Sad news for fans of classic TV as Cindy Williams, star of ‘Laverne & Shirley’ and ‘Happy Days,’ has passed away after a brief illness. She was 75 years old.
Her family confirmed her death on Monday, with her children Zak and Emily Hudson releasing a statement through Yahoo Entertainment, announcing that Cindy passed away peacefully on January 25th.
A spokesperson for the family, Liza Cranis, expressed their sorrow over the loss in a statement, saying “We are heartbroken over the passing of our mother, Cindy Williams. She was an amazing person, beautiful inside and out, with a brilliant sense of humor and a sparkling personality that everyone loved. We will miss her deeply and will cherish the memories we have of her forever.”
Cindy Williams, who went on to become a legendary actress, was born in the outskirts of Los Angeles. Her passion for acting began in high school, where she shared the stage with Sally Field, as mentioned on her official website. After obtaining a degree in Theater Arts from college, she made her television debut in shows like ‘Room 222,’ ‘Nanny and the Professor,’ and ‘Love, American Style.’ She also appeared in big-screen productions like George Lucas’s iconic film ‘American Graffiti’ (1973) alongside Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, and Harrison Ford, and Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘The Conversation’ (1974).
Her career took a big leap in 1975 when she was cast in the hit TV series ‘Happy Days.’ Her character Shirley, and her best friend Laverne DeFazio, played by Penny Marshall, stole the show with their double date with Richie and Fonzie, leading to the creation of the spinoff series ‘Laverne & Shirley.’ The show, set in a Milwaukee bottling factory in the 1950s and 1960s, ran for eight seasons and was one of the most beloved TV shows of its time.
The electrifying on-screen partnership between Cindy and Penny in ‘Laverne & Shirley’ is considered to be one of the most memorable female friendships in television history. The two remained close friends off-screen and even received stars together on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. Cindy described Penny’s passing in 2018 as “an extraordinary loss.”
Ron Howard, who worked with Cindy Williams in ‘American Graffiti’ and ‘Happy Days,’ expressed his shock at her sudden passing in a conversation with People. He reminisced about the “big sister energy” she had towards him and their connection at an event in Palm Springs the previous year, where he was struck by her intelligence, energy, and humor that were still in full swing.
Referring to their time on ‘American Graffiti,’ Ron mentioned that Cindy, who was 24 at the time, took charge of the situation when they had their first kissing scenes. He said, “She was like, ‘Here’s how we got to kiss for the camera. Here’s what we have to do.’ She’s always had almost a big sister energy around me.”
Despite her death, Cindy’s legacy continues to entertain audiences. She had completed a national theater tour of her one-woman show, ‘Me, Myself and Shirley,’ just before she passed away.
Her death sparked an outpouring of tributes from her peers in the entertainment industry, who remembered her fondly as the news made headlines.
I hate this so much. I just hate it! 💔 Oh how I loved Cindy Williams. When I was blessed to meet her on the set of @TheOddCoupleCBS she was as lovely as I always imagined she’d be. #Dammit #LaverneAndShirley Actor #CindyWilliams Dead at 75 https://t.co/Xw19icbpVL via @TMZ
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) January 31, 2023
Oh Shirl❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹..#CindyWilliams #RipLegend https://t.co/RzDFcAD4by
— Joely Fisher (@MsJoelyFisher) 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