REPORT: Penny Marshall Undergoes Biopsy For Brain & Liver Tumors

Actress and director Penny Marshall recently discovered tumors on her liver and brain, and quietly went in for surgery at a New York hospital last week, according to the brand new issue of the National Enquirer.

Marshall, beloved for her role of Laverne DeFazio on the 1970’s TV hit Laverne & Shirley, received the shocking news after she fell ill after a cross-country flight from Los Angeles to New York.

"Doctors told her they needed to schedule her for surgery and that they'd need a biopsy to determine if she had cancer," a source told the magazine. "She was floored because it happened so fast."

Marshall's daughter Tracy and her ex-husband Rob Reiner were at Penny's bedside after her Oct. 30 surgery.

A family source said Marshall was coping with the sudden downturn in health with her inimitable wit.

"She was cussing and asked someone to light a cigarette," the source told the magazine. "She hasn't lost her sense of humor."