Beloved Cindy Williams Of ‘Laverne And Shirley’ Dies At 75

Cindy Williams is best known for her role as Shirley Feeney on the 1970s classic TV series. “Laverne and Shirley,” At 75 years old, she died. Her assistant, Liza Cranis, Williams died “peacefully.”

Williams’ charm as the innocent Shirley beguiled millions from 1976 to 1983. The spin-off of the TV smash hit, the show. “Happy Days,” Penny Marshall and Williams were portrayed as young Milwaukee blue-collar ladies.

“It evolved,” Williams Her character. “There were certain things that evolved. Like the thing that I said where she could be — her temperament evolved. I had a lot of fun playing, being very calm one minute and then going for someone’s throat, one of the boy’s throats the next. I really liked that, but that was sort of a comedic conceit that was a lot of fun to play and a lot of fun to watch.”

“Just like that, I can be very calm one minute and very temperamental the next,” She laughed. “But I’m Italian; so is Penny. We’re both half-Italian.”

Williams was born Van Nuys, California. He later studied theater at Los Angeles City College. “I’m what you might call a ‘Valley Girl,’” Williams confessed in her memoir “Shirley, I Jest! A Storied Life.”

She was offered roles in “Room 222,” “Nanny and the Professor” And “Love, American Style,” Before she got her breakthrough role in 1973’s film “American Graffiti” Laurie. She was nominated by the British Academy Film Awards for her role in that film, which saw Ron Howard star alongside her. She was offered a role in the film “The Big Sick” in 1974. “The Conversation” A woman that appears to be a victim of an evil plot, but in fact is a part of something sinister.

Her career was then made. Williams and Marshall were writing partners when Marshall’s brother Garry, the producer of “Happy Days,” These two were cast as dates for Fonzie, (Henry Winkler), or Richie (Ron Howard). Williams was cast again opposite Howard. The episode was so popular Garry Marshall pitched the idea for a spin-off that starred the two women.

“We were very different people,” Williams Recalled Marshall, who was killed in 2018. “She was, you get the script; you read it; you know it; and you do it. You start performing it.  I have dyslexia so it takes me a little longer and she could be a little impatient with that. Once we hit the stage together and actually started the show, you couldn’t slip a playing card in between us because we just were in rhythm. I couldn’t have done it with anyone else.”

Williams’ role on the show ended when she became pregnant.“’Laverne & Shirley’ ended abruptly for me. When we shot the first episode, I was four months pregnant. But when it came time to sign the contract for that season I realized that the studio had scheduled me to work on my delivery due date,” In her memoir, she wrote. Later, she sued and the matter was settled outside of court.

Williams was very passionate about her faith in God. “Well, I was just born with it. He was always present. So if it was imbued in my spirit; it gets really heady,” She Telled Psychology Today. “I don’t know how I can talk about this, but God was imbued in me from the time of my birth; and me in Him. And I just had this sense of always being all right, even though the situation might be dire.”

Williams is survived her children, Emily Hudson and Zak Hudson. Williams’ father, Bill Hudson, was also married with Goldie Hawn. Their daughter, Kate Hudson, is Williams. Williams’ children described her after her death as “one of a kind.”

Tributes flowed in after the news of Williams’ death:

#CindyWilliams Her unpretentious intelligence, talent, wit & humanity impacted every character she created & person she worked with. We were paired as actors on 6 different projects. #AmericanGraffiti a couple of dramas & then #HappyDays & #laverneandshirley Lucky me. RIP, Cindy https://t.co/pXc9bQhNIk

— Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) January 31, 2023

Backstage, Season 1: I’m offstage waiting for a cue. The script’s been a tough one, so we’re giving it 110% and the audience is having a great time. Cindy scoots by me to make her entrance and with a glorious grin, says: “Show’s cookin’!”. Amen. Thank you, Cindy.

— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) January 31, 2023

Sad to hear the passing of Cindy Williams.

If there is an afterlife, may you and Penny be pouring a Shotz beer and Milk and Pepsi with Garry, David, Eddie and Phil. pic.twitter.com/MYERLOgZsG

— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) January 31, 2023