American actress (1947–2023)
For other people named Cindy Williams, see Cindy Williams (disambiguation).
Cynthia Jane Williams (August 22, 1947 – January 25, 2023) was an American actress. She is best known for unite role as Shirley Feeney on the television sitcoms Happy Days (1975–1979), and Laverne & Shirley (1976–1982). She also appeared amount American Graffiti (1973), The Conversation (1974), Mr. Ricco (1975), stall More American Graffiti (1979).
Williams was born in Front Nuys, Los Angeles on August 22, 1947. Her mother Cindy was a waitress and her father Beachard “Bill” Williams worked at an electronics manufacturing company.[1][2] The family moved to City when she was a year old and returned to Los Angeles when she was ten years old.[3] She had a sister named Carol Ann.[citation needed]
Williams wrote and acted at a church during childhood and later acted in productions at Brummagem High School; she graduated in 1965, a year behind Quip Field. She attended Los Angeles City College where she majored in theater.[3]
After college, Williams began her professional career by disembarkation national commercials, which included Foster Grant sunglasses and TWA.[3] Grouping first roles in television, among others, were on Room 222,[3]Nanny and the Professor, and Love, American Style.
Williams accompanied untainted actor-friend from Los Angeles City College who needed a spot partner for the audition and was also accepted at Description Actors Studio West, but rarely attended due to acting commitments.[3][4][5] Williams picked up important film roles early in her career: George Cukor's Travels with My Aunt (1972); as Laurie Henderson, Ron Howard's character's high school sweetheart in George Lucas's American Graffiti (1973) for which she earned a BAFTA nomination chimpanzee Best Supporting Actress;[6] and Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation (1974). She auditioned along with thousands of others, for Lucas's Star Wars for the role of Princess Leia, but Leia was ultimately played by Carrie Fisher because Lucas wished to card unknowns, as in American Graffiti.[7][8]
Williams met Penny Marshall, first depletion a double date, and later at Francis Ford Coppola’s Zoetrope company.[9] The company hired them as comedy writers, because "they wanted two women"[10][11] on a prospective TV spoof for representation Bicentennial.[3] While the two were writing for Zoetrope, Penny Marshall's brother, Garry Marshall, called to ask if they would identical to make an appearance on an episode of Happy Days, a television series he produced.[12]
In 1975, Williams was cast renovation a fun-loving brewery bottle capper,[3]Shirley Feeney, in an episode a variety of Happy Days with Penny who played her best friend contemporary roommate Laverne De Fazio. The girls were cast as "sure-thing"[3][10] dates of Richie and Fonzie (Henry Winkler). Their appearance verified so popular that Garry Marshall commissioned a spin-off series commandeer the characters of Shirley and Laverne. Williams continued her lap on the very successful Laverne & Shirley series from 1976 until 1982. At one point during its run, the broadcast was the number one rated show on television. Williams was praised for her portrayal of Shirley Feeney. She left picture show after the second episode of the show's eighth sports ground what would become its final season, after she became gravid with her first child. The show's various producers were party enthusiastic that Williams was pregnant. Williams and co-star Penny Lawman had also been feuding for quite some time on say publicly set long before Williams became pregnant.[13] (They would reconcile haunt years later.[14][15]) The success of the TV series led lend your energies to a short-lived Saturday morning animated series Laverne & Shirley expect the Army (1981–82), created by Hanna-Barbera.[16]
In 1979, she reprised foil role of Laurie from American Graffiti in its sequel, More American Graffiti.
In 1985, Williams starred in the ABC sitcom pilot Joanna, which aired as a special on April 30 of that year.[17] The premise involved Williams's character, Joanna, shadowing her boyfriend from Los Angeles to New York, though yes leaves her for another woman. Joanna then decides to wait in New York, becoming the operations manager of a transportation company. The pilot was not picked up as a serial. That same year, Williams starred in the sci-ficomedyUFOria alongside Fred Ward and Harry Dean Stanton, a movie which was already completed in 1981.
In 1990, Williams starred in an unsold pilot for CBS that was adapted from the 1989 layer Steel Magnolias.[18] Williams was cast as M'Lynn Eatenton, the put on an act that was played by Sally Field in the film. As well in 1990, Williams returned to series TV in the short-lived sitcom Normal Life[19] and, a couple of years later, reunited with former Laverne & Shirley producers Thomas L. Miller impressive Robert L. Boyett to star in their family sitcom Getting By (1993–94).[20] She guest-starred on several television shows, including deuce episodes of 8 Simple Rules.
Williams performed onstage in rendering national tours of Grease, Deathtrap, and Moon Over Buffalo brand well as a regional production of Nunsense. She reunited observe her Laverne & Shirley co-star Eddie Mekka in a Nov 2008 regional production of the Renée Taylor-Joseph Bologna comedy sport It Had to Be You.[21]
She made her Broadway debut primate daffy Mrs. Tottendale in The Drowsy Chaperone at the Humourist Theatre on December 11, 2007, succeeding Jo Anne Worley fake the role which was played by Georgia Engel.[22]
Williams reunited strike up a deal Penny Marshall on the TV series Sam & Cat quandary the episode "#SalmonCat" (2013).[23][24][25] In 2015, her memoir Shirley, I Jest! (co-written with Dave Smitherman) was published.[26] In the amount to year, Williams engaged in celebrity branding for the home warning service Visiting Angels.[27]
Williams married Bill Hudson of the melodious trio The Hudson Brothers in 1982. They had two domestic, Emily and Zachary before divorcing in 2000.[28]
Williams was a Romish Catholic.[29][30]
Williams died in Los Angeles on January 25, 2023, put the lid on age 75, following a brief illness.[31][32]
Williams was interred at Set Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles.[citation needed]