Cindy Williams Movies
Upon graduating from LA City College, petite brunette actress Cindy Williams sought out and found stage and film work, supporting herself as a waitress between engagements. In films from 1970, Williams earned critical and popular plaudits for her work as Ron Howard's girlfriend in American Graffiti (1973) and as a highly unlikely murderess in The Conversation (1974). Her musical comedy prowess was shown off to excellent advantage in the better-than-it-sounds The First Nudie Musical (1975). In 1976, Williams signed to star as eternally optimistic brewery worker Shirley Feeney in the blue-collar sitcom Laverne and Shirley (1976-83). The series proved to be a smash, winning its Tuesday night timeslot for several seasons. Married to comedian Bill Hudson, Williams became pregnant in 1982, a circumstance that was hastily written into the program. Feeling that the L & S producers were using her pregnancy as an excuse to ease her off the series, she stormed off the set permanently, filing a $20,000,000 lawsuit against Paramount Pictures. Williams' later TV-series credits have included Normal Life and Just Getting By. Increasingly active on the business end of show business, Cindy Williams served as co-producer of the two Father of the Bride films of the 1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 2003
Organized by New York's Museum of Television and Radio, this impressively assembled tribute to the funny women boasts a stellar all-female cast, drawn from half a century's worth of video entertainment. Hosted by Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), the special uses rare film clips and interviews to pay homage to such iconic figures as Mary Tyler Moore, Carol Burnett, Bea Arthur, and especially the woman who started it all, Lucille Ball. A number of veteran comediennes are in attendance, along with the newer crop of "girls." Amidst the hilarity, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss (Seinfeld) offers a poignant paean to the late Gilda Radner. Great Women of Television and Comedy was originally broadcast by NBC -- which may explain the preponderance of guest stars from that network's then-current sitcom manifest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
How would you react if the frontman for your favorite boy band came knocking on your door looking for a place to hide out? It may be more trouble than it's worth, as a star-stricken teen discovers in this comedy that drives home the age-old adage "be careful what you wish for." Chris Trousdale is the singer for Dream Street, the most popular boy band ever to fill an arena. When he opts to take a breather from fame by crashing at the house of his number one fan, her world is turned upside down at the prospect of spending some personal time with her own personal American idol. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Trousdale, Kaila Amariah, (more)
- 1999
Thirty-three years after the demise of The Patty Duke Show, you'll be glad to know that Patty Lane is still seeing the sights a girl can see from Brooklyn Heights, and that her identical cousin Cathy still prefers the minuet and crepe suzette, judging from the evidence presented in this made-for-TV movie. Patty Duke once again plays both Patty and Cathy; these days, Patty is a drama teacher at her old high school, and while she's still sees her old boyfriend Richard (Eddie Applegate), they got married after high school and have since divorced; they have a grown son and a granddaughter. Cathy, on the other hand, is a widow with a teenage son, currently living in Scotland. When the two cousins meet again at a family reunion, they join forces to do battle with Patty's arch-enemy Sue Ellen (Cindy Williams), who plans to buy Brooklyn Heights High School, tear it down and put in a strip mall. Also reprising their roles from the original TV series are William Schallert and Jean Byron as Patty's parents. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, William Schallert, (more)
- 1999
A husband and wife are initially thrilled to have moved to an idyllic, leafy town, but its apparent perfection -- no crime, noise, or violence -- gradually unnerves them. Even the town's male fraternity is unusually staid, which leads our protagonists to believe that something sinister is at work in their ostensibly blissful little burg. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
Comic Rodney Dangerfield co-wrote and stars in this outrageous comedy. Wally Sparks (Dangerfield) is the host of a sleazy tabloid-style talk show who makes Jerry Springer seem genteel by comparison. Wally's show has become so foul that he's alienated his not-especially-discriminating viewers, and his ratings are taking a nosedive. Lenny Spencer (Burt Reynolds), head of the network carrying Wally's show, gives the host an ultimatum -- he has a week to clean up the show and boost his ratings, or his show gets cancelled. Wally's producer Sandy Gallo (Debi Mazar) comes up with an idea -- Floyd Preston (David Ogden Stiers) is the governor of Georgia and a staunch conservative known for his attacks on the lowbrow content of Wally's show, so what better way to show people that Wally is trying to change his ways than having Preston on the show as a guest? In order to persuade the Governor to appear, Wally attends a reception at Preston's mansion, where he makes the mistake of getting in a drunken game of strip poker with Preston's wife Emily (Cindy Williams) and somehow involving himself in a plot to blackmail the Governor. Meet Wally Sparks is packed with cameos in which noted show business figures play themselves, ranging from Tim Allen, Jay Leno, and Bob Saget to Michael Bolton, Ron Jeremy, and Jerry Springer himself. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rodney Dangerfield, Debi Mazar, (more)
- 1996
Having shown up at the wrong house for her latest assignment, Monica (Roma Downey) innocently finds herself under arrest for drug possession--and when she insists that she is an angel, she ends up in a mental hospital. Monica's court-appointed lawyer Jake Stone (Joe Morton) is a cynical, athestic Vietnam veteran, whose lack of faith colors his attitude toward his client. Likewise having served a tour of duty in 'Nam is Monica's fellow inmate Claire (Cindy Williams)--who also claims to be an angel in disguise! This inspiring episode is a classic example of "what comes around, goes around"...but we don't know that until the very last scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Based on a real case from the television series Unsolved Mysteries, this dramatic tale looks at the hunt for Paul Stamp, an abusive man who one night attacked his ex-wife and her new lover, killing the latter and abducting the former. Thanks to diligent viewers of the aforementioned show, the story has a happy ending. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Pitillo, Adam Storke, (more)
Just as the original 1950 version of Father of the Bride spawned a sequel, so did the 1991 remake; like its counterpart four decades earlier, this story concerns a father who learns that his anxieties are just beginning after his daughter takes the big walk down the aisle. George Banks (Steve Martin) has finally adjusted to the marriage of his daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams) when the fates drop a new bombshell on his head: Annie and her husband Bryan (George Newbern) announce that they're going to have a baby. While George's wife Nina (Diane Keaton) is happy enough about the news, George is thrown into an immediate mid-life crisis; while he and Nina were once discussing the possibility of selling the family home and moving to a place on the beach, George impulsively sells their home to Mr. Habib (Eugene Levy), a greedy land speculator. Now, with ten days to move, George gets even more unexpected news: Nina, who had earlier been fretting about the onset of menopause, has just learned that she's pregnant as well. George now has to deal with being a father again as well as becoming a grandparent, while he also figures out how to get the Banks family home back. Martin Short returns as Franck, the oddly accented wedding planner from Father of the Bride, who has moved into a new career organizing baby showers and redecorating homes. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, (more)
A boy saves and befriends a mangy ex-circus dog and adopts him as a pet--without his father's knowledge. As the family moves across the country, the dog attempts to follow, getting into close calls and lots of adventures along the way. Will Bingo end up in the arms of his favorite boy? This spoof/adventure/comedy contains some violence and profanity. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cindy Williams, David Rasche, (more)
The made-for-TV Earth Angel stars Cathy Bodewell as Angela, a prom queen who dies in 1962. Unfortunately, Angela has not always lived up to her name, and her entry into Heaven is held up indefinitely. She is given a chance to redeem herself by returning to earth in 1990, where she is to successfully complete an important mission. Thing of it is, she has no idea what her mission is-though she suspects it has something to do with romance. Clearly intended as a hybrid of Ghost and Peggy Sue Got Married, Earth Angel was first telecast March 4, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cathy Podewell, Cindy Williams, (more)
Steve Martin stars in this remake of the 1950 Vincente Minnelli classic as shoe executive George Banks, whose happily married existence hits a bump when he greets his daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams), home from a semester studying in Europe. She tells her father that she is engaged to be married. When the shocked George asks to whom, she says his name is Bryan (George Newbern) and that he is an "independent communications consultant." George is even more shocked when he finds out what the wedding will cost (when George goes through the card file for invited wedding guests and is told someone is deceased, George chirps, "He died? That's great!"). As George is ignored during the mad preparations for the wedding, he wistfully looks back to all the good times he has had with Annie and sadly looks forward to the time when he loses his little girl. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, (more)
- 1990
Happy Birthday, Bugs: 50 Looney Years is a television special celebrating 50 years of Bugs Bunny cartoons, complete with testimonials from various celebrities and a terrific end-piece "50 Years of Bugs in 3 Minutes," which features a manic collection of highlights compiled by Academy Award-winner Chuck Workman (he won for his animated short, Precious Images). ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1990
The made for TV Menu for Murder was first telecast December 4, 1990. An unpopular PTA leader is murdered with a poisoned croissant sandwich during a gala luncheon. Though practically every woman on the committee had expressed a desire to kill the victim, the principal suspect is housewife Julia Duffy. Detective Ed Marinaro conducts an intense investigation of Julia-much to the discomfort of her husband. Joan van Ark and Morgan Fairchild also star, the latter incrongrously cast as a PTA treasurer. Originally titled Murder at the PTA Luncheon, Menu for Murder was reportedly withheld from view until a few legal matters could be smoothed out with the Parent-Teacher's Association. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ed Marinaro, Julia Duffy, (more)
- 1990
In this entry in the long-running mystery series, Perry Mason begins representing an author who is accused of killing her conniving ex-husband at a mystery writers convention. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1989
- R
Cheech Marin and Eric Roberts play two draft-dodging hippies who flee to a commune in Central America where they stay for 20 years. When they return in 1989 and seek out some of their old NYC buddies, they find they've turned yuppie and things just aren't what they'd expected. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cheech Marin, Eric Roberts, (more)
- 1989
This light comedy is a contemporary--and wacky--version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In this version, a malformed young man hangs out in the bell tower of a California college campus and has to face a number of prejudices when he is brought out into the light. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Allan Katz, Corey Parker, (more)
A prim and proper housewife from Beverly Hills sets off with a Hollywood prostitute to nab the party responsible for murdering her husband in the hooker's apartment. Cindy Williams and Markie Post star in this light comedy. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1988
In this Disney comedy, an unemployed, destitute actress tries to save her dog after it eats too much junk food during a shoot for a dog-food commercial. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Real-life married couple Cindy Williams and Bill Hudson star as New York yuppies Lisa and Tom Burke, who moved to Arizona when both are hired by a new ad agency. The couple's boss is big on "family values" and encourages his employees to project an appropriate image. Unfortunately, the Burkes are childless, and for a while it looks as if their fabulous new job will end before it begins. But not to worry: Lisa and Tom hit upon a foolproof scheme to create an "instant" family by advertising for a pair of rambunctious youngsters to pose as the Burkes' children. Since this film originally aired as an installment of ABC's Disney Sunday Movie anthology, one can easily guess the outcome from the moment the opening credits fade from view. Help Wanted: Kids debuted on February 2, 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cindy Williams, Bill Hudson, (more)
- 1986
Originally broadcast as an installment of ABC's Disney Sunday Movie anthology, The Leftovers marked the TV acting debut of singer John Denver. He is cast as Max Sinclair, the director f a foster-care facility for older orphans who, for various reasons, no one has ever adopted. Described themselves as "the leftovers", the six kids form a strong bond, refusing to be farmed out to separate families, even though orders have come down for Sinclair to vacate his facility within five weeks. Amidst the seriocomic intrigue, Max falls in love with widow Heather Drew (Cindy Williams), the facility's housekeeper--and an orphan herself. A few potential stars can be glimpsed among the supporting players, notably a pre-Urkel Jaleel White as wisecracking "leftover" Jake. The Leftovers debuted on November 16, 1986. ~Saw Film/TV Guide/Internet/Marrill/Expert ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In this taut drama, a young woman has a series of terrifying nightmares about being stalked by a mysterious killer. Unfortunately, her worst nightmare becomes reality. Fortunately, the rest of her dream, where she is rescued by a stranger, also comes true. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Laverne & Shirley was Laverne & Shirley in name only as the series entered its eighth and final season. For a variety of reasons, chief among them her feelings that she was being overshadowed by co-star Penny Marshall (Laverne) and that the producers were insensitive to the work limitations imposed by her pregnancy, Cindy Williams had walked off the series after completing only two season-eight episodes. Providentially, the first of these, the season opener of September 28, 1982, had contrived to marry off Shirley to an army medic named Walter Meany (making her Shirley Feeney Meany!), thereby explaining away the many absences that Williams was expected to take before giving birth. No one (except perhaps the actress herself) could have suspected that the next episode telecast, "Window on Main Street, would constitute Williams' last appearance on the series. Thus, Laverne soldiered on throughout the rest of the season without Shirley, as the writers tried to recapture the old magic by briefly teaming Penny Marshall with such guest stars as Julie Brown, Carrie Fisher, Laraine Newman, Carol Kane, and Vicki Lawrence, the latter reprising her role as bombastic WAC sergeant Plout. And in an unrelated distaff development, series co-star David L. Lander, normally cast as the goofy Squiggy, shows up in drag as Squiggy's sister Squendolyn! Perhaps the highlight of the season is future Tonight Show host Jay Leno's guest appearance as duplicitous radio DJ Bobby Bitts in the episode "Do the Carmine." Ranking 25th in the ratings during its terminal season -- not bad, but far below its onetime ranking as America's Number One series -- Laverne & Shirley concluded with the unremarkable episode "Here Today, Hair Tomorrow." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, (more)
- 1982
Here's the status quo as Laverne & Shirley enters its seventh season. Ex-Milwaukeeans Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) are still living in Burbank, CA, still working at Bardwell's Department Store, and still trying to break into the movies. The girls' zany pals Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander) are trying their luck as talent agents; Laverne's sometime boyfriend Carmine (Eddie Mekka) is still tap-dancing around the notion of marriage, though he very nearly makes it to the altar in the episode "I Do, I Don't." And although Laverne's dad, Frank (Phil Foster), continues to manage the Burbank eatery Cowboy Bill's, his wife, Edna, is nowhere to found (longtime regular Betty Garrett has left the series). Although ostensibly set in the mid-'60s, Laverne & Shirley is now emphatically "early '80s" in its look and attitude: for example, "Friendly Persuasion" features actor Charles Grodin as his successful movie-and-TV personality "self" of the 1980s, not as the struggling young character actor that he was 20 years earlier. At least Joey Heatherton is pretty much the same person she was "back in the day" in the episode "Night at the Awards." In other season-seven highlights, former semi-regular Carole Ita White returns briefly as Laverne and Shirley's high-school nemesis Rosie Greenbaum in "Class of '56"; and Squiggy's father (Wynn Irwin) shows up out of nowhere in "Helmut Weekend." Although Laverne & Shirley was no longer America's top-rated series, it remained in a respectable 20th place through its seventh season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, (more)
