CINDY Williams, the actress famous for her role as Shirley Feeney in the hit TV show ‘Happy Days’ and its spinoff ‘Laverne & Shirley’, died on January 25.
She was 75 years old and passed away in Los Angeles after a brief illness. The news was confirmed by her children Zak and Emily Hudson and a family spokesperson, Liza Cranis.
Born in Van Nuys, California on August 22, 1947, Williams had a passion for acting from a young age. She began her acting journey at Birmingham High School and studied theatre at Los Angeles City College.
She made her way into television in the early 1970s with small roles in shows like ‘Room 222’, ‘Barefoot in the Park’, and ‘Love, American Style’.
However, her big break came in 1975 when she and Penny Marshall were cast as Shirley and Laverne in the ABC hit show ‘Happy Days’.
The guest appearance was so popular that it led to the creation of their own spinoff ‘Laverne & Shirley’, which ran for eight seasons from 1976 to 1983. It was the most-watched show on television by its third season.
Throughout her career, Williams appeared in several hit films such as George Lucas’ ‘American Graffiti’ and Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘The Conversation’. In the 1990s, she returned to sitcoms and appeared in shows like ‘Normal Life’ and ‘Getting By’.
She also appeared in several other films and TV shows, including ‘Bingo’, ‘8 Simple Rules’, and ‘Girlfriends’. In 2013, she reunited with Penny Marshall for an episode of ‘Sam & Cat’.
According to producer and friend Bruce Kimmel, Williams was working on a new project, a short-form musical series called ‘Sami’ that was set to premiere in April 2023 on Amazon Prime.
Williams was married to Bill Hudson of the Hudson Brothers from 1982 to 2000, when they divorced. She is survived by her two children, Zak and Emily.
In a statement, her children said, “The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed. Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege.
"She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous, and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”
Williams will be remembered as a talented actress who brought joy and laughter to millions of people with her performances. – The Vibes, January 31, 2023
