Penny Fuller

Penelope Ann Fuller is an American actress. She received two Tony Award nominations for her performances on Broadway stage: for Applause (1970), and The Dinner Party (2001). For her television performances, Fuller received six Emmy Award nominations, winning once, in 1982 for playing Madge Kendal in The Elephant Man. Early life and family Fuller was born in Durham, North Carolina. She attended Lumberton High School and Northwestern University, where her teachers included Alvina Krause. Career Fuller moved to New York City, and in 1960 appeared at the East 74th Street Theater in George Gershwin's Oh, Kay!, with Linda Lavin and Marti Stevens. She made her Broadway debut in The Moon Besieged (1962); she appeared as a replacement in the original productions of Barefoot in the Park (1963) and Cabaret (1966). After a handful of Shakespearean productions, Fuller gained notice on Broadway for her portrayal of the outwardly sweet but subtly undermining Eve Harrington in Applause (1970–1972), the musical version of All About Eve with Lauren Bacall as Margo Channing. She started in Richard Rodgers' 1976 flop about Henry VIII, Rex, in which she appeared opposite Nicol Williamson and Glenn Close. Fuller continued to work in musicals, including the original production of William Finn's A New Brain and a 1999 revival of Rodgers' Do I Hear a Waltz? at New Jersey's George Street Playhouse. In later years, Fuller was also on Broadway in the original productions of Wendy Wasserstein's An American Daughter (1997) and Neil Simon's The Dinner Party (2000); she was Tony-nominated for the latter. Off-Broadway appearances have included Three Viewings (1995) and Nicky Silver's Beautiful Child. Most recently, appeared in the 2017 revival of Sunday in the Park with George and as the Dowager Empress in Anastasia.