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00:00We're back. Cindy Williams is with us tonight. She plays the role of Shirley Feeney, as you know, on the hit television series Laverne and Shirley.
00:06And this spring, she's going to be appearing here in Los Angeles in the stage play, Merton of the Movies. Would you welcome Cindy Williams?
00:12They made her work through her pregnancy. They broke their promises. They turned her best friend against her.
00:20At 75, Cindy Williams breaks her silence about the real reason she walked away from TV's number one show.
00:28The truth is darker than anyone guessed. A $20 million legal battle, a near-death medical nightmare, and a 15-year feud with Penny Marshall that Hollywood tried to hide.
00:42Laverne and Shirley was America's favorite sitcom, but behind the scenes, Cindy was living a nightmare.
00:49Cindy Williams was born Cynthia Jane Williams on August 22, 1947, in Van Nuys, California.
00:58Her father, John, worked as an electronic technician. Her mother, Lily, was a waitress.
01:05Cindy grew up in a working-class family, where money was often tight, but laughter was never in short supply.
01:12She had one sister, Carol Ann, and an older half-brother named Jim, from her mother's first marriage.
01:20When Cindy was a year old, her family moved to Dallas, Texas.
01:24They stayed there until she was 10, then returned to Los Angeles.
01:30Her father came from Welsh, French, and Cherokee roots.
01:33Her mother was Italian-American.
01:37John had a warm and funny personality, but alcoholism made him unpredictable.
01:42At one point, things got so difficult that Cindy and her mother moved to Texas to live with her grandmother.
01:50A year later, they reconciled with her father and came back home.
01:54Even as a child, Cindy loved performing.
01:59She would copy commercials and act out little plays at home.
02:03She imagined being discovered by Debbie Reynolds, one of her biggest idols.
02:09Her father also had a talent for entertaining.
02:12He would do comic impressions of Jackie Gleason and Milton Berle, which made Cindy love comedy even more.
02:19As she grew older, that love turned into something more serious.
02:25She started acting in church productions and school plays.
02:29At Birmingham High School in Los Angeles, she built a reputation for her talent.
02:34She wasn't the only one with big dreams.
02:37Sally Field was one of her classmates.
02:40So was future philanthropist Michael Milken.
02:44Cindy graduated in 1965, ready to take the next step.
02:48She enrolled at Los Angeles City College, majoring in theater arts.
02:54The program was known for being tough.
02:56Out of 236 students, only 12 usually made it through.
03:02Cindy worked hard to be one of them.
03:05She juggled her studies with jobs at IHOP, banks, law firms, and even whiskey-a-go-go.
03:13Her time at LACC made her realize something important.
03:16She loved theater, but she wasn't meant to teach it.
03:21She imagined herself interrupting students to show them how to perform a scene.
03:26That was when she knew.
03:28She didn't belong in a classroom.
03:30She belonged on a stage.
03:32Cindy Williams didn't just stumble into Hollywood.
03:35She worked for it.
03:36Her first break came in the late 1960s, when she landed roles in national commercials for Foster Grant Sunglasses and TWA Airlines.
03:47These weren't just any ads.
03:49Foster Grant was a major brand with a famous tagline.
03:53And TWA represented luxury travel at its peak.
03:57Cindy's presence gave both a fresh and youthful charm.
04:01But acting wasn't just something she tried on a whim.
04:05As a child, she wrote and performed her own plays.
04:10Her father's love for comedy, especially his impersonations of Jackie Gleason and Milton Berle, inspired her even more.
04:19Breaking into the industry wasn't easy.
04:22Cindy grew up in modest circumstances.
04:25While chasing auditions, she worked as a waitress to support herself.
04:30The commercial gigs she booked were more than just paychecks.
04:35They gave her experience and exposure, preparing her for bigger roles.
04:40Casting directors noticed her ability to shine on camera.
04:44And soon, she was stepping into the world of television.
04:49Her TV debut came with guest roles on popular shows.
04:52In Room 222, 1969-1971, she played Rhoda Zager in three episodes.
05:01The show was groundbreaking, tackling issues like racial integration in schools.
05:07Cindy proved she could handle serious themes while keeping a relatable presence.
05:13Around the same time, she appeared in Nanny and the Professor and Love, American Style.
05:19The latter was a light-hearted anthology about relationships.
05:22The perfect place for Cindy to show her comedic side.
05:27Between 1969 and 1975, she appeared in 23 films and television shows.
05:35Her work ethic was undeniable, and Hollywood was starting to take notice.
05:40One of those watching was Gary Marshall, a man who would later play a huge role in her career.
05:46In the middle of these early successes, Cindy found herself sharing the stage with one of Hollywood's greatest legends, Gene Kelly.
05:56She was invited to perform a tap dance routine with him on a variety show.
06:01It should have been a dream moment, but things didn't go as planned.
06:06She accidentally stepped on his foot.
06:08Then she did it again.
06:11Cindy was horrified, convinced she had just ruined everything.
06:15But Kelly, ever the professional, continued the routine without missing a beat.
06:21He never showed any sign of frustration.
06:24Later, Cindy would call this moment both humbling and inspiring.
06:29She didn't let the embarrassment shake her confidence.
06:32Instead, she used it as a lesson in professionalism.
06:37That story became part of her one-woman show, Me, Myself, and Shirley, proving that even awkward moments could turn into something unforgettable.
06:47Then came her big break.
06:50In 1972, she landed a role in Travels with My Aunt, directed by George Cukor.
06:56She played Tooley, an American hippie who befriends the lead character on the Orient Express.
07:03Starring alongside Maggie Smith, Cindy held her own against one of the greatest actresses of her time.
07:10The following year, she took on a role that would change everything.
07:14Laurie Henderson in American Graffiti, 1973.
07:18Directed by George Lucas, the film captured the nostalgia of teenage life in early 1960s America.
07:28Cindy played the high school sweetheart of Ron Howard's character, bringing warmth and complexity to the role.
07:35American Graffiti was more than a hit.
07:38It became a cultural phenomenon.
07:40The film earned five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and launched the careers of future stars like Harrison Ford.
07:50Cindy's performance earned her a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
07:55These roles proved she could handle both comedy and drama.
08:00She wasn't just another young actress trying to make it in Hollywood.
08:04She was a rising star.
08:07And the best was still ahead.
08:10Cindy Williams' Hollywood career took off in a way that many actors only dream of.
08:16In the early 1970s, she landed roles in two films that would go on to define an era of American cinema.
08:24One of them was The Conversation, 1974.
08:28Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, a master of storytelling who had just delivered The Godfather two years prior.
08:35The film followed Gene Hackman as Harry Call, a surveillance expert obsessed with a cryptic conversation between a young couple.
08:45Cindy played Anne, the woman at the heart of the mystery.
08:50Her role was subtle but essential.
08:52Every word her character spoke carried weight, leaving Harry and the audience questioning what was real and what wasn't.
09:02The conversation was a slow burn, a film that lingered in the mind long after the credits rolled.
09:10Critics hailed it as one of the greatest thrillers of the decade.
09:13It won the Grand Prix at Cannes and was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
09:20Years later, it earned a spot in the National Film Registry, recognized for its cultural and cinematic significance.
09:28Cindy's performance may not have been the loudest, but it was proof of her ability to hold her own in a film led by some of the best actors of the time, including John Cazale and Gene Hackman.
09:41This came right after her breakout in American Graffiti, 1973, where she played Laurie Henderson, a role that earned her a BAFTA nomination.
09:53Back-to-back appearances in two of the most celebrated films of the era made it seem like Cindy was destined for a long career in film.
10:01But just as things were picking up, her path took an unexpected turn.
10:06Instead of Hollywood blockbusters, she found her biggest success on television.
10:12She first appeared as Shirley Feeney on Happy Days, a role that was meant to be temporary, but quickly became something much bigger.
10:21Shirley, along with Penny Marshall's Laverne DeFazio, struck a chord with audiences.
10:27Their chemistry was undeniable, and soon ABC gave them their own show.
10:32In 1976, Laverne and Shirley premiered, and almost overnight, it became a cultural phenomenon.
10:41Set in Milwaukee in the 1950s and 60s, the show followed two working-class women navigating life with humor and determination.
10:51Cindy's Shirley was sweet and hopeful, a dreamer who balanced out Laverne's brash confidence.
10:57Their friendship was the heart of the show, and audiences loved watching them take on life's challenges, whether it was a disastrous date or a chaotic shift at the bottling plant.
11:10The show's theme song, with its now iconic chant, Schlemiel, Schleimazell, Haasenpfeffer, Inc., became a pop culture staple.
11:20At its peak, Laverne and Shirley was the number one show on television.
11:26Cindy's comedic timing and ability to shift between slapstick humor and heartfelt moments made Shirley a fan favorite.
11:34Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a television series in 1978, placing her alongside legendary TV stars like Carol Burnett.
11:47It was a testament to her talent, proving she could do more than just play a sidekick.
11:53She could carry a show.
11:55The series' success extended beyond live-action television.
12:00It even spawned an animated spin-off, Laverne and Shirley in the Army, where Cindy voiced her character.
12:07For years, she was a household name, one half of one of TV's most beloved duos.
12:13But just as the show was reaching its final seasons, tensions behind the scenes changed everything.
12:20A big part of the problem was Penny's brother, Gary Marshall, who produced the show.
12:27His involvement created an uneven playing field that Cindy struggled with.
12:32In his memoir, My Happy Days in Hollywood, Gary Marshall described the set as chaotic.
12:38He said there was constant yelling, cursing, and conflict.
12:44Cindy reportedly believed Penny got special treatment because of her family connection.
12:49Penny, on the other hand, didn't like Cindy's husband, musician Bill Hudson, and thought he was too demanding.
12:57As the show became more successful, the problems got worse.
13:01Both actresses wanted more control over their roles, and they often clashed with the writers.
13:06The tension wasn't just between Cindy and Penny.
13:10It spread to the entire production team.
13:13Cindy stuck with the show for over 150 episodes, but by the eighth season, things had reached a breaking point.
13:21Everything escalated in March 1982, when Cindy announced she was pregnant.
13:27At first, Paramount assured her that they would write her pregnancy into the storyline.
13:32They told her she could work until mid-October without any issues, but as the months passed, those promises fell apart.
13:41The studio pushed her to sign a contract that required her to work until her due date.
13:47Cindy refused.
13:48She saw it as unfair and unrealistic.
13:53Penny tried to convince her to stay, even suggesting that Cindy could rest while she took on more of the physical comedy.
14:00But the situation had already gone too far.
14:04Cindy decided to leave.
14:06Her departure was sudden.
14:08Cast members were shocked, and fans had no idea what had happened.
14:13Years later, Cindy admitted that trying to hide her pregnancy bump during filming had been stressful.
14:20She was also frustrated that producers still expected her to do physical scenes, despite her condition.
14:27She felt like she had no choice but to walk away.
14:32Cindy Williams' departure from Laverne and Shirley was not handled well on screen.
14:37Her final episode aired on October 12, 1982.
14:42In it, Shirley Feeney appeared, alongside Laverne DeFazio, in a light-hearted storyline about hypnosis.
14:49But by the very next episode, she was gone.
14:53The only explanation was a brief note saying her husband had been transferred overseas.
14:59Fans were left confused.
15:01There was no farewell scene, no emotional goodbye.
15:05Just an abrupt exit that felt out of place for a character who had been a core part of the show for years.
15:12But she wasn't done fighting.
15:14In August, 1982, she filed a $20 million lawsuit against Paramount and Gary Marshall.
15:22She claimed the studio had gone back on their word.
15:25They had promised her $75,000 per episode for 22 episodes, plus $37,500 for reruns.
15:34But when she became pregnant, those agreements started falling apart.
15:38The lawsuit also accused Gary of encouraging Paramount to push her out of the show.
15:44The legal battle highlighted a bigger issue in Hollywood, how pregnant actresses were treated.
15:51Cindy's case brought attention to the struggles of working mothers in the industry.
15:56Over time, it led to better conditions for women on set.
16:00Studios began providing nurseries, and discussions about fair treatment became more common.
16:05The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
16:11But the damage was already done.
16:14After Cindy Williams left Laverne and Shirley in 1982, she didn't step away from acting.
16:21She moved into made-for-TV dramas and comedies, proving she could take on a variety of roles.
16:27One of her first major projects was Euphoria, a sci-fi comedy, where she starred alongside Fred Ward and Harry Dean Stanton.
16:37The movie was finished in 1981, but didn't get released until 1985.
16:44Independent films often struggled with funding and distribution, so delays like this were common.
16:49When it finally came out, it became another example of Williams' willingness to take on unique and unexpected projects.
16:58Television remained a big part of her career.
17:02In 1990, she starred in Normal Life, a sitcom about a family dealing with everyday chaos.
17:09It didn't last long, but it kept her in the public eye.
17:13A few years later, she worked again with producers from Laverne and Shirley on Getting By, a sitcom that aired from 1993 to 1994.
17:25She played Kathy Hale, a single mother who shared a home with another single mom in suburban Illinois.
17:32The show only ran for two seasons, but it gave her a chance to play a relatable, down-to-earth character.
17:38She also made guest appearances on popular shows like Eight Simple Rules, Touched by an Angel, and Lois and Clark, The New Adventures of Superman.
17:51Her ability to switch between comedy and drama kept her working throughout the 90s.
17:57But television wasn't her only focus.
18:00She also performed on stage in national tours of Grease and Moon Over Buffalo.
18:05Taking on live theater was a different challenge, but it showed how committed she was to her craft.
18:13Behind the scenes, she took on an unexpected role as a producer.
18:17She co-produced Father of the Bride in 1991 and its sequel, Father of the Bride Part 2, in 1995.
18:26Both films, starring Steve Martin and Diane Keaton, were major hits.
18:32The first movie made $89 million at the U.S. box office.
18:37The second made $76 million.
18:40Williams didn't just help produce these films.
18:44She played a key role in bringing them to life.
18:47Nancy Myers, who co-wrote and produced both movies,
18:51later said that Williams was the one who suggested remaking the 1950s Spencer Tracy classic.
18:57That one idea helped shape Myers' career and proved that Williams had a sharp eye for storytelling.
19:05She never lost touch with the fans who loved her as Shirley Feeney.
19:09She had a recurring role on For Your Love from 1998 to 2002, appearing as Ronnie in four episodes.
19:18It introduced her to a younger audience while still giving longtime fans a familiar face to enjoy.
19:24Reunion specials also kept her connected to her past.
19:30In 1995, she joined Penny Marshall and the rest of the cast for the Laverne and Shirley reunion.
19:37In 2002, she and Marshall teamed up again for Laverne and Shirley.
19:43Together again, where they shared behind-the-scenes stories
19:46and even performed skits based on their classic characters.
19:50Even in the 2000s, she kept acting.
19:55In 2013, she appeared on Sam and Cat alongside Penny Marshall, a fun tribute to their history together.
20:03She never let herself be defined by just one role.
20:07She kept working, kept entertaining, and made sure her legacy lasted for decades after Laverne and Shirley ended.
20:15Cindy Williams was known to the world as Shirley Feeney from Laverne and Shirley.
20:22But her real life was a mix of love, family, and tough decisions.
20:27In 1982, she married musician Bill Hudson, a man she never expected to fall for.
20:35They met during a celebrity baseball game while Cindy was still starring in Laverne and Shirley.
20:41At first, she thought he was just another Hollywood playboy.
20:46But that changed when he sent her a Christmas gift.
20:50A book called Heart Sounds by Martha Lear.
20:54It was thoughtful and unexpected.
20:57That small gesture led to their first dinner together.
21:01And Cindy later said the night completely changed how she saw him.
21:05When she met him in person again, she even thought he looked like a Greek god.
21:10Their relationship moved fast.
21:14They got married on May 1st, 1982, making Cindy the sister-in-law of Goldie Hawn and the stepmother of Kate and Oliver Hudson.
21:24That same year, she found out she was pregnant with her first child, Emily.
21:29But what should have been a happy time quickly turned into a battle with the producers of Laverne and Shirley.
21:36Her contract required her to work even on her due date.
21:39When she couldn't reach a fair agreement, she made a life-changing decision.
21:45She left the show in 1982.
21:48It was a major turning point in her career.
21:51But for Cindy, family came first.
21:55Over the years, she and Bill Hudson built a life together while raising their two children.
22:01Emily was born in 1982, followed by their son, Zachary, in 1986.
22:06Cindy loved being a mother, but she also described it as a test by fire.
22:13She worked hard to keep her children out of the Hollywood spotlight, but they were always there to support her when it mattered.
22:21In 2004, when she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Emily and Zachary stood proudly beside her.
22:29Blended family life wasn't always easy.
22:33Bill Hudson had two older children from his previous marriage to Goldie Hawn, and his relationship with them was complicated.
22:41Cindy did her best to create a warm home for everyone.
22:46But family dynamics were never simple.
22:48In 2021, Kate Hudson spoke about wanting to reconnect with her half-siblings, Emily and Zachary,
22:56showing that Cindy's efforts to build strong family bonds had a lasting impact.
23:01After 18 years of marriage, Cindy and Bill's relationship came to an end.
23:07In December 2000, she filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
23:14It was a difficult chapter in her life, but through it all, she stayed focused on her children.
23:20In 2015, Cindy shared her story with the world in her memoir,
23:25Shirley, I Jest, co-written with Dave Smitherman.
23:30The book was filled with humor, but it also gave an honest look at her life.
23:35She shared behind-the-scenes moments from American Graffiti and Laverne and Shirley
23:40and opened up about the personal struggles she faced.
23:45She wrote about her decision to leave the show at its peak, her marriage to Bill,
23:50and the challenges of raising children in the entertainment industry.
23:54She also reflected on her divorce, describing it as one of the hardest times in her life.
24:00But even in those moments, Cindy found ways to laugh.
24:05She believed that humor could get you through anything.
24:09In May 2012, Cindy Williams felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.
24:14At first, doctors thought it was just colic, but within days, her condition became critical.
24:21Her kidneys shut down.
24:23Her body went into septic shock.
24:26Her blood pressure dropped to dangerous levels.
24:28The infection was spreading fast, and doctors had little time to act.
24:34The cause was a lap band from a weight loss surgery she had years earlier.
24:39It had eroded through her stomach, creating a hole that allowed bacteria to leak into her body.
24:45By the time doctors realized what was happening, she was in total renal failure.
24:50She was rushed into emergency surgery.
24:54The lap band had to be removed.
24:57The damage had to be repaired.
24:59But there were no guarantees.
25:02Doctors warned her husband that she might not survive the operation.
25:07She did survive, but recovery was brutal.
25:11Cindy spent over six weeks in the ICU,
25:14most of that time on a ventilator and heavily sedated.
25:18She developed full-body thrush, a painful fungal infection.
25:23She suffered from Red Man Syndrome, a severe reaction to antibiotics.
25:28Kidney failure forced her onto continuous dialysis.
25:32A 10-inch open wound stretched across her abdomen.
25:36She needed a wound vacuum, multiple drains, and a feeding tube just to stay alive.
25:42Even after leaving the hospital, her battle was far from over.
25:47She became one of the many survivors suffering from post-sepsis syndrome,
25:52a condition that affects up to 50% of people who survive sepsis.
25:57It left her with memory loss, constant fatigue, and chronic pain.
26:02She struggled to hold conversations.
26:05Simple tasks like grocery shopping or driving felt impossible.
26:09Her body had changed, too.
26:13She developed kidney cysts, bladder issues, and an enlarged liver.
26:18Her muscles ached from months of being bedridden.
26:22Even five years later, the trauma followed her.
26:26Nightmares.
26:27Flashbacks.
26:29A feeling that she was only a small part of the person she used to be.
26:33Friends who didn't understand what she was going through slowly drifted away.
26:37Despite everything, Cindy refused to stay silent.
26:42She became an advocate for sepsis awareness,
26:45using her story to warn others about the dangers of delayed diagnosis.
26:50She spoke about the early signs, fever, confusion, rapid heart rate,
26:56urging people to seek medical attention before it was too late.
26:59She also highlighted the lack of support for survivors.
27:04Many leave the hospital only to struggle alone with lasting health problems.
27:09Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall were more than just co-stars on Laverne and Shirley.
27:15They were a comedy duo that defined an era.
27:19But behind the scenes, their friendship had its challenges.
27:22Cindy left the show abruptly in 1982 due to a contract dispute related to her pregnancy.
27:31The sudden exit created tension that lasted for years.
27:35They rarely spoke, and for a long time, it seemed like their friendship was over.
27:42Fifteen years later, Penny reached out.
27:45She had just separated from her husband, Bill Hudson, and felt the need to reconnect.
27:50In her 2012 memoir, My Mother Was Nuts,
27:55she described how she and Cindy finally had an honest conversation.
28:00They talked about everything that had come between them.
28:03They let go of old grudges and reconnected like the friends they had once been.
28:09Cindy later said that no matter what had happened,
28:12they had too much history not to see each other as special friends.
28:16That reconciliation led to several reunions.
28:20In 2012, they appeared on Good Morning America with Michael McKean and David Lander,
28:26sharing memories of their time on the show.
28:29They also made a guest appearance on Nickelodeon's Sam and Cat,
28:33playing former TV creators who hadn't spoken in decades.
28:38The storyline was a clever nod to their real-life journey.
28:43Despite past conflicts, their bond never disappeared.
28:46Cindy often said that some of her best laughs came from working with Penny.
28:52Their on-screen chemistry was undeniable, built on their differences.
28:58Penny was loud and unpredictable.
29:01Cindy was more controlled and precise.
29:04Penny once described them as the perfect neat and sloppy opposites.
29:08Their contrasting styles made the comedy work, and audiences loved it.
29:14Even after Penny's passing in 2018 from complications related to diabetes,
29:21Cindy kept her memory alive.
29:23She spoke about their friendship in interviews,
29:25and even honored Penny on stage in her one-woman show,
29:30Me, Myself, and Shirley.
29:33Their connection was something she never wanted to forget.
29:37Cindy herself passed away on January 25, 2023,
29:42at the age of 75 after a brief illness.
29:46The news hit fans hard.
29:48Tributes poured in from Hollywood.
29:50Michael McKean shared memories of her kindness and humor.
29:55Rosario Dawson and Jason Alexander praised her work and legacy.
30:00Cindy's children, Zach and Emily Hudson,
30:03described her as having a brilliant sense of humor that went beyond acting.
30:08She loved making people laugh, whether on screen or in everyday life.
30:13Beyond Hollywood, Cindy had a deep love for animals.
30:17She spent her life rescuing them and supporting animal charities.
30:23Her children spoke about how proud they were,
30:26not just of her career, but of the kindness she showed to the world.
30:31Cindy always believed in spreading joy,
30:34and she left behind a legacy of laughter and love.
30:38She had an amazing statement.
30:39She was like, don't
30:48Henry.
30:53She doesn't work in a dream I was very pleased with Islam.
30:54She says, I started to die from love and love.
30:56She did so.
30:56anny will lead the Indian company방.
30:58Someone never wanted her so much tohhh.
30:59You make this happen with 3 month,
31:00but it's something that says she directed her and gave me
31:05them all in a room.

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