RIP - Cindy Williams

[badatmath]

I used to love Laverne and Shirley. I feel old now. I guess, older as I always feel old.

 

[jollystomper]

Sad to hear.

I read a comment recently that the baby boom generation, particularly those born from the middle to the end of the boom, would be impacted by TV stars deaths much more than previous generations. Our "formative" years were spent watching a lot of these shows and having the memories of these TV actors and actresses imbedded in our minds, particularly the ones before the advent of cable TV.

Another TV star death was announced today. Lisa Loring, 64, who starred as "Wednesday" in the 1960s Adams Family show. Same age as me (and many others on this board). Cause of death was a stroke that was likely triggered by smoking and high blood pressure, according to the articles.

 

[GenXguy]

I used to watch L&S back when I was a kid - we only had a few channels so suffered with some poor quality stuff in those days. lol

Cindy Williams was 75.

 

[badatmath]

I used to watch L&S back when I was a kid - we only had a few channels so suffered with some poor quality stuff in those days. lol

Cindy Williams was 75.

Right we had 3 channels I think plus maybe something weird. No remote for the tv.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I loved that show and it supposedly took place near my hometown. It seems like the stars are dying at a fast rate but so are my friends.

 

[JoeWras]

On the topic of young deaths...

RIP also Annie Wersching, age 45. Annie played "Renee Walker" on "24" and and most recently the Borg Queen in "Picard."

45! Natural causes. Yikes!

 

[Dash man]

Right we had 3 channels I think plus maybe something weird. No remote for the tv.

Being the the youngest in my family, I was the remote.

 

[Kabowest]

Being the the youngest in my family, I was the remote.

That's funny! As kids we would sit on the couch and debate who's turn it was - now I just ask Alexa to do it.

 

[Car-Guy]

I never watched Laverne and Shirley but I liked the part she played in American Graffiti.


RIP

 

[VanWinkle]

Watched that show many times, it does make you feel old when these stars you watched are passing away.

 

[RunningBum]

It seems like the stars are dying at a fast rate

It does seem like that, and it got me wondering. I concluded that part of it was due to there simply being more movie/tv stars, professional athletes, etc. Think about it. There are more networks, so there are more TV shows, so more actors around. In sports, all of the leagues have expanded, so there are definitely more professional athletes in major sports. It's a larger pool of celebrities we know, so more people we know of would be dying.

Another factor is that 20-30 years ago I was less likely to know an non-major actor who died. I'm very familiar with many TV shows and actors from the 1960s on, but much less likely to know of a Cindy Williams level actor from the 40s or 50s.

If we live long enough, the trend will probably reverse. There will be fewer people left from our time, and if we haven't kept up with the more recent TV shows, movies, sports and music, we'll be back to asking "who was that?" more often when a celebrity dies.

As far as our friends go, the mortality rate is much higher at our age than it was at our age 20-30 years ago. Assuming our friends circle skews to being around our age, more of our friends are starting to pass away.

 

[JoeWras]

Yes RunningBum. I'll give you an example. In the early 80s, Pat O'Brien died.

Mom and Dad were devastated, they liked him a lot.

I was like: Pat who?

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley are running on channel 1330 on Pluto TV which is free. Just as funny today as they were in the 1970's.

https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/happy-days-ptv1

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Yes RunningBum. I'll give you an example. In the early 80s, Pat O'Brien died.

Mom and Dad were devastated, they liked him a lot.

I was like: Pat who?

Excellent example. And I had even seen "Angels with Dirty Faces."

And, in a strange bit of coincidence, I just learned (from your link) that Pat O'Brien was born in Milwaukee, home to Laverne and Shirley.

 

[HawkOwl]

I never watched Laverne and Shirley but I liked the part she played in American Graffiti.


RIP

Agree. I watched both, but found her role in American Graffiti to be particularly beguiling.

 

[HawkOwl]

It does seem like that, and it got me wondering. I concluded that part of it was due to there simply being more movie/tv stars, professional athletes, etc. Think about it. There are more networks, so there are more TV shows, so more actors around. In sports, all of the leagues have expanded, so there are definitely more professional athletes in major sports. It's a larger pool of celebrities we know, so more people we know of would be dying.

I tend to view it the opposite way. In the early 70’s there were just three major networks. This made for more cultural commonality. Everyone watched the same shows with the same themes, mostly.

I think that created a tighter bond with the characters than in subsequent decades, when the expansion of choices had the effect of fragmenting viewership. I mean, everyone knew who Gilligan and Archie Bunker were, even if they didn’t watch their respective shows. But later decade’s programs just weren’t followed that universally.

 

[Music Lover]

I loved that show and it supposedly took place near my hometown. It seems like the stars are dying at a fast rate but so are my friends.

Look at the obit pages. For every person that makes it to 90 there a lot more that don't get close.

 

[pacergal]

Loved Laverne and Shirley when it was on!
75 years young--RIP.

 

[Timeisprecious]

I used to watch L&S back when I was a kid - we only had a few channels so suffered with some poor quality stuff in those days. lol

Cindy Williams was 75.

It goes to show - we sure don't all live to be 100. Value each day; time is precious. Also - come to Christ and get right with God; you never know when.

 

[ncbill]

Here's the tribute to her "Lenny" wrote:

"Backstage, Season 1: I'm offstage waiting for a cue.

The script's been a tough one, so we're giving it 110% and the audience is having a great time.

Cindy scoots by me to make her entrance and with a glorious grin, says: 'Show's cookin'!'.

Amen. Thank you, Cindy."

 

[Dreamer]

We used to watch Laverne and Shirley also. Funny show.

It does seem like we are starting to lose actors and rock stars at a faster pace.

 

[jollystomper]

We used to watch Laverne and Shirley also. Funny show.

It does seem like we are starting to lose actors and rock stars at a faster pace.

Most TV actors and rock stars that came to prominence starting in the 60s and 70s were born beginning in the 1930s and 1940s, so the loss rate will naturally increase.

 

[Koolau]

I too watched L&S regularly back in the day. Heh, heh, even had a Squiggy curl due to my thinning hair. RIP Cindy.