I recently heard a rumor that Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams didn't like each other very much! Is this true?

I think the rumors have been blown way out of proportion - after several years of being on the show together, they had started to argue and get on each others nerves; they certainly didn't get along as well as they did in the beginning, but they obviously didn't hate each other because they still did the show and they both eagerly did the reunion special and have worked together many times since the show ended

In the entertainment word people should get along with others whether they're opinions are different.

I'm going to broadcasting school and that's one thing I'm told!

Cindy Williams resented Penny Marshall when the show became hugely successful. Cindy Williams was the cute straight one and Penny was the funny one. Not to mention that Lenny and Squiggy eventually became a phenomenon of their own. Plus, Penny's family ran the show. Cindy Williams' own insecurity got the best of her. Instead of being happy that she was the co-star of the number one show on TV that could have very well gotten along without her (see Pam Dawber) she demanded the show be rewritten so she had the funny lines and she be given the bigger dressing room, etc. Cindy Williams threw tantrums, walked off the set, and had her lawyers threaten she'd break her contract.

Penny Marshall's persona was naturally funny. It made no difference who had the funny lines because Penny Marshall was going to get the laughs. I have a feeling that in the past 30 years Cindy's realized how stupid she was as she faded into obscurity.

Cindy Williams resented Penny Marshall when the show became hugely successful. Cindy Williams was the cute straight one and Penny was the funny one. Not to mention that Lenny and Squiggy eventually became a phenomenon of their own. Plus, Penny's family ran the show. Cindy Williams' own insecurity got the best of her. Instead of being happy that she was the co-star of the number one show on TV that could have very well gotten along without her (see Pam Dawber) she demanded the show be rewritten so she had the funny lines and she be given the bigger dressing room, etc. Cindy Williams threw tantrums, walked off the set, and had her lawyers threaten she'd break her contract.

Penny Marshall's persona was naturally funny. It made no difference who had the funny lines because Penny Marshall was going to get the laughs. I have a feeling that in the past 30 years Cindy's realized how stupid she was as she faded into obscurity.

Every single person involved with the show (Marshalls included) acknowledges the fact that it wouldn't have gone without Cindy, and I know I'm far from the only fan who feels the same way. Laverne and Shirley, Penny and Cindy were a team of equal importance to the show. The loss of Cindy was a death blow, and the season 8 dvds bear that out in living color. And ftr, Cindy's very happy, peaceful, working, and doing just fine, thanks.

Every single person involved with the show (Marshalls included) acknowledges the fact that it wouldn't have gone without Cindy, and I know I'm far from the only fan who feels the same way. Laverne and Shirley, Penny and Cindy were a team of equal importance to the show. The loss of Cindy was a death blow, and the season 8 dvds bear that out in living color. And ftr, Cindy's very happy, peaceful, working, and doing just fine, thanks.
Yep. Both deserved credit for the success of the show. Look what happened to the show after Cindy left. It's barely watchable.

Every single person involved with the show (Marshalls included) acknowledges the fact that it wouldn't have gone without Cindy, and I know I'm far from the only fan who feels the same way. Laverne and Shirley, Penny and Cindy were a team of equal importance to the show. The loss of Cindy was a death blow, and the season 8 dvds bear that out in living color. And ftr, Cindy's very happy, peaceful, working, and doing just fine, thanks.


My point is that Cindy Williams was easily replaceable as a talent, maybe not after 6 or 7 years of her being on the show because everyone was used to her. But there were plenty of actresses that could have started with that part and done just as well. Penny Marshall, on the other hand, was naturally funny and that's much harder to replace. And after all those years, the show ran its course.

My point is that Cindy Williams was easily replaceable as a talent, maybe not after 6 or 7 years of her being on the show because everyone was used to her. But there were plenty of actresses that could have started with that part and done just as well. Penny Marshall, on the other hand, was naturally funny and that's much harder to replace. And after all those years, the show ran its course.

Your point is wrong. Go do some homework on the show. Read/watch the interviews with the people who worked on it, in front of and behind the camera. Every last person on that show cites that Cindy Williams was key from the beginning. Even Michael Eisner sings her praises, starting with the casting process. When Cindy initially declined, they tested a bunch of actresses for Shirley, eventually casting Liberty Williams-- no magic from any of them. Then Garry Marshall convinced Cindy to come in and test. They shot in front of an audience on the Happy Days set at the end of a taping and:

"It was unbelievable. I mean it was like one of those things that you rarely see on stage or anywhere. The place. went. crazy."

L&S creator/writer Mark Rothman says:

"Cindy and Tony Randall are the most impressive actors I've ever worked with. They were capable of making our words better than we could have imagined them being. They constantly surprised us with how much better they could make our stuff than we thought it could be made. They were the only two who I've ever seen do that, and they did it constantly. I love Cindy... She is brilliant. She is just. brilliant."

I could transcribe many many more such items, but bottom line: No one else had the chemistry with Penny or anything that Cindy had, period.

She is a genius comedic actress, not only able to deliver on her own, but lifting others up in scenes so that they have every possible chance to shine as well. Many of the biggest laughs of the show are from the contributions of Cindy Williams, and certainly not the script. Personally, some of my most beloved episodes are Shirley-centered, and it's because Cindy was doing what only she could do so well. She spun straw into gold every time she was on screen, and made what could have been a very weak character into a legend.

I'm glad she went to the mat to fight for Shirley because I can see that the writing had become unbalanced for a brief time (Laverne learns to drive, Laverne becomes a volunteer nurse to get a guy, Laverne might be pregnant, Laverne goes to jail, etc.). The writers were comfortable writing for Laverne-- many of them shared her background and voice-- it was easy. Shirley is a more complex character, or at least she is when she is written for. Left alone, Shirley could've ended up the Ethel of the duo, but because Cindy fought, we got two Lucys and the audience was the winner.

I mean, some crazy person could say that anyone could have replaced Penny too-- funny, tough girl types with a Brooklyn accent line the streets of Hollywood and Broadway-- but that doesn't make it accurate. Laverne and Shirley is Penny and Cindy. You can't do it without both. I get that you're a Penny fan, but trying to diminish Cindy to celebrate Penny is frankly so bizarre that it completely invalidates anything else you're trying to say. I kinda sense that I'm wasting my time here, because if you're so far gone as to not be able to acknowledge her unique talent, then this is unlikely to penetrate either. Either that or this is all a big troll. Not sure which I'm rooting for.

I agree. Cindy was perfect as Shirley. And with her leaving, the show lost something big.

Your point is wrong. Go do some homework on the show. Read/watch the interviews with the people who worked on it, in front of and behind the camera. Every last person on that show cites that Cindy Williams was key from the beginning. Even Michael Eisner sings her praises, starting with the casting process. When Cindy initially declined, they tested a bunch of actresses for Shirley, eventually casting Liberty Williams-- no magic from any of them. Then Garry Marshall convinced Cindy to come in and test. They shot in front of an audience on the Happy Days set at the end of a taping and:

"It was unbelievable. I mean it was like one of those things that you rarely see on stage or anywhere. The place. went. crazy."

L&S creator/writer Mark Rothman says:

"Cindy and Tony Randall are the most impressive actors I've ever worked with. They were capable of making our words better than we could have imagined them being. They constantly surprised us with how much better they could make our stuff than we thought it could be made. They were the only two who I've ever seen do that, and they did it constantly. I love Cindy... She is brilliant. She is just. brilliant."

I could transcribe many many more such items, but bottom line: No one else had the chemistry with Penny or anything that Cindy had, period.

She is a genius comedic actress, not only able to deliver on her own, but lifting others up in scenes so that they have every possible chance to shine as well. Many of the biggest laughs of the show are from the contributions of Cindy Williams, and certainly not the script. Personally, some of my most beloved episodes are Shirley-centered, and it's because Cindy was doing what only she could do so well. She spun straw into gold every time she was on screen, and made what could have been a very weak character into a legend.

I'm glad she went to the mat to fight for Shirley because I can see that the writing had become unbalanced for a brief time (Laverne learns to drive, Laverne becomes a volunteer nurse to get a guy, Laverne might be pregnant, Laverne goes to jail, etc.). The writers were comfortable writing for Laverne-- many of them shared her background and voice-- it was easy. Shirley is a more complex character, or at least she is when she is written for. Left alone, Shirley could've ended up the Ethel of the duo, but because Cindy fought, we got two Lucys and the audience was the winner.

I mean, some crazy person could say that anyone could have replaced Penny too-- funny, tough girl types with a Brooklyn accent line the streets of Hollywood and Broadway-- but that doesn't make it accurate. Laverne and Shirley is Penny and Cindy. You can't do it without both. I get that you're a Penny fan, but trying to diminish Cindy to celebrate Penny is frankly so bizarre that it completely invalidates anything else you're trying to say. I kinda sense that I'm wasting my time here, because if you're so far gone as to not be able to acknowledge her unique talent, then this is unlikely to penetrate either. Either that or this is all a big troll. Not sure which I'm rooting for.

I wholeheartedly agree!!!!

I am a Penny fan and I KNOW that L&S needed BOTH Penny and Cindy. Season 8 is god awful. Penny didn't want to continue without Cindy either. It's Laverne and Shirley, it's Penny and Cindy. Season 8 really should not have ever happened.

I mean...the last episode being a Carmine episode. Penny herself barely had any lines in that episode.

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams together are what made that show great. As well as Michael McKean and David Lander (they created Lenny and Squiggy...how could any one else have played them?). It was the right group of people at the right time. All of them were perfect and special.

I have not watched much Laverne and Shirley for a number of years, but thinking back, it is easy to recognize that the two actresses were a true comedy team and each was equally important. It is easy to understand that people who work together long enough can get into situations where they feel slighted or don't get along. Unfortunate, but often true, and not just in Hollywood.

Honestly, I don't really care if they got a long off-screen or not. The fact is they were a comedy team on-screen and one of the best comedy teams ever. They fed off of each other brilliantly.

I think the rumors have been blown way out of proportion - after several years of being on the show together, they had started to argue and get on each others nerves; they certainly didn't get along as well as they did in the beginning, but they obviously didn't hate each other because they still did the show and they both eagerly did the reunion special and have worked together many times since the show ended

This is an old interview with Erin Moran. At 23:10, she says Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams hated one another. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBchwn37dss

This is an old interview with Erin Moran. At 23:10, she says Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams hated one another. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBchwn37dss

I think HATE is a harsh word. And Erin Moran I would not consider the most reliable source.

It seems to me that Miss Marshall and Miss Williams didn't always get along offscreen but consistently did put on a funny, well-crafted show until Miss Williams was no longer there. In any case, they appear to have put their differences aside and have become friends again in recent years so that's the bottom line.

Cindy Williams was Shirley Feeney the minute she walked on to the set of Happy Days & fan mail started to pure in asking for more Laverne & Shirley. Even though you say she is replaceable, it wasn't possible. Other actresses were tested but Happy Days audiences only reacted to Cindy. From that point on they were a team. Penny without Cindy would be like Abott without Costello, or Laurel without Hardy.

Wasn't Penny Marshall's issues really with Cindy Williams' husband Bill Hudson? Basically, Cindy's pregnancy and marriage to Bill Hudson precipitated her leaving the show. I think that in interviews, Penny alluded to how Hudson was "a pest", wanting some kind of show credit. She also said that Cindy did what he wanted, viewing his controlling ways as "he loves me, he wants to take care of me."

Wasn't Penny Marshall's issues really with Cindy Williams' husband Bill Hudson? Basically, Cindy's pregnancy and marriage to Bill Hudson precipitated her leaving the show. I think that in interviews, Penny alluded to how Hudson was "a pest" , wanting some kind of show credit. She also said that Cindy did what he wanted, viewing his controlling ways as "he loves me, he wants to take care of me."

I am inclined to say yes on this, since David Lander confirmed quite a bit of the things re Bill Hudson (I am wondering if David Lander did have a biopic of himself written like Penny did) which boiled down to Bill Hudson being a pest.

Also, I think Penny and Cindy decided to bury the hatchet between each other back in 1979-80 or so, when Penny was starting to go through troubles herself with then husband Rob Reiner.

Furthermore, the early 1980s was a really rough patch for Penny, which confirms that Penny really was drained by the time L&S ended.

Also, a number of further later things which make Bill Hudson look very bad include threatening to dish out stuff about Cindy Williams (as well as Goldie Hawn) in an attempted tell-all book back in 2011-12 (not sure if that tell-all book happened), and also disowning his first two children with Goldie Hawn not all that long ago as well.

Yeah, that Bill Hudson guy was some character.

To categorize Cindy as a straight man on the show really downplays her contributions. First, I’d argue that she wasn’t the straight man. Shirley is the more uptight character, sure. But Shirley is also a bit off center and goofy. For a true straight man, see Joyce DeWitt on Three’s Company; Janet Wood was the sane, grounded one reacting to everything that happened around her. I don’t think that’s true of Shirley.

Cindy was an excellent comic actress on this show. She could take a dull line and make it funny. Watch some of the early episodes and see what she does with the material. Some of the writers clearly recognized this - see the quotes in the above posts.

Cindy and Penny didn’t hate each other. There was a lot of friction on the set. Penny’s family being in charge didn’t help. And neither actress is particularly laid back, so when you have two high-strung people in a high-pressure situation, that can result in fireworks. And whatever was going on in their personal lives didn’t help.

But if you see them in interviews today (check out the Archive of American Television interview on Youtube) there is affection between them and they clearly keep in touch with each other. They wouldn’t even do an interview together if they really hated each other. And Bill Hudson was a problem. In that same interview, when the interviewer refers to the friction between the two of them, Penny says in that deep voice of hers, “It was the husband!” And Cindy sunnily replies, “I was in love!”