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'Laverne and Shirley' star Cindy Williams has died aged 75, as per a statement released by her family on Monday. Williams was best known for her role in the aforementioned sitcom, where she starred as Shirley Feeney opposite Laverne, played by Penny Marshall.
In this piece, we'll take a look at the star's illness and her medical history.
Cindy Williams Cause of Death: How Did The Actress Die?
Cindy led a healthy and joyous life with seemingly no history of any illness or chronic disease. Based on an educated guess, the illness she died from may have developed later in her life, likely due to old age, and reportedly as a result of complications with the same, the star passed away aged 75.
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Zak and Emily Hudson, Cindy's children, issued a heartfelt statement to Yahoo, informing them about their mother's death.
"The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed," family spokesperson Liza Cranis shared on Monday. "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."
Williams, a theater student alongside Sally Field, got her start in acting on television with roles on shows such as Room 222, Nanny and the Professor and Love, and American Style.
She received her big break in 1973 when she was cast alongside Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, and Richard Dreyfuss in George Lucas' American Graffiti.
But one could say her true road to stardom began in 1975 when she first appeared as Shirley Feeney on ABC's Happy Days. Her character and her on-screen best friend Laverne DeFazio, played by Marshall, went on a double date with Richie, played by Ron Howard, and Fonzie, played by Henry Winkler.
The reception to their bit roles was so overwhelmingly positive that it led to Williams and Marshall being given lead roles in their own spin-off 'Laverne and Shirley', giving way to one of the most iconic female friendships on screen.
The show ran for eight seasons and was consistently one of the best-rated shows on the network. Williams and Marshall also got so close, that they formed an almost telepathic connection. Cindy Williams had this to say about her beloved co-star:
“We sort of had telepathy. If we walk into a room together and if there’s something unique in the room, we’ll see it at the same time and have the same comment about it. We were always just like that.”
Cindy Williams was a celebrated star who was adored by everyone she encountered. Her charisma and humor were second to none, and she charmed everyone around her. Having established herself as an iconic part of television history, she'll be dearly missed not just by her colleagues and family, but also by her fans across the globe.
