stars
    39

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A really engaging book

Listening to the author stream her life's work and experiences was very engaging.
Penny turns out to be enigmatic, hilarious, and crazy, but always authentic.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Maybe it’s my age…

It was entertaining hearing Penny recount her journey from childhood to stardom and philanthropist. She gave a number of people career stepping stones and rooted for them for the rest of their careers. Not to mention the friends she lost in a challenging world.

The book started a bit slow but it pulled me in. My guess if the book would have been half the size had she not shared everyone’s name, but let’s face it that is part of the reason we listen to celebrities and their books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

fantastic audiobook

loved it very much.... wish you were still her Penny. listening to her narrate was wonderful!!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

It was so wonderful. I wish I had been there! Love

Wonderful, what a great life you've had!Wish I had been one of your best friends!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed it from start to finish

Listening to “Laverne” tell her story was enjoyable, informative and fun. What a life she had, and she filled it with friends. We learn about her successful career as an actor and her fantastic directing experiences. Down-to-earth but larger than life Penny Marshall. Who knew?? I loved it. From Lady Gaga, and Tom Hanks in “A Field of Their Own” to Whitney Houston and Denzel in “A Preacher’s Wife,” and several movies in between, we get a glimpse of the movie-making world and some tidbits about everyone involved. Great book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good book

It sounded like a straightforward and honest telling of her life and that's all I can ask for. I recommend this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Story by the late Penny Marshall

She has had one very interesting life and I love her voice ! Well worth the credit

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Go Bronx!

It is good to hear my native language again. Thank you Penny for bringing it to the world.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

You’d be NUTS not to listen

Her brother was Garry Marshall, she married Rob Riener, best friend was Carrie Fisher and that’s just the beginning. This heartfelt memoir has singular charm as Penny reads it herself. 10/10

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great laughs and entertaining

Love the storytelling and hilarious narratives. This was a light hearted time and just perfect!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!