| Marla Pennington-Rowan | |
| Birth Name: | Marla Lynn Pennington |
| Birth Date: | 5 March 1954 |
| Birth Place: | Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Spouse: | Thomas Patrick Rowan (1988-2021, his death) |
| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Yearsactive: | 1974–1989 |
Marla Lynn Pennington (born March 5, 1954) is an American former actress. She is best known for her role as Joan Anderson Lawson on Small Wonder, her last acting role to date.
Her other television credits include Soap, Diff'rent Strokes, Magnum, P.I., Charlie's Angels, Happy Days, The Incredible Hulk, and General Hospital. Pennington's film credits include National Lampoon's Class Reunion, and The Day of the Locust.
While Small Wonder was her last acting role, she appeared in a brief reunion with her co-stars on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet on January 14, 2009. She provided commentary to the Small Wonder season 1 DVD set, released in February 2010.
In 1988, Pennington married entertainment lawyer Tom Rowan, son of comedian Dan Rowan (of Rowan and Martin fame) with whom she had a son, Dan, and a daughter, Kat. Upon Small Wonder ending in 1989, she retired from acting to devote time to her family.[1] Rowan passed away in 2021, leaving Pennington a widow.[2]
| Film | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes | |
| 1976 | Jim the World's Greatest | Jan | Alternative title: Story of a Teenager | |
| 1982 | National Lampoon's Class Reunion | Mary Beth | Alternative title: Class Reunion | |
| Television | ||||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
| 1974 | Lucas Tanner | Jane Benson | 1 episode | |
| 1976 | Charlie's Angels | Jenny Warren | Episode: "Bullseye" | |
| 1976–1979 | General Hospital | Samantha Livingston Chandler #2 | Unknown episodes | |
| 1979 | How the West Was Won | Blossom | Episode: "Luke" | |
| Buffalo Soldiers | Girl | Television movie | ||
| 1979–1981 | Soap | Leslie Walker | 17 episodes | |
| 1980 | The Incredible Hulk | Miriam Charles | Episode: "Deathmask" | |
| 1981 | Magnum, P.I. | Carol Ann Little | Episode: "Billy Joe Bob" | |
| 1982 | Happy Days | Cynthia Brannigan | Episodes: "A Touch of Classical" "Hi Yo, Fonzie Away" | |
| 1983 | Herndon | Laura | Television movie | |
| 1984 | Diff'rent Strokes | Nurse Joan Fleming | 1 episode | |
| 1985–1989 | Small Wonder | Joan Lawson | 96 episodes | |