‘Happy Days’ Stars Remember The Late Cindy Williams

Cindy Williams, best known for her role as Shirley in Laverne & Shirley, recently passed away at the age of 75 after a brief illness. Her character Shirley began on the beloved series Happy Days. After the news broke of her passing, many of her former Happy Days co-stars paid tribute to her.

Ron Howard, who also starred alongside her in the 1973 film American Graffiti, shared, “She was 24 and I was 18. I had my first kissing scenes with her, but they weren’t very romantic because she knew that she had this nervous kid on her hands and she had to take charge of the situation…And so she was like, ‘Here’s how we got to kiss for the camera. Here’s what we have to do.’ She’s always had almost a big sister energy around me.”

‘Happy Days’ stars pay tribute to Cindy Williams

Ron added that they recently connected again after not seeing each other for years. He continued, “We connected at an event in Palm Springs [California] last year, and I was just so taken by how her intelligence, energy, and sense of humor…was still in high gear. And so it’s really a shock to imagine that spark is gone. We wound up over a period of about five years working together a lot, being cast in other comedies, in dramas. We had terrific acting chemistry, but she always treated me like the kid.”

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Henry Winkler, who played Fonzie in Happy Days, wrote, “Cindy has been my friend and professional colleague since I met her on the set of ‘Happy Days’ in 1975. Not once have I ever been in her presence when she wasn’t gracious, thoughtful and kind. Cindy’s talent was limitless. There was not a genre she could not conquer. I am so glad I knew her.”

Many other celebrity friends, former co-stars, and fans paid tribute to Cindy calling her “amazing,” and a “natural comedian.” May she rest in peace.

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