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Laverne & Shirley star Cindy Williams recently died on January 25 from a brief illness. She was 75 years old at the time of death.
Co-founder of the film and television production company Imagine Entertainment, Ron Howard, paid tribute to Williams on Twitter and wrote:
"#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."
Comedian Dante posted a video featuring Williams' performances in Laverne & Shirley and wrote:
"This one hurts. I was lucky enough to be in a movie with her and she also signed my diary on an airplane one time and wrote a really funny story in it. Heartbreaking. What a soul. Rest in peace #Cindywilliams."
Cindy's children also issued a statement on their mother's demise and said that it was their joy and privilege to have known her. They added that she was :
"One of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved."
Cindy Williams exited Laverne & Shirley 33 years ago
Cindy Williams was well-known for her performances in various films and TV shows. However, she gained recognition after she began appearing as Shirley Feeney in the ABC sitcom, Laverne & Shirley, from 1976 to 1982.
Back in 2015, Cindy appeared in an interview with Today where she addressed the reasons why she decided to leave the show at one point. The eighth season of the show started in 1982, when Cindy was pregnant with her first child. She stated:
"I thought I was going to come back and they'd hide [my baby bump] behind benches, couches, pillows, and that wasn't it."
However, Williams was having problems with the filming schedule and as the final season was being prepared. The makers asked her to adjust her due date so that things could continue without a break.
Williams attempted to convince the makers that she could not sign the contract suddenly, but they were not ready to understand her situation.
The final season of the show featured only Penny Marshall, and Williams stated that the show would have been impossible without Marshall. She mentioned that when she was approached for the show, she was not confident about it and had doubts regarding its success.
Cindy Williams was featured in various TV shows and films
Cindy Williams made her television debut with the ABC series, Room 222 and continued to appear in various other shows like Barefoot in the Park, Nanny and the Professor, The Funny Side, Getting Together, Hawaii Five-O, Police Story, and more. She appeared on an episode of Saturday Night Live in 1977.
She was praised for her performances in TV shows like Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, The Magic School Bus, Touched by an Angel, Strip Mall, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and more.
Williams played important roles in films like Drive, He Said, The Killing Kind, American Graffiti, Big Man on Campus, The Biggest Fan, and more.
Cindy survived by her children Emily and Zachary and was married to musician and actor Bill Hudson from 1982 to 2000.
