Cindy Williams, the legendary actress best known for her portrayal of the character Shirley Feeney on the sitcomLaverne & Shirley, has died. She was 75.
Williams' children, Zak and Emily Hudson, released a statement to PEOPLE through their family spokeswoman Liza Cranis on Monday, stating that their mother died peacefully last Wednesday following a brief illness.
“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” read the statement. “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.”
Cindy Williams.Christopher Ameruoso
“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!” they continued.
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“May that laughter continue in everyone, because she would want that. Thank you for loving our Mom, she loved you too.”
Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams on Laverne & Shirley.Silver Screen Collection/Getty
Williams was best known for her role onLaverne & Shirley, which ran from 1976 to 1983 and was one of ABC’s most popular sitcoms at the time.
The series was born out of an episode ofHappy Daysin 1975, in which Williams portrayed Shirley andPenny Marshallplayed Laverne DeFazio. Their characters were so popular, ABC hired the two for their own spin-off show, which debuted on the air the following year.
The show focused on Laverne and Shirley, two roommates that struggled to make ends meet while trying to find Mr. Right.
The pair were one of the best-known duos on television, but the costars also formed a close bond that extended beyond the cameras — andthey often spoke about that special connection.
Marshall evenspoke so highlyof Williams as to place her as the more talented one in their famed collaboration: “[Williams] is a better actress than me. Trust me,” she said. “She has a better range. She can [memorize] a paragraph. I can’t do an accent.”
Marshall preceded Williams in death, havingdied in December 2018, also at the age of 75.
ABC/Everett
BesidesLaverne & Shirley,Williams also was well-known for film roles such as George Lucas' 1973American Graffitiand Francis Ford Coppola’sThe Conversation from 1974.
Born in Van Nuys, Calif. in 1947, Williams first became interested in acting in high school. After graduation she attended L.A. City College where she majored in Theatre Arts.
Williams also lit up the stage, with theater credits includingDeath Trap,Nunsense,Grease,Menopause the Musical,Middletown,The Female OddCouple, and a Broadway turn onThe Drowsy Chaperone.
She also spearheaded a one-woman show,Me, Myself and Shirley; and wrote a book:Shirley I Jest: A Storied Life.
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On the actress’swebsite, which detailed her current projects as well as houses archival footage and photos, a simple note was added to mark her birth and death years.
“Cindy lit up our lives with laughter,” it states.
source: people.com
