Cindy Williams
August 22, 1947 - January 25, 2023
aged 75
I grew up watching Cindy Williams as Shirley Feeney on the Happy Days spin-off “Laverne and Shirley” (co-starring with Penny Marshall, 1943 - 2018). Shirley Feeney was her most memorable and defining role. But personally, I think her greatest role was as Ron Howard’s high school girlfriend, Laurie, in George Lucas’ 1973 coming-of-age movie, “American Graffiti.” Laurie was a quintessential girl-next-door American sweetheart. In film and television, Williams was usually cast as the lead character’s demure best friend.
Howard has long said that he would consider returning to acting in front of the camera if he could be paired with Williams once more.
In American Graffiti, Williams was a passenger in Harrison Ford’s 1955 Chevy 210 when he went drag racing on Paradise Road against John Milner’s (Paul Le Mat) 1932 Ford 5-Window Coupe, ending in a firey smash-up.