A quick guide to Kwanzaa
The holiday, which serves as a nationwide communal event reinforcing self-determination and unity in the face of oppression, spans seven…
Actress Cindy Williams attends the 10th Annual TV Land Awards at the Lexington Avenue Armory on April 14, 2012 in New York City. Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images
'Laverne & Shirley' actor Cindy Williams dies at 75
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cindy Williams, who played Shirley opposite Penny Marshall's Laverne on the popular sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," has died, her family said Monday.
Williams died in Los Angeles at age 75 on Wednesday after a brief illness, her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, said in a statement released through family spokeswoman Liza Cranis.
"The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed," the statement said. "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."
WATCH: Remembering the career of Penny Marshall, director and beloved 'Laverne'
Williams also starred in director George Lucas' 1973 film "American Graffiti" and director Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation" from 1974.
But she was by far best known for "Laverne & Shirley," the "Happy Days" spinoff that ran on ABC from 1976 to 1983 that in its prime was among the most popular shows on TV.
Williams played the straitlaced Shirley to Marshall's more libertine Laverne on the show about a pair of roommates that worked at a Milwaukee bottling factory in the 1950s and 60s.
Marshall, whose brother, Garry Marshall, co-created the series, died in 2018.
"Laverne & Shirley" was known almost as much for its opening theme as the show itself. Williams' and Marshall's chant of "schlemiel, schlimazel" as they skipped together became a cultural phenomenon and oft-invoked piece of nostalgia.
Support Canvas
Sustain our coverage of culture, arts and literature.
More Stories
Watch
The cultural significance of the movies just added to the National Film Registry
The Library of Congress announced the 25 films that made it into this year's National Film Registry. The registry, started…
One of India's most accomplished classical musicians, Zakir Hussain, dies at 73
Zakir Hussain, one of India's most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to global audiences, died on…
Watch
New era in chess: Levy Rozman discusses Gukesh Dommaraju becoming youngest world champion
The newest world chess champion is also the youngest ever to claim the title. Eighteen-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju, who defeated defending…
Watch
Amy Sherald on the gaze and humanity of her portraits
She has painted portraits of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor. But much of Amy Sherald's work is about filling in…
Watch
Gwen Ifill featured in PBS Kids series, 'Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum'
The animated PBS Kids series, "Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum," follows Xavier as he, his sister and friend meet…
Watch
Stevenson reflects on inequities in justice system 10 years after release of 'Just Mercy'
Bryan Stevenson, the prominent lawyer and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, has blazed a trail representing the poor,…
Watch
Longtime court sketch artist Bill Hennessy Jr. dies
Longtime court sketch artist Bill Hennessy, who captured history with his sketchbook for more than 40 years died on Monday…
Watch
Remembering the fierce and lyrical voice of poet Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni, a fierce and lyrical voice of the Black experience, has died. Giovanni's work illuminated love, liberation and the…
Poet Nikki Giovanni, author and literary celebrity, has died at 81
Author of more than 25 books, Giovanni was a born confessor and performer whom fans came to know her well…
Watch
This arts program offers new approach to rehab and re-entry
A tried and true program in East L.A. helps former gang members, drug users and those leaving incarceration build a…
Golden Globe nominations announced, musical 'Emilia Pérez' leads with 10 nominations
The nominations for Globes, which will be televised by CBS and streamed on Paramount+ on Jan. 5, were announced on…
The end of the Eras tour marks a bittersweet moment for Taylor Swift fans
After more than 150 shows across five continents over nearly two years, the global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift's Eras…
Merriam-Webster's 2024 word of the year: 'polarization'
"Polarization means division, but it's a very specific kind of division," said Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster's editor at large, in an…
Watch
A student and teacher connect over small acts of kindness that made a big difference
In 1958, when John Cruitt's mother died, his third-grade teacher made a small gesture of kindness that meant a great…