Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Remembering Sitcom Legend Cindy Williams of Laverne & Shirley; HBO's The Last of Us Renewed for Season 2

Cindy Williams

Actress Cindy Williams, who starred as Shirley Feeney on Laverne & Shirley, has died. She died following a brief illness in Los Angeles on January 25. Ms. Williams was 75.

Williams' early sitcom guest appearances included My World and Welcome to It, Barefoot in the Park, Nanny and the Professor, Getting Together and Love, American Style (2 episodes). She starred as the teenage wife with Michael Lembeck in the short-lived 1971 NBC sketch comedy series The Funny Side. Some of her other early television guest appearances included Room 222 (3 episodes), Hawaii Five-O, Cannon, Insight, Police Story and Petrocelli.

She first appeared as Shirley Feeney in the November 11, 1975, episode of Happy Days titled "A Date with Fonzie." Laverne DeFazio (Penny Marshall) and Shirley Feeney were a pair of wise-cracking brewery workers, who were "sure-thing" dates for Fonzie (Henry Winkler) and Richie (Ron Howard). After the success of their appearance, Garry Marshall decided to create a spin-off series for them.

Laverne & Shirley

Williams starred as Shirley Feeney on the 1976-1983 ABC sitcom Laverne & Shirley. Laverne and Shirley were two friends and roommates who worked as bottle-cappers in the fictitious Shotz Brewery in late 1950s Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Shirley is the perky, positive one. She also tends to be meek, while Laverne is more outspoken. She has a special relationship with her stuffed cat Boo Boo Kitty, a name Williams gave the toy after forgetting a line in rehearsal, and was the name of her mother's cat. Williams appeared in 158 episodes of the series. She left the series after the second episode of the show's eighth and what would become its final season, after she became pregnant with her first child. The series also starred Michael McKean, David L. Lander, Eddie Mekka, Phil Foster, Betty Garrett (1976-1981), Carole Ita White (1976-1977), Ed Marinaro (1980-1981) and Leslie Easterbrook (1980-1983).

She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1978. In 1981, she directed the episode "Sing, Sing, Sing." She guest starred as Shirley in four other episodes of Happy Days. She voiced the character in 13 episodes the 1981-1982 ABC animated series Laverne & Shirley in the Army and one episode of the Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour in 1982. She appeared in the specials "The Laverne & Shirley Reunion" in 1995 and "Laverne & Shirley: Together Again" in 2005.

Williams starred as Lisa Burke on the short-lived 1989 Disney Channel sitcom Just Like Family. Her then real-life husband Bill Hudson co-starred as her husband, Tom Burke. The series was based on the 1986 Disney TV movie Help Wanted: Kids. It was about a couple who have to hire a couple of children to impress the man’s boss. It also starred Gabriel Damon and Grace Johnston.

Normal Life

She starred as Anne Harlow on the short-lived 1990 CBS sitcom Normal Life. The series was based on the real unconventional home life of the Zappa children. Anne Harlow works for the school board and is married to Max Harlow (Max Gail), a succsseful freelance writer. It also starred Dweezil Zappa, Moon Unit Zappa, Josh Williams, Bess Meyer and Jim Staahl.

Getting By

Williams reunited with former Laverne & Shirley producers Thomas L. Miller and Robert L. Boyett to star in their 1993-1994 ABC family sitcom Getting By. The show was about two best friends and single mothers, one white and one black, who decide to split the mortgage on a new home in suburban Oak Park, Illinois and live there with their respective families. It also starred Telma Hopkins, Nicki Vannice, Ashleigh Blair Sterling, Merlin Santana and Deon Richmond.

She played herself in six episodes of the 2001-2001 Comedy Central sitcom Strip Mall. She had a recurring role as Ronnie in four episodes of For Your Love from 2000 to 2002. She guest starred as Mary Ellen Doyle in two episodes of 8 Simple Rules in 2002. She played Lisa James in two episodes of Girlfriends in 2004 and 2005. Some of her other sitcom guest appearances included Hope & Gloria, Son of the Beach, The Brothers Garcia, Less Than Perfect, Are We There Yet? and The Odd Couple (2016). She reunited with Penny Marshall in a 2013 episode of Sam & Cat.

Some of her other televison guest appearances included Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Touched by an Angel, 7th Heaven, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Drive (3 episodes).

Cindy Williams and Ron Howard in American Graffiti

Williams starred as Laurie Henderson, Steve Bolander's (Ron Howard) high school sweetheart in George Lucas' American Graffiti (1973) for which she earned a BAFTA nomination as Best Supporting Actress. She starred as Ann in Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation (1974). Some of her other film credits included Travels with My Aunt (1972), The Killing Kind (1973), The First Nudie Musical (1976), More American Graffiti (1979), The Creature Wasn't Nice (1983), UFOria (1985), Big Man on Campus (1989), Rude Awakening (1989), Bingo (1991) and Meet Wally Sparks (1997).

Williams performed onstage in the national tours of Grease, Deathtrap, and Moon Over Buffalo, and a regional production of Nunsense. She reunited with her Laverne & Shirley co-star Eddie Mekka in a November 2008 regional production of the Renée Taylor-Joseph Bologna comedy play It Had to Be You. She made her Broadway debut as daffy Mrs. Tottendale in The Drowsy Chaperone at the Marquis Theatre on December 11, 2007, succeeding Jo Anne Worley in the role originated by Georgia Engel.

She was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on August 7, 2013. In 2015, her memoir Shirley, I Jest! (co-written with Dave Smitherman) was published.

Survivors include her two children, Emily and Zak Hudson. She was married to Bill Hudson of the musical trio The Hudson Brothers in 1982. The marriage ended in divorce in 2000.

Cindy Williams

Ms. Williams was a sitcom legend. She was perfect in the role of Shirley Feeney. The cast had great chemistry. We thank her for the many laughs and entertainment that she brought us in her career. She will be deeply missed.

Share your memories on our Laverne & Shirley message board. View photos in our galleries.


The Last of Us

HBO drama The Last of Us has been renewed for a second season. The series from co-creators Craig Mazin (Emmy(R) Award-winning creator of HBO's Chernobyl) and Neil Druckmann marks HBO's second largest debut, behind only House of the Dragon. Episode 1 has now surpassed 22 million viewers domestically, up nearly 5x from its premiere night audience. Season one stars Pedro Pascal as Joel, Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, Storm Reid as Riley, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, Lamar Johnson as Henry, Keivonn Woodard as Sam, Graham Greene as Marlon, and Elaine Miles as Florence. Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker also star.

New episodes of the series debut Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and are available to stream on HBO Max, leading up to the finale on March 12. The first episode of The Last of Us is available for free on HBOMax.com. Fans can also tune in to The Last of Us Podcast, the series' official companion podcast where host Troy Baker, who plays Joel in the video game, sits down with series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for a scene-by-scene deep dive of each episode.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, December 6

Happy's Place - "Ho-Ho Howey" (NBC, 9:15PM ET/PT)
When the tavern's health insurance is threatened to be canceled, Gabby has a plan; she'll persuade her friend Danny to host his company party at Happy's, but the catch is everyone must call Bobbie "Gabby" and Gabby "Bobbie."

Lopez vs Lopez - "Lopez vs Santa" (NBC, 9:45PM ET/PT)
While Mayan tries to track down the perfect Christmas gift for Chance, George has to settle a feud with Santa that stretches back to George's childhood; Quinten tries to shake Rosie out of her holiday blues.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "We Were Beggars, Now We Are Choosers" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Abishola gives her previous suitor a second chance, Uncle Tunde goes behind Auntie Olu's back to warn Bob about the other man who's courting his niece.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Ice Cream for Breakfast" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob must gain the confidence to fight for Abishola when she goes on another date with Chukwuemeka; Uncle Tunde finds an unlikely friend in Dottie in the aftermath of his fight with Auntie Olu.

Children Ruin Everything - "Chores" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Astrid and James question the effectiveness of their own parenting when they meet one of Felix's friends with impeccable manners; Astrid and James worry about the types of adults their kids will become.

Children Ruin Everything - "Feelings" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT)
James, feeling left out when Ennis makes a new friend, inserts himself in Ennis' dodgeball tournament; Astrid struggles to get Viv to control her emotions, especially when frustrations at work make it hard to lead by example.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 2)

Friday, December 6

  • Ralph Macchio (Eight Is Enough) - Watch Ralph on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Ben Stiller (Arrested Development) - Ben is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Rita Moreno (One Day at a Time/Happily Divorced/9 to 5) - Rita appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Hilary Swank (Camp Wilder) - NBC's Today catches up with Hilary in the 10am hour.
  • The Cast of Sex Lives of College Girls - The Sex Lives of College Girls creator Mindy Kaling is joining Drew on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Then, the case of the show, Pauline Chalamet, Alyah Chanelle Scott, Amrit Kaur, Mia Rodgers and Gracie Lawrence are all chatting about the latest season of the hit show.
  • Ryan Destiny (grown-ish) and Brian Tyree Henry (HouseBroken/Atlanta) - Ryan and Brian talk about their new film The Fire Inside on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Steve Howey (Reba) - Steve talks about NBC's Happy Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Krysten Ritter (Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - Krysten discusses her film Sonic 3 on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Melissa Joan Hart (Baby Daddy/Sabrina the Teenage Witch/Clarissa Explains It All) - Melissa is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Friends - The Complete Series (4K UHD) Young Sheldon - The Complete Series Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K UHD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

12/06 - Apple TV+ New Comedy Government Cheese; Prime Video Sets Half-Hour Police Drama
12/05 - Marlon Wayans to Guest Star on Poppa's House on CBS; Mo Returning to Netflix
12/04 - STARZ Comedy Thriller Sweetpea Renewed for Season 2; Bel-Air to End After Next Season
12/03 - Pluto TV Holiday Schedule; SNL December Hosts and Musical Performers
12/02 - Scripps Networks (Laff, Bounce, ION) Holiday Schedule; First Look at Watson on CBS
12/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 2, 2024)
11/30 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Desperate Housewives Creator Has Prequel Idea; Finale Date Set for The Talk
11/29 - Abbott Elementary Aces the Test on Multi-Platform; Dancing with the Stars' Resurgence
11/28 - 2024 Thanksgiving TV Marathons
11/27 - Henry Danger The Movie Premieres in January; Dexter: Original Sin Trailer
11/26 - The Way Home Returns for Season 3; Matthew Broderick and Son to Guest Star on Elsbeth
11/25 - Peacock's Laid Premieres December 19; Jon Hamm Drama Gets Season 2 Before Series Premiere
11/24 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 25, 2024)
11/23 - SitcomsOnline Digest: HBO Renews It's Florida, Man; Simpsons Voice Actor Announces Retirement
11/22 - NBC's Happy's Place Gets Full Season; HBO Renews It's Florida, Man for Another Zany Season
11/21 - The CW Midseason 2025 Schedule; Voice of Milhouse Leaving The Simpsons
11/20 - NBC Midseason 2025 Schedule; Apple TV+ Announces The Studio
11/19 - Antenna TV's Thanksgiving on the Eastside: The Jeffersons Marathon; Fox Midseason 2025 Schedule
11/18 - Conan O'Brien to Host Oscars for First Time; Celebs for Season 3 of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test
11/17 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 18, 2024)
11/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: HBO Orders Kaley Cuoco Comedy from Hacks Creators; Reboot of Friday Night Lights in the Works
11/15 - Bookie Season 2 Premieres December 12 on Max; Apple TV+ Mythic Quest Is Back in January
11/14 - CBS Midseason 2025 Schedule; Reasonable Doubt Renewed for Season 3 on Hulu
11/13 - Harlem Season 3 Drops in January; James Acaster HBO Comedy Special
11/12 - ABC Midseason 2025 Schedule; Jim Gaffigan Gets First Hulu Comedy Special
11/11 - We Got Time Today, A New Tubi Talk Show; Bill Maher Gets 13th HBO Special
11/10 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 11, 2024)
11/09 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Two New Sitcoms in the Works at CBS; The CW Adds Bob ♥ Abishola to Lineup
11/08 - CBS Orders Full Season for Poppa's House; The CW Acquires Bob ♥ Abishola Reruns; Remembering Alan Rachins of Dharma & Greg
11/07 - A Very Merry MeTV 2024 Schedule; Stranger Things Final Season in 2025
11/06 - Outer Banks to End with Season 5; Nothing to See Here Season 2 on Netflix