Cindy Williams, the actress who played Shirley Feeney on the hit 1970s sitcom Laverne & Shirley, has died at the age of 75.
Williams, along with Penny Marshall as Laverne DeFazio, enjoyed a wildly successful run of the show in which two Milwaukee brewery workers got into all kinds of crazy situations.
The two were known for their incredible physical comedy. Penny Marshall passed away in 2018.
The Associated Press reports:
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Laverne & Shirley actress Cindy Williams has died at 75
Cindy Williams, who was among the most recognizable stars in America in the 1970s and ’80s for her role as Shirley opposite Laverne Penny Marshall on the beloved sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” has died, her family announced Monday.
Williams died in Los Angeles at age 75 on Wednesday after a brief illness, her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, said in a statement released by family spokeswoman Liza Cranis.
“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us an overwhelming sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement read. “Knowing and loving her was our joy and privilege. She was unique, beautiful, generous and had a brilliant sense of humor and sparkling spirit that everyone loved.”
Williams worked with some of Hollywood’s most elite directors in a film career that preceded her permanent transition to television, appearing in George Cukor’s 1972 “Travels With My Aunt,” George Lucas’ 1973 “American Graffiti” and “The Conversation ” directed by Francis Ford Coppola. ” from 1974.
But she was by far best known for “Laverne & Shirley,” the “Happy Days” spinoff that ran on ABC from 1976 to 1983 and was among the most popular shows on TV in its heyday.
In the 2018 video below, Williams discusses the death of Penny Marshall:
Rest in peace, Mrs. Williams.
Actress Cindy Williams, who played Shirley on the popular sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” has died, her family announced. She was 75 years old. https://t.co/TyjLoLt5wi pic.twitter.com/0m61KNQyHH
— ABC News (@ABC) January 31, 2023