Friday, October 13, 2017

Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall

Five, six, seven eight...Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!
Those words started the opening theme to Television's Laverne & Shirley.  The main title characters were reciting a Yiddish-American hopscotch chant.
Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams played those title characters.  The show ran for 8 seasons, although Williams left during the 8th season.  She was pregnant and asked for unspecified considerations, which Paramount declined.
Despite the show ranking #25 during that 8th season Paramount pulled the plus.  Marshall wanted the show production to move to New York, but Paramount declined.
I met the famous duo at a Hollywood Celebrities show and took advantage of a rare opportunity to meet both together.  Thirty-ish years after the show, both looked great.  More importantly, both were in great spirits and seemed to enjoy the day.
I talked to Williams a bit about her role in the iconic American Graffiti and I talked to Marshall about The Odd Couple and A League of Their Own.  Aside from those projects, both had fond memories of Laverne & Shirley and all of their co-stars.
I think I could have been a neighbor to the pair.  I would have been a happy medium between Carmine and Lenny and Squiggy.
Cindy Williams, Penny Marshall and me in Rosemont, IL-October 2011..

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