Cindy Williams, the actress who played Shirley in the iconic 1970s television show Laverne & Shirley has died. Her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, confirmed the new in a statement released through family spokeswoman Liza Cranis. Williams passed away this past Wednesday at the age of 75 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 released today said. It continued, "[k]nowing 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.”
Williams is perhaps best known for her role as Shirley in the long-running Happy Days spin-off Laverne & Shirley, in which she played opposite the iconic Penny Marshall. Both Laverne and Shirley were popular side characters on Happy Days, and their spin-off was one of several to emerge from the popular 1970s sit-com, including Mork & Mindy, which effectively launched comedian Robin Williams' career.
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Williams also starred in George Lucas' pre-Star Wars film American Graffiti which, like Happy Days, took a lovingly nostalgic look into 1950s youth culture and revelry. However, Williams' career did not end in the 1970s, she carried many roles throughout the decade, starring in both film and television projects until 2020. She played in several television movies and sitcoms.
In 2002, Williams participated in a televised Lavern & Shirley reunion special. In 1982, Williams married Bill Hudson of the Hudson brothers trio, a popular musical group of the 1970s. However, the couple divorced in 2000. The couple had two children together: Emily and Zachary. Bill Hudson was previously married to Goldie Hawn, with whom he had two children, actress Kate Hudson, and actor Oliver Hudson.
In addition to working on film and television, Williams' also worked on the stage. She made her Broadway debut in 2007, playing Mrs. Tottendale in The Drowsy Chaperone. No further details regarding Williams' death have yet been released. Her costar Penny Marshell passed away in 2018, also at the age of 75. Later in her career, Marshall made her name as a director, creating such classics as the classic 1990s baseball film A League of Their Own, which was rebooted as a television series by Prime Video.
Williams is survived by her two children, who offered a statement celebrating their mother's eternal verve and wit.