Jennifer Rhodes as Penelope

Jennifer Rhodes is an American actress whose career spans four decades.

Jennifer Rhodes grew up in Rosiclare, Illinois, a small town on the Ohio River. She became interested in theater while attending Southern Illinois University and moved to New York City soon after graduating. She studied acting and began getting cast for theatre roles. When she eventually moved to Los Angeles, she stopped acting for a while because she felt, as a stage actress, she didn't know very much about acting for television or movie roles. She eventually auditioned successfully for commercials roles, later moving on to television and film.

Her first credited roll was in the 60's television series "The High Chaparral" as the character Tanea. The show centered around the character of John Cannon, played flawlessly by Leif (pronounced "Life") Erickson, and his brother Buck, played by Cameron Mitchell. In 1980, she played a press secretary on a made-for-tv movie about Jackie Kennedy. In 1989 she appeared in the New World Pictures film Heathers as Winona Ryder's mother. Her television resume proved to be quite extensive as she appeared on the following select series: Fame, Matlock, Little House on the Prairie, L.A. Law, Quantum Leap, Knots Landing, Designing Women, Full House, Red Shoe Diaries, Party of Five, ER, Wings, Murphy Brown, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Family Matters, Friends, Popular, The Agency and Boston Public- just to name a few.

Although she never had children of her own, Jennifer is frequently recognized as "Grams" from The WB series, Charmed, where she portrays the spirit of the Charmed One's grandmother. There she plays the tough as nails matriarch of the Halliwell clan. Although not a regular, she has appeared in all eight seasons of the series. Her recurring role as “Grams” is her second regular series though, her first being Nightingales as the character Effie Gardner.

 

Name: Penelope Halliwell Johnson
Nickname: Penny
Birthday: 23 June 1937
Died: 5 March 1998
Astrological sign: Cancer
Husband/Wife: several marriages, first one Allen
Jack Johnson
Powers: Telekinesis

Penny harboured the power of Telekinesis, passed down to her through the Halliwell/Warren bloodline. This power enabled her to move objects with the mind. As with her descendant, Prue, Penny was able to channel her power through her hands, and displayed great skill with this gift. Her power still survives today, as Penny uses it to flip the Book of Shadows to guide her grand-children, the Charmed Ones.

Penny Halliwell was the grandmother of the Charmed Ones. Penny took care of the girls after their mother was killed by a water demon, and the differences and worrying conflicts between them all forced her to consider binding their Charmed powers before they discovered they had them.

Grams died after a heart condition overcame her. She died with her grandchildren beside her bed in the San Francisco Memorial Hospital. Her spirit lives on, however, helping and guiding the Charmed Ones. She appears every now and again in order to aid her grand-daughters, and even married Piper and Leo as a High Priestess.