Born Mary Lucy Denise Pudlowski on April 6, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois to a Greek mother and Polish father, five-time Golden Globe nominated actress Marilu Henner is the daughter of Loretta Pudolowski, the president of the National Association of Dance and Affiliated Arts. At the age of two, her mother taught her how to dance, and by the age of 14, she was teaching other kids how to dance as well. She began studying with the Illinois Ballet Company and later went to perform in theater. In 1971, Henner originated the role of Marty in the pre-Broadway Chicago University production of Grease. Shortly after her successful work in the production, she moved on to other Broadway plays such as Over Here!, Pal Joey, Chicago and The Take of the Allergist's Wife.
Henner gained the attention of viewers nationwide when she portrayed Elain Nardo in the television series, Taxi and Ava Evans Newton in the comedy series, Evening Shade. She also appeared as the lead female character in the 1984 film Johnny Dangerously, and Man on the Moon in 1999. In 2005, she became the host of America's Ballroom Challenge and later hosted FitTV and the Discovery Channel's Shape Up Your Life, a fitness program based on her health books. Henner has written a total of six books about how to manage one's health. These include "The 30-Day Total Health Makeover," "Marilu's Total Health Makeover," "Healthy Life Kitchen," "Healthy Holidays," "I Refuse to Raise a Brat" and "Healthy Kids."
In 2007, Marilu Henner was cast as one of 14 contestants in NBC's seventh season of The Apprentice: Celebrity Edition, where she vied for the prize of $250,000 for the charity of her choice. She was fired on the eighth episode of the show
- Both of her parents died in the 50s, which inspired her to be a vegetarian and have a healthy lifestyle.
- She was educated at Madonna High School/
- Her first husband is Frederic Forrest. They divorced after two years. Her next was Robert Lieberman. They have two children together, but they also split up in 2001. She then married Michael Brown in 2006.
- She is one of the rare people who possess a "Superior Autobiographical Memory," which allows her to recall almost every day of her life.
2011: Vamps - Angela
2011: Accidentally in Love (TV movie) - Carol
2011: Shatner's Raw Nerve (TV series) - Guest - Herself
2010: Numb3rs (TV series) - Regina Landers
2009: Party Down (TV series) - Pepper McMasters
2009: ER (TV series) - Linda
2008: My Boys (TV series) - Pamela Newman
2008: The Governor's Wife (TV movie) - Ann Danville
2008: The Apprentice (TV series) - Herself
2008: Good Behavior (TV movie) - Sydney Lake
2006-2007: Dancing with the Stars (TV series) - Herself
2005: The Comeback (TV series) - Marilu Henner
2005: Gone But Not Forgotten (TV movie) - Nancy Gordon
2005: Living with Fran (TV series) - Donna Martin
2005: Joint Custody (TV movie)
2004: Center of the Universe (TV series) - Sharon Singleton
2004: Andy Richter Controls the Universe (TV series) - Special Guest Voice
2004: Love Rules! (TV movie) - Carol
2002: Greg the Bunny (TV series) - Maggie
2002: Providence (TV series) - Georgia
2000: Enemies of Laughter - Dani
2000: Rocket's Red Glare (TV movie) - Meg Baker
2000: Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel - Mother
2000: A Tale of Two Bunnies (TV movie) - Miranda
1999: The Titanic Chronicles - Mrs Stuart While
1997-1998: The New Batman Adventures (TV series) - Veronica Vreeland
1998: SubZero (video) - Veronica Vreeland (voice)
1997: George & Leo (TV series)
1996: Titanic (TV movie) - Molly Brown
1996: For the Future: The Irvine Fertility Scandal (TV movie) - Debbie Challender
1996: My Son Is Innocent (TV movie) - Margaret Sutter
1995: Fight for Justice: The Nancy Conn Story (TV movie) - Nancy Conn
1995: Cybill (TV series) - Terry Belmont
1993-1995: Batman (TV series) - Veronica Vreeland
1990-1994: Evening Shade (TV series) - Ava Evans Newton
1994: Chasers - Katie, Waitress
1993: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm - Additional Voices (voice)
1992: Noises Off... - Belinda Blair/Flavia Brent
1991: Chains of Gold - Jackie
1991: L.A. Story - Trudi
1989: The Tracey Ullman Show (TV series) - Pregnant woman overdue #3
1988: Ladykillers (TV movie) - Samantha Flannery
1988: Channel 99 (TV movie) - Susan McDowell
1987: Grand Larceny - 'Freddy' Grand
1986: Love with the Perfect Stranger (TV movie) - Victoria Ducane
1986: Who's the Boss? (TV series) - Diane Wilmington
1985: Great Performances (TV series) - Louise
1985: Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV series) - Claire
1985: Perfect - Sally
1985: Rustlers' Rhapsody - Miss Tracy
1985: Stark (TV movie) - Ashley Walters
1984: Johnny Dangerously - Lil
1984: Cannonball Run II - Betty
1984: Mister Roberts (TV movie) - Nurse Girard
1983: The Man Who Loved Women - Agnes Chapman
1978-1983: Taxi (TV series) - Elaine O'Connor-Nardo
1982: Hammett - Kit Conger/Sue Alabama
1981: Dream House (TV movie) - Laura Griffith
1978: Bloodbrothers - Annette
1978: The Paper Chase (TV series) - Pizza Shop Waitress
1977: Off Campus (TV movie) - Janet
1977: Between the Lines - Danielle