- Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, TV, 1976-1982. Writers Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams were working (like many movie brats) for Francis Coppola when Penny’s brother. producer Garry Marshall, asked them to cameo as “two fast girls” dating Fonzie and Richie on Happy Days. For one episode; it became five. ABC demanded an immediate spin-off – Laverne Defazio and Shirley Feeney, roommates (in The Odd Couple’s old apartment!) and bottle-cappers in a brewery. (Mad Magazine called it Lavoine and Shoiley). Cindy was not keen on an entire series. Garry tested Liberty Williams (no kin), an ABC stock player voicing Saturday kiddy toons. She was good, not great. He told the suits he’d lost he test and persuaded Cindy to return. Her chemistry with Penny was perfect, although they were feuding so much Garry banned his kids from visiting the set. Cindy even quit once – “Penny gets all the best lines.” She came back and was fired in 1982 (“for being pregnant,” she said; ABC did not agree) after 158 episodes (Penny made 20 more). Liberty was not called back, nor Gilda Radner, who had also tested for Shirley. The show carried on… Shirleyless.
- Lisa Hartman, Tabitha, TV, 1976-1978. Spinning off from Bewitched, the former Tabatha had been billed as Liberty Williams in the 1976 pilot but switched to her real name, Louise Williams, for the series – axed after a dozen episode flop. Folllowing much voice work for the varying Super Friends animation series, Louise retired in 1990.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 2