Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley Star, Dies At 75
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!" These are the immortal words that begin the song "Making Our Dreams Come True," the catchy tune used as the theme song of the popular series, "Laverne & Shirley." Cindy Williams, the actress who played the perky and positive albeit meek Shirley Feeney, has sadly joined her co-star Penny Marshall, passing away at the age of 75. Williams' children Zak and Emily Hudson confirmed the passing with the Associated Press following a brief illness.
"The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed," the statement said. "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." While Williams' Shirley didn't possess the monogrammed "L" like Laverne, she was responsible for pop culture trademarks like biting her knuckle on her index finger when trying to hold back a laugh, or her famous obsession with the teen idol Fabian.
Williams and Marshall first appeared on "Happy Days" as the two went on a double date with Richie (Ron Howard) and Fonzie (Henry Winkler), with their performances so well adored, it led to the spin-off series. The show ran for eight seasons between 1976 and 1983, gaining a second wind with a new generation of fans on TV Land and Nick at Nite in the late 1990s. While Shirley Feeney is undoubtedly her most memorable role, she is far from the only character Williams brought to life.
We're gonna make our dreams come true
Cindy Williams first got her start in small roles on TV shows like "Room 222," and "Love, American Style," but her breakthrough role came as Laure Henderson in George Lucas' coming-of-age dramedy, "American Graffiti." Her performance earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and performed alongside future "Happy Days" co-star, Ron Howard. The performance helped her nab a role in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation" alongside Gene Hackman, Harrison Ford, and Robert Duvall.
In her later years, Williams returned to the world of television in the shows "Normal Life" and "Getting By," before appearing in films and series like "Bingo," "Meet Wally Sparks," "The Biggest Fan," "Strip Mall," "For Your Love," "7th Heaven," "8 Simple Rules" and "Girlfriends." A few years after the "Laverne & Shirley: Together Again," reunion special, the two cameoed together on an episode of the Nickelodeon show "Sam & Cat" with Jennette McCurdy and Ariana Grande, playing the show creators of a 1970s-style sitcom. In 2015, she published a memoir titled "Shirley, I Jest!: A Storied Life," which documents Williams's blue-collar origins to starring in one of the most memorable shows in television history.
Cindy Williams will be largely remembered as the sweet, positive, and nurturing working-class girl she played on TV, helping change the way female friendships would appear on screen forever. 730 Knapp Street, Apartment A. was better because of her. She will be greatly missed.