Anson Williams, best known for his role as Warren “Potsie” Weber in the hit TV series Happy Days, recently shared his memories of his late friend and former co-star, Cindy Williams.
Cindy made a cameo in Happy Days as Shirley Feeney, which eventually led to her own spin-off show, Laverne and Shirley. Anson recalls the moment he heard the news of her passing as one of the saddest of his life.
FOX reported the Golden Globe nominee saying, “People ask me what memory came to mind. I said, ‘Everything.’ I said, ‘Just everything.’ Hundreds of moments. And I just started crying. I just started bawling. And at the same time, I couldn’t process it. It’s like not being able to breathe. And it took me a good 10 minutes just to settle down.”
He called his friend and co-star, Don Most, who played Ralph Malph in Happy Days, and the two shared their grief over the loss of their dear friend.
“And he’s bawling, just crying,” Anson shared. “We were so close. You have to understand, we’ve been friends for over 45 years and gone through so many highs together, so many experiences, much more than your average friend. It also brought you way down to earth, way down, And I told Don, ‘I love you, bro. We can’t waste time here. We’ve got to keep going. We got to keep doing. Cindy would want that.'”
Anson remembered meeting Cindy in the 1970s and how intimidated he was to work with her, given her star status from her previous roles in movies like The Conversation and American Graffiti.
“I was incredibly nervous,” Anson admitted, according to FOX. “Because I had seen ‘The Conversation’ with Coppola. I had seen ‘American Graffiti.’ She was a very respected actress, on so many movies of the week, episodes on TV. I was completely intimidated. And she comes on the set and we’re rehearsing and she just had this spark, this light. And Cindy truly in life was a giver, not a taker.”
However, Cindy put him at ease by offering him a cup of coffee and even remembering exactly how he liked it. This small gesture marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship between the two actors.
“Comes back with a perfect cup of coffee,” he remembered. “That was the beginning of a relationship. And Cindy Williams never changed. She was such a giver. The only thing larger than her talent was her heart. And that’s not a cliche.”
Anson describes Cindy as a kind-hearted and giving person, whose talent was only exceeded by her big heart. He recalls that she always put others first, and her light and positive energy lit up any room she entered.
Cindy’s passing has reminded Anson and Don of the fragility of life, and they have vowed to make the most of the time they have left, honoring Cindy’s memory by continuing to do what they love.
Cindy Williams passed away on January 25, 2023, at the age of 75, following a brief illness. She will be remembered as an icon of classic TV, an inspiring actress, and a dear friend to many.