Cindy Williams' cause of death explained: What happened?

Cindy Williams' cause of death explained: What happened?

Cindy Williams was an iconic actress known for her work on Laverne & Shirley. She entertained the world with her charming skills and news of her passing puzzled many. To this day, Cindy Williams' cause of death remains a question on most minds.

Cindy Williams
Cindy Williams at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Hollywood, California. Photo: @healthbyjames on X, Rodrigo Vaz/FilmMagic (modified by author)
Source: UGC

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Key takeaways

  • Cindy died in Los Angeles at the age of 75 years in January 2023.
  • She was indeed nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in American Graffiti.
  • Cindy is survived by two kids, Emily and Zachary, whom she had with musician Bill Hudson.

Profile summary

Full nameCynthia Jane Williams
GenderFemale
Date of birth22 August 1947
Age75 years old (at the time of death)
Place of birthVan Nuys, Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of death25 January 2023
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityWhite
ReligionChristianity
SexualityStraight
Height5 feet 4 inches (163 cm)
Weight105 lbs (48 kg)
Hair colourBrown
Eye colourBlue
FatherBeachard “Bill” Williams
MotherFrancesca Bellini
Siblings1
Marital statusDivorced
Ex-husbandBill Hudson
Children2
SchoolBirmingham High School
University/collegeLos Angeles City College
ProfessionActress, movie producer
Net worth$10 million

News behind Cindy Williams' cause of death

The American Graffiti star passed away at 75 from a brief illness on 25 January 2023 in Los Angeles. Her resting place is Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California, United States.

On 31 January 2023, her assistant, Liza Cranis, made a statement about Cindy's death to AP News as the family spokesperson. Sharing the thoughts of Cindy Williams' children, it was revealed:

The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed. Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humour and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.
Facts about Cindy Williams
Facts about Cindy Williams. Photo: @mnralphie on X (modified by author)
Source: Original

What illness caused Cindy Williams to die?

Her family did not reveal what ended her life. Against rumours, COVID was not the cause of Cindy Williams' death.

Was Cindy Williams married to Bill Hudson when she died?

Cindy Williams was divorced at the time of her death. She married American actor and musician Bill Hudson in 1982. They met at a celebrity baseball game while Williams was filming Laverne & Shirley. They divorced in 2002.

Williams was Hudson's second wife. He married Goldie Hawn in 1976, and they had two kids, Oliver and Kate Hudson, before Hudson filed for divorce in 1980.

Early life of Cindy Williams

Cindy Williams was born Cynthia Jane Williams on 22 August 1947 in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, United States. Her father Beachard “Bill” Williams, was a former worker at an electronics company and her mother, Francesca Bellini, worked as a waitress.

She also has a sister named Carol Ann Williams and the family was Roman Catholic. At age one, they moved to Dallas but later returned to Los Angeles when Cindy was ten. She loved acting from childhood and showcased her skills as an actress and writer in church productions.

Cindy attended Birmingham High School, where she acted in productions, and later graduated in 1965. To further enhance her talent in acting, she majored in theatre at Los Angeles City College.

Actress Cindy Williams
Actress Cindy Williams at the 10th Annual TV Land Awards at the Lexington Avenue Armoury in New York City. Photo: Andrew H. Walker
Source: Getty Images

What was Cindy Williams known for?

Williams is recognised as a talented actress and movie producer. She began her acting career with roles in national commercials like TWA and small parts on top TV shows like Room 222 and Nanny and the Professor.

She also appeared in films like American Graffiti (1973), which earned her a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress. As CNN published, her breakout role came when she was cast as Shirley Feeney on Happy Days (1975-1979) alongside Penny Marshall as Laverne De Fazio.

Their popularity led to the spin-off series Laverne & Shirley (1976-1982), which became a huge success. The show was about two roommates who worked at a Milwaukee bottling factory in the 1950s and 60s.

Cindy Williams
Cindy Williams at a Hollywood Christmas Parade. Photo: Brian To/FilmMagic
Source: Getty Images

Cindy Williams' career success

Williams reportedly appeared in over 150 episodes of the Laverne & Shirley TV series but left the final season due to pregnancy and a dispute with Paramount over her working hours. She wanted her hours curtailed, but when her demands were not met, she walked off the set and filed a $20 million lawsuit against the production company. Cindy told Today on 9 June 2015:

When it came time for me to sign my contract for that season, they had me working on my due date to have my baby. And I said, 'You know, I can't sign this.' And it went back and forth and back and forth, and it just never got worked out.

She also appeared in movies like Help Wanted: Kids (1986) alongside her husband, Bill Hudson. Cindy performed on stage in national tours of Grease, Moon Over Buffalo, and Deathtrap, making her Broadway debut in The Drowsy Chaperone (2007). Per her IMDb page, she appeared in over 19 movies and TV shows.

In 2013, Williams reunited with Penny for a guest appearance on Sam & Cat. She also published her memoir, Shirley, I Jest!: A Storied Life (2015) and had a one-woman show, Me, Myself, and Shirley. She was also honoured with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2004.

Cindy Williams
Cindy Williams sharing and signing copies of her book, Shirley, I Jest!: A Storied Life, at Book Soup in June 2015. Photo: Beck Starr
Source: Getty Images

Frequently asked questions

  • What did the actress Cindy Williams die from? She passed away from a brief illness.
  • How many kids does Cindy Williams have? She had two children, Emily, born in 1982, and Zachary, born in 1986, with her husband, Bill Hudson.
  • What is Cindy Williams' net worth? According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cindy Williams was worth $10 million at the time of her death.

Cindy Williams' cause of death has been linked to sicknesses like cancer and COVID-19, but these are uncertain since her family did not disclose it.

READ ALSO: Robert Wadlow's cause of death explained: What really happened?

As Briefly.co.za published, Robert Wadlow's cause of death resulted from the same thing that made him famous—his height.

Wadlow was the tallest man in the world, and according to the Guinness World Record book, no one has surpassed him.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Favour Adeaga avatar

Favour Adeaga (Lifestyle writer) Dr. Favour Adeaga is an author, speaker, and coach. He graduated with a degree in Mass Communication from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria. He did his internship at The Nation Newspaper and taught diploma students in Newspaper and Magazine courses at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He has curated the facts and life hacks category since 2018. Dr Favour is the author of several books available on Amazon. He currently lives in Nigeria. Email: favouradeaga@gmail.com

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