'Laverne & Shirley' star Cindy Williams passed away at 75 after a brief illness
January 31, 2023 By Alberto Mesti
(Image Credit Google)
The renowned actress Cindy Williams, best known for playing Shirley Feeney on the sitcom
Laverne & Shirley, has passed away at 75. Additionally, through their family spokesman Liza Cranis, Williams' children Zak and Emily Hudson informed PEOPLE on Monday that their mother passed away peacefully last Wednesday after a brief illness.
The statement read: "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."
"We have always been, and will remain, SO proud of her for many things… her lifelong mission to rescue animals, her prolific artistry, her faith, and most of all, her ability to make the world laugh!" it went on. "May that laughter continue in everyone, because she would want that. Thank you for loving our Mom, she loved you too."
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More details
Williams was well recognized for her work in
Laverne & Shirley, one of ABC's most well-liked sitcoms from 1976 through 1983. The show was inspired by a
Happy Days episode from 1975, in which Penny Marshall played Laverne DeFazio and Shirley was played by Michelle Williams. And because of how well-liked their characters were, ABC decided to hire the two actors to create their own spin-off series, which premiered the following year.
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Additionally, Laverne and Shirley, two roommates who struggled to make ends meet while looking for Mr. Right, were the main characters of the sitcom. They were one of the most well-known television duos. But the costars also had a deep bond that went beyond the lenses, and they frequently talked about their unique connection.
Marshall passed away in December 2018, also at the age of 75.
What's more
Cindy Williams was also well-known for parts in movies including Francis Ford Coppola's
The Conversation from 1974 and George Lucas' 1973
American Graffiti in addition to
Laverne & Shirley.
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Moreover, her first TV gigs included appearances on the classic sitcoms
Love, American Style,
Room 222, and
Nanny and the Professor. She then went on to make cameo appearances in
Law and Order: SVU,
7th Heaven, and
8 Simple Rules later in her career.
In addition, Williams was a star on the stage, with roles in shows like
Death Trap,
Nunsense,
Grease,
Menopause the Musical,
Middletown,
The Female OddCouple, and
The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway. She was also the driving force behind the one-woman play
Me, Myself, and Shirley. And Williams even authored a book titled -
Shirley I Jest: A Storied Life.
A brief comment was added to the actress's website, which listed all of her current projects and also contained old videos and pictures, to indicate her birth and death years.
It reads, "Cindy lit up our lives with laughter."
By Alberto Mesti
Introvert. Eccentric at times. A fashion enthusiast, designer and writer. Lives for the drama, hates being at the centre of it. Can be best described as \'wannabe modern day Lady Whistledown\'.