Biography
Penny Santon (born Pierina Burlando) was an American actress who worked in film, television and theatre from the early 1950s until the late 1990s. She frequently played Italian-American wives and mothers, drawing on her fluency in Italian.
She appeared on stage in the original Broadway production of Tennessee Williams's The Rose Tattoo (1951). Her film credits include Funny Girl (1968) as Mrs. Meeker, Fletch (1985) and Short Circuit (1986). On television she had recurring or notable guest roles in series such as Laverne & Shirley, Hill Street Blues, Columbo, Friends and Matt Houston.
Santon was married to actor Bruno Della Santina from 1936 until his death in 1968. She died in Burbank, California, on 12 May 1999.
