On Monday, the acting world mourned the news that beloved actress Cindy Williams had passed away.
The actress, best known for her role as Shirley Feeney in the popular sitcom Laverne & Shirley, died at the age of 75 after a short illness, according to the AP.
Their children Zak and Emily Hudson issued a statement through family spokeswoman Liza Cranis.
Deaths: The acting world mourned Monday with the news that beloved actress Cindy Williams has passed away
“The death of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has left us with an overwhelming sadness that can never truly be expressed,” the statement began.
“Knowing and loving her was our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and had a brilliant sense of humor and sparkling spirit that was loved by all,” the statement read.
Born in Los Angeles in 1947, Williams spent her childhood writing and performing at Birmingham High School, where she was classmates of Sally Field and Michael Ovitz.
Death: “The death of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has left us with an overwhelming sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement began.
She began acting in the early 1970s with guest roles in TV shows such as Barefoot in the Park and Room 222 before being cast in 1972 in Travels With My Aunt by legendary director George Cukor.
She then took on the role of Laurie, Ron Howard’s Steve’s girlfriend, in George Lucas’ American Graffiti, which earned her a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Williams next starred in the 1974 Best Picture nominated film The Conversation for director Francis Ford Coppola.
Early roles: She began guest starring in TV shows such as Barefoot in the Park and Room 222 in the early 1970s before being cast in 1972’s Travels With My Aunt by legendary director George Cukor.
She first met Penny Marshall on a double date before they were both hired by Coppola’s American Zoetrope to write a TV parody for American Bicentennial.
Marshall’s brother Garry Marshall got Marshall and Williams to star in his hit television series Happy Days as Shirley Feeney and Laverne DeFazio, two dates for Fonzie (Henry Winkler).
Their performance was so popular that they spawned the spin-off series Laverne & Shirley, created by Lowell Ganz, Garry Marshall and Mark Rothman, which followed the title characters’ disastrous adventures as single ladies in the 1950s and 1960s.
Double Date: She first met Penny Marshall on a double date before they were both hired by Coppola’s American Zoetrope to write a TV parody for American Bicentennial
Laverne and Shirley: Marshall’s brother Garry Marshall persuaded them to appear on his hit series Happy Days before Williams and Marshall were cast as Shirley Feeney and Laverne DeFazio on the hit series Laverne & Shirley
The series ran for eight seasons, although Williams left the show after only the second episode of the final season after becoming pregnant.
Williams starred in a number of made-for-TV films in the 1980s before returning to television in the 1990s with Normal Life and Getting By.
Source: Daily Mail
Ashley Root is an author and celebrity journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for all things celebrity, Ashley is always up-to-date on the latest gossip and trends in the world of entertainment.
