A Single Penny

The woman every actor needs to thank for residuals

At the age of 8, Dorothy McNolty was billed as 'Baby Dorothy' through song and dance. She entertained patrons during the intermissions at a silent movie theater in Philadelphia. In elementary school, she joined a traveling vaudeville show called, The Kiddie Cabaret. Always remembering to save her pennies and pay in a jar, she saved up enough to go to Broadway in New York. Already well-connected in the vaudeville community, her 16th birthday was hosted by, none other than, the renowned critic Mr. Nathan. By the age of 19, Dorothy McNolty's dream was finally accomplished on a Broadway stage in 1927. She played a lead character named 'FLO' in the musical Good News and married a trumpet player Mr. Fergusen, but destiny had bigger plans for Dorothy McNolty. 3 years later, and recently divorced, Hollywood invited her to Los Angeles to play 'FLO' in the film version of Good News. She stayed in Hollywood for another 5 years doing bit parts here and there for the studios. After marrying her second husband, Lawrence Singleton DDS, she billed herself as Penny Singleton. She would always remember the hard work that gave her such great fortune. Then, Penny Singleton landed the role of a lifetime. 

Shirley Deane was originally cast to play the role of 'Blondie' from the comic strip Blondie and Dagwood. When Shirley was unable to play the part, Penny made a bold step forward by bleaching her red hair blonde, nabbing the part. She went on to make 28 highly-successful 1 hour b-movies. The money generated by the highly-beloved films single-handedly saved Columbia Pictures from having to declare bankruptcy. She was the first actor to ever add to her contract demanding that she receive residual payments, knowing that the film still made loads of money for the producers on the back-end.

Penny Singleton became Vice President of the American Guild of Variety Artists [AGVA]. She made producers and club owners, who were profiting from artists, actually pay social security, unemployment, and pension plans as a new standard to this industry. In 1967, she led a strike against Radio City Music Hall for the Rockettes. In 1970, she led the first-ever strike against Disney Studios for using college students by offering college credit and housing, in lieu of payments. Which, in today's industry, is known as an internship. Penny Singleton was truly the mother of the future for the next generation as the voice of 'Jane Jetson'. Yes, Jane, his wife.