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Shirley, I Jest!: A Storied Life
Cindy Williams: talented in everything she does. Writing her first book is NO exception . . . get ready to enjoy. —Henry Winkler
Cindy Williams, best-known as half of the comedic duo of Laverne & Shirley, has had a wild and lively career in show biz. After spending years waiting tables, she landed her first big break with a role in American Graffiti as Ron Howard’s long-suffering girlfriend. This book is an engaging and heartfelt journey from Williams’s blue collar roots to her unexpected stardom—from being pranked by Jim Morrison at the Whisky a Go Go to the emotional rollercoaster of celebrity.
Cindy Williams, best-known as half of the comedic duo of Laverne & Shirley, has had a wild and lively career in show biz. After spending years waiting tables, she landed her first big break with a role in American Graffiti as Ron Howard’s long-suffering girlfriend. This book is an engaging and heartfelt journey from Williams’s blue collar roots to her unexpected stardom—from being pranked by Jim Morrison at the Whisky a Go Go to the emotional rollercoaster of celebrity.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2015
34 people are currently reading
651 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Williams
1 book11 followersCynthia Jane Williams was an American actress and producer, known for her role as Shirley Feeney on the television sitcom Happy Days, and Laverne & Shirley. She also appeared in American Graffiti and The Conversation.
Her career began in the 1970s in prestigious movies like Travels with My Aunt (with Maggie Smith, directed by George Cukor) and American Graffiti (with Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, and Richard Dreyfuss and directed by George Lucas). Williams focused on theater in her later years, and had performed in shows across the country, including the musical Nunsense. She lived near Palm Springs, California. - Wikipedia
Her career began in the 1970s in prestigious movies like Travels with My Aunt (with Maggie Smith, directed by George Cukor) and American Graffiti (with Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, and Richard Dreyfuss and directed by George Lucas). Williams focused on theater in her later years, and had performed in shows across the country, including the musical Nunsense. She lived near Palm Springs, California. - Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
July 31, 2020
Well, if this wasn't the most frustrating celeb book I've read in a long time! Here is what you don't hear about:
She worked at the Whisky a Go Go for two months plus in 1968. While she shares a funny story about Jim Morrison, she ends the chapter with "I kept my job at the Whisky for another two months, serving everyone from Duke Ellington to Joe Cocker. I could tell many fantastic tales about working the Peanut Gallery [the upstairs seating area] at the Whisky, and maybe one day I will." IF NOT NOW, WHEN? Don't tease me with this and then not talk!
She hung out with John Belushi at the Sherry Netherland hotel. And?
She was very close to Andy Kaufman, to the point that he often went to her mother's house for dinner and family holidays. Were they a couple? Go on...
Literally nothing about the day to day of Laverne & Shirley. There are intimations that she and Penny Marshall didn't get along in a sketch group they were in together even before the show started, and sprinkled in with brief vignettes of them going to parties or promotional events or concerts, you get the sense that they weren't "friends" as much as "cordial," with Penny hanging out more with bestie Carrie Fisher (who beat out Cindy for the role of Princess Leia, by the way). It's pretty much common knowledge that Williams left the show under acrimonious circumstances, but she isn't talking.
IMDb tells me she married Bill Hudson less than TWO MONTHS after his divorce from Goldie Hawn was final. I had forgotten they were even married, and his name comes up exactly ONCE. I feel as if there might be a story there?
None of this is to say that I came away with a bad impression of Cindy Williams; if anything, she seems much cooler to me now than the somewhat goody-goody persona she's had for the past 40 years. One wonders what her career would have become if she'd stayed in movies, where she was in two of the best of the seventies (American Graffiti and The Conversation). What if she *had* been Princess Leia? Or what if she had the career that say, Sally Field has? But this book left me wanting so, so much more.
She worked at the Whisky a Go Go for two months plus in 1968. While she shares a funny story about Jim Morrison, she ends the chapter with "I kept my job at the Whisky for another two months, serving everyone from Duke Ellington to Joe Cocker. I could tell many fantastic tales about working the Peanut Gallery [the upstairs seating area] at the Whisky, and maybe one day I will." IF NOT NOW, WHEN? Don't tease me with this and then not talk!
She hung out with John Belushi at the Sherry Netherland hotel. And?
She was very close to Andy Kaufman, to the point that he often went to her mother's house for dinner and family holidays. Were they a couple? Go on...
Literally nothing about the day to day of Laverne & Shirley. There are intimations that she and Penny Marshall didn't get along in a sketch group they were in together even before the show started, and sprinkled in with brief vignettes of them going to parties or promotional events or concerts, you get the sense that they weren't "friends" as much as "cordial," with Penny hanging out more with bestie Carrie Fisher (who beat out Cindy for the role of Princess Leia, by the way). It's pretty much common knowledge that Williams left the show under acrimonious circumstances, but she isn't talking.
IMDb tells me she married Bill Hudson less than TWO MONTHS after his divorce from Goldie Hawn was final. I had forgotten they were even married, and his name comes up exactly ONCE. I feel as if there might be a story there?
None of this is to say that I came away with a bad impression of Cindy Williams; if anything, she seems much cooler to me now than the somewhat goody-goody persona she's had for the past 40 years. One wonders what her career would have become if she'd stayed in movies, where she was in two of the best of the seventies (American Graffiti and The Conversation). What if she *had* been Princess Leia? Or what if she had the career that say, Sally Field has? But this book left me wanting so, so much more.
January 15, 2016
Candy-coated reminiscences so carefully selected they'll give you diabetes but leave you hungry nonetheless. (This book came to me as a gift of the Inside Joke variety. It didn't harm our friendship but I'm sending him the bill for the insulin anyway.)
May 22, 2015
I was disappointed in this memoir. Aside from the annoying (and liberal!) sprinkling of exclamation points (!), I found the writing surprisingly flat. My conclusion is that Cindy Williams is a much better actress than writer. As to the stories relayed in the book, it seemed to be more of a big name dropping opportunity (I met Gene Kelly! I met John Belushi! I was friends with Andy Kaufman! I met Cary Grant! Johnny Carson liked me!) rather than the type of story-telling I am used to in a memoir. The stories often felt dull, despite the punctuation at the end of the tale!! I only watched Laverne and Shirley a handful of times, but get the impression there may have been bad blood between the two stars. The remembrances of interactions had that same flat, anticlimactic feeling I found throughout the book. The story that moved me the most was how Marshall and Williams visited the set of the show the night before it aired, and both felt it was too shiny and new. They each went out and gathered props, like thumbed through movie magazines and old 45s, and replaced as much as they could on the set to turn it into the apartment of two blue collar working girls. That, I found endearing.
And for the record, I, too met Gene Kelly, and he definitely deserves an exclamation point, as do all the stars Ms Williams met. What I would have liked to find between the covers of this memoir would be more passion, humor, and an editor with more evident red pencil.
Thank you to the publisher and LibraryThing for sending me a copy of this book.
And for the record, I, too met Gene Kelly, and he definitely deserves an exclamation point, as do all the stars Ms Williams met. What I would have liked to find between the covers of this memoir would be more passion, humor, and an editor with more evident red pencil.
Thank you to the publisher and LibraryThing for sending me a copy of this book.
August 22, 2018
Shirley, I Jest! is a hard-hitting expose on the behind-the-scenes strife and drama that shows why those were not such "Happy Days" for Laverne or Shirley....just kidding. It is not that at all. And if that is the type of work you are looking for, you will be disappointed with this great little book (maybe Dustin Diamond has something new out that could fill that gap for you).
What this book is is exactly what you would expect and exactly what you should want. Honest, insightful, humorous. Williams is not out to throw anyone under the bus but also does not whitewash areas of struggle or conflict.
It was nice to read about here childhood and early career. This is not a book that will take a major investment of time or energy, but it is a book that pleases the reader, both in form and content.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
What this book is is exactly what you would expect and exactly what you should want. Honest, insightful, humorous. Williams is not out to throw anyone under the bus but also does not whitewash areas of struggle or conflict.
It was nice to read about here childhood and early career. This is not a book that will take a major investment of time or energy, but it is a book that pleases the reader, both in form and content.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
Read
May 3, 2019As one half of the TV duo, Laverne and Shirley, Cindy Williams (Shirley) gives us a fun collection of anecdotes about her life and career. Cindy shares some inside stories about films like American Graffiti and The Conversation and how Laverne & Shirley almost didn’t happen.
The most enjoyable parts of the book were her stories about celebrities one wouldn’t expect her to be acquainted with like her friendship with Andy Kaufman. In her final “Outtakes” chapter, she shares dozens of anecdotes covering everyone from Johnny Carson and Cary Grant to Mick Fleetwood and Cher.
If you love celebrity stories and you like Cindy Williams, I highly recommend this book as a quick fun read with a great sense of nostalgia. --Sara H.
The most enjoyable parts of the book were her stories about celebrities one wouldn’t expect her to be acquainted with like her friendship with Andy Kaufman. In her final “Outtakes” chapter, she shares dozens of anecdotes covering everyone from Johnny Carson and Cary Grant to Mick Fleetwood and Cher.
If you love celebrity stories and you like Cindy Williams, I highly recommend this book as a quick fun read with a great sense of nostalgia. --Sara H.
August 11, 2021
I'm sorry to say this but rounding it down to 2.5 stars.
It was a quick read. I enjoyed reading about her start in show business and the movies she was in and tried out for and a lot of the celebrities she met, etc.
However, I was disappointed that there wasn't more about Laverne & Shirley. It seemed very scarce in the book. Also, nothing about her personal life only a mention about her 2 kids when they were born after 8 seasons of L&S and they didn't want her back when she was pregnant with her first child. That's her choice since that's her life but I like a "meatier" book. No wonder it was only 160 pages or so.
It was a quick read. I enjoyed reading about her start in show business and the movies she was in and tried out for and a lot of the celebrities she met, etc.
However, I was disappointed that there wasn't more about Laverne & Shirley. It seemed very scarce in the book. Also, nothing about her personal life only a mention about her 2 kids when they were born after 8 seasons of L&S and they didn't want her back when she was pregnant with her first child. That's her choice since that's her life but I like a "meatier" book. No wonder it was only 160 pages or so.
December 30, 2014
3.5 stars
Most of us have always thought of Cindy Williams as the "girl-next-door" type with a good sense of comedic timing and this memoir mirrored our perceptions. This lightweight and frothy celebrity memoir had a lot of amusing anecdotes and "meeting famous people" stories (mostly complimentary) but there wasn't much in the way of personal substance. All in all a fun read that most likely won't hit the bestsellers lists but will be a fun read for anyone who enjoyed her on Laverne and Shirley.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early release of the e-galley.
Most of us have always thought of Cindy Williams as the "girl-next-door" type with a good sense of comedic timing and this memoir mirrored our perceptions. This lightweight and frothy celebrity memoir had a lot of amusing anecdotes and "meeting famous people" stories (mostly complimentary) but there wasn't much in the way of personal substance. All in all a fun read that most likely won't hit the bestsellers lists but will be a fun read for anyone who enjoyed her on Laverne and Shirley.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early release of the e-galley.
January 22, 2021
Lots of interesting stories. It seemed like it ended a bit abruptly.
February 1, 2016
A quick and enjoyable read. This is a book where Cindy Williams shares little antidotes of her life. There are no scandals or trashing of people she met along the way. Other than talking about her father being an alcoholic, she pretty much keeps things cheery (like Shirley). I enjoyed reading about the making of "American Graffiti". "Laverne & Shirley" was one of my favorite shows to watch growing up. I loved reading about Boo Boo Kitty, but wish she would have included more in the book about her time on the show and the people she worked with. I remember so much about that show and can remember so many of the iconic episodes: Shirley purchasing through the mail a "Hubba Hubba Hiney", Shirley teaching Laverne how to drive (using canned goods as the gas & break pedals, a record as the steering wheel & banana for the gear shift), Shirley singing "High Hopes", meeting Fabian in his hotel room, etc. Other than a quick mention of being married to Bill Hudson (from the Hudson Brothers who had a variety show in the 70's that I also remember watching) and her two children with Bill, Cindy does not go into very much detail about her life. Maybe she intends to write another book one day. Two of Cindy's encounters with celebrities (who happen to be two of my favorites) I thought were very cool. One was her meeting Jim Morrison of The Doors on her first day as a cocktail waitress at the Whiskey a Go Go. What a lucky girl! The other was meeting Cary Grant and hearing him call her name. I would have loved the chance of hearing Cary Grant say my name just once! I was also surprised to read that she pitched the idea of remaking "Father of the Bride", which is a movie I really like. I'm glad though that Steve Martin played the title role than Jack Nicholson, who she pictured as George Banks. I think Steve did a fantastic job as the father. I'm now going to read Penny Marshall's autobiography. I'm hoping she gives some more insight into L&S. I don't need scandal, but just want to relive more memories of growing up in the 70's with some of the characters that were a major part of my Tuesday nights.
May 1, 2015
I never met anyone who did not like Cindy Williams. This book is her own story which she writes with acknowledged help, but honestly and openly. It is a fairly short book and easily read in an afternoon or evening. I entered a Goodreads giveaway and was excited to win this copy. Once again, I realize that being an actress and famous and a celebrity is not all 'that'. The book does not detail her marriage but does not exactly ignore it either, with her pregnancy being the beginning of the end of Laverne and Shirley for her. Enjoyable read.
April 24, 2015
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads .It's very informative and full of wit . The author talks about her childhood , her ups and downs in her life and all of the famous celebrities ( such as Ron Howard , Harrison Ford , Richard Dreyfuss , etc.) that she has met along the way in her career . Great book !!
July 9, 2015
Fairly entertaining memoir... not really a biography because she mainly focuses on her career not her personal life. I liked reading about how Laverne & Shirley came to be... as this was one of my favorites growing up.
August 12, 2015
Fun and Fascinating Memoir
What a fun read. Cindy gives a quick look into her life in showbiz. Is it a tell all, let's dish some dirt? Nope! She keeps it classy. Thanks, Cindy! I enjoyed the book.
What a fun read. Cindy gives a quick look into her life in showbiz. Is it a tell all, let's dish some dirt? Nope! She keeps it classy. Thanks, Cindy! I enjoyed the book.
October 19, 2019
主题��不新颖，但是形式有些独到。岛上书店，让自成孤岛的人重新连系，因爱成就。跟人沟通，是所有的意义所在。里面掉好多书袋子，完全可以按此书索骥，可以够读好几年经典作品了。同龄人作品，赞。
December 29, 2014
3.5 stars
While browsing NetGalley, I saw Cindy Williams's upcoming memoir available and the email acceptance to read it thrilled me. I read Penny Marshall's My Mother Was Nuts a few years ago, and hoped to read another side of the story. Shirley is much shorter in length, and of course covers other highlights in Cindy's career. She's an enthusiastic storyteller who, much like her TV counterpart, keeps everything upbeat.
What I Liked: Williams's story of her early career highlights a truth applicable anywhere in entertainment: you can hit the ground running with a smash movie but it doesn't guarantee eternal success. To read about going from roles in three Oscar-caliber films to no work at all got my sympathy, especially as she considered quitting the biz altogether before the Happy Days spinoff came along.
I liked the anecdotes about waitressing at Whiskey a Go-Go, and her exploits with Andy Kaufman, too. I had seen Williams on his TV special but didn't know they shared a deeper friendship beyond that. I would like to have read more about that, whether the relationship lasted until his death.
What I Wished: I would have loved more detail all around. There are great stories about working in American Graffiti, but nothing about the sequel. The chapter on Laverne & Shirley the show seemed too brief. While she talks about the show's genesis and personal touches, you're basically reading a summary that isn't as thorough as the Wikipedia entry. She includes a picture of her mother in a cameo, but no story to back up how her mother ended up on the show. We never get the story about the Shirley Shimmy, either:
The mention of her firing takes up a page at best, and you don't learn anything new about that or any tension between her and Penny Marshall, or her involvement in subsequent reunions. I always thought Williams got a raw deal, as though being punished for wanting a family. How difficult is it to shoot closeups or position a pregnant actress at a desk or behind a counter? Granted, L&S relied on physical comedy, but they also embraced change. It could have ended better.
If you invest in this book for L&S memories you'll find some interesting off-screen gems, but you may want to read Penny's book in tandem.
While browsing NetGalley, I saw Cindy Williams's upcoming memoir available and the email acceptance to read it thrilled me. I read Penny Marshall's My Mother Was Nuts a few years ago, and hoped to read another side of the story. Shirley is much shorter in length, and of course covers other highlights in Cindy's career. She's an enthusiastic storyteller who, much like her TV counterpart, keeps everything upbeat.
What I Liked: Williams's story of her early career highlights a truth applicable anywhere in entertainment: you can hit the ground running with a smash movie but it doesn't guarantee eternal success. To read about going from roles in three Oscar-caliber films to no work at all got my sympathy, especially as she considered quitting the biz altogether before the Happy Days spinoff came along.
I liked the anecdotes about waitressing at Whiskey a Go-Go, and her exploits with Andy Kaufman, too. I had seen Williams on his TV special but didn't know they shared a deeper friendship beyond that. I would like to have read more about that, whether the relationship lasted until his death.
What I Wished: I would have loved more detail all around. There are great stories about working in American Graffiti, but nothing about the sequel. The chapter on Laverne & Shirley the show seemed too brief. While she talks about the show's genesis and personal touches, you're basically reading a summary that isn't as thorough as the Wikipedia entry. She includes a picture of her mother in a cameo, but no story to back up how her mother ended up on the show. We never get the story about the Shirley Shimmy, either:
The mention of her firing takes up a page at best, and you don't learn anything new about that or any tension between her and Penny Marshall, or her involvement in subsequent reunions. I always thought Williams got a raw deal, as though being punished for wanting a family. How difficult is it to shoot closeups or position a pregnant actress at a desk or behind a counter? Granted, L&S relied on physical comedy, but they also embraced change. It could have ended better.
If you invest in this book for L&S memories you'll find some interesting off-screen gems, but you may want to read Penny's book in tandem.
June 6, 2015
This book is so bad that I'm actually angry I wasted my time reading it. It's thin (160 double-spaced pages), skips over the bulk of the star's career, contains mostly meaningless stories that no one will care about, and--most important--tries to be so syrupy sweet that it completely avoids the only things interesting about her life and career: her marriage to Bill Hudson, working with George Lucas, and her famous feud with co-star Penny Marshall. To be blunt: you'll learn more about her reading her Wikipedia page than reading this book.
Cindy seems very sweet and that's the problem. She tells cutesy stories in the style of a middle school girl not trying to hurt anyone's feelings. The rare times that anything halfway interesting happens she doesn't name famous people so as not to embarrass them! She even admits in the book that she leaves out much of the good stuff--she ends the second chapter with, "I could tell many fantastic tales...and maybe one day I will." Huh??? That's what this book is supposed to be for, why would she withhold great stories???
If you're looking for great behind-the-scenes dirt on Laverne & Shirley you won't find it here. She alludes to the co-stars' infamous differences of opinion in one throw-away sentence, that's it. She deals with her shocking firing from the show with three paragraphs that paint her as a wide-eyed innocent who has no idea why she was let go when she got pregnant. Sure. There are plenty of other stories going around Hollywood that paint a very different picture of what happened, but innocent Cindy doesn't want to accept any responsibility for any type of diva behavior or for playing a power struggle game with the brother/sister producer/star team.
She uses a few pages to tell about people she merely shook hands with or saw from a distance (Cary Grant, Bob Dylan, Cher) but she says nothing detailed about her relationships with Ed Begley Jr., Harrison Ford, George Lucas, Ron Howard, etc. There are so many famous names she worked with that it appears she intentionally avoided saying much about them to make sure she didn't offend them--and they rewarded her with endorsements on the back of the book. There's also nothing about many of the other TV shows she worked on, the Laverne & Shirley cartoon or reunions, or even her kids.
It's hard to believe this book even got published. The title is false advertising because there's nothing funny about it. And she works hard to skirt anything close to controversial. In an era where major tell-alls are the norm, this is a big flop. Don't waste your time.
Cindy seems very sweet and that's the problem. She tells cutesy stories in the style of a middle school girl not trying to hurt anyone's feelings. The rare times that anything halfway interesting happens she doesn't name famous people so as not to embarrass them! She even admits in the book that she leaves out much of the good stuff--she ends the second chapter with, "I could tell many fantastic tales...and maybe one day I will." Huh??? That's what this book is supposed to be for, why would she withhold great stories???
If you're looking for great behind-the-scenes dirt on Laverne & Shirley you won't find it here. She alludes to the co-stars' infamous differences of opinion in one throw-away sentence, that's it. She deals with her shocking firing from the show with three paragraphs that paint her as a wide-eyed innocent who has no idea why she was let go when she got pregnant. Sure. There are plenty of other stories going around Hollywood that paint a very different picture of what happened, but innocent Cindy doesn't want to accept any responsibility for any type of diva behavior or for playing a power struggle game with the brother/sister producer/star team.
She uses a few pages to tell about people she merely shook hands with or saw from a distance (Cary Grant, Bob Dylan, Cher) but she says nothing detailed about her relationships with Ed Begley Jr., Harrison Ford, George Lucas, Ron Howard, etc. There are so many famous names she worked with that it appears she intentionally avoided saying much about them to make sure she didn't offend them--and they rewarded her with endorsements on the back of the book. There's also nothing about many of the other TV shows she worked on, the Laverne & Shirley cartoon or reunions, or even her kids.
It's hard to believe this book even got published. The title is false advertising because there's nothing funny about it. And she works hard to skirt anything close to controversial. In an era where major tell-alls are the norm, this is a big flop. Don't waste your time.
April 9, 2015
I remember watching Laverne & Shirley on TV with my family in our small living room. At the start of each episode my whole family would leap up and chant "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated," then sing the theme song "Making Our Dreams Come True," with gusto. My younger sister and I would pretend to be characters in the sitcom when we would play in our pretend kitchen. We would take turns being Laverne so we could wear an L on our shirt or be Shirley so we could kiss our make-believe boyfriend, Carmine.
Did you know that Cindy Williams briefly thought about having a career in nursing? Her mother wanted Cindy to pursue being a secretary but in the end Cindy enrolled at the Los Angeles City College for Theatre Arts. Thankfully, she pursued acting; otherwise we would have missed her roles in the movies 'The Conversation', and 'American Graffiti.' Did you know that Cindy Williams was thinking of leaving acting at the time the role of Shirley Feeney in my absolute favorite TV series, 'Laverne & Shirley' was being offered?
Cindy Williams writes about her life as a child with an alcoholic father, and what lead her to become an actor, her early jobs as a waitress, funny anecdotes of auditions and filming that will make you laugh out loud and search the internet for these movies so you can watch the scenes yourself. She shares interactions with fellow actors on the set and off but doesn't highlight any negative stories against fellow actors or directors. In fact, she shares one story about attending a Vanity Fair Oscar party with waiters passing around a tray of cookies with the images of magazine covers featuring one her favorite actors. She wanted this boyishly handsome actor to sign the cookie for her but his famous girlfriend with alabaster skin and hair to be envied wanted the cookie instead. Cindy Williams did not reveal their names.
I loved learning some new details about Laverne & Shirley but really wished she would have delved into the 8 seasons of the show more. The book didn't offer much detail into the squabbles she had with Penny Marshall while filming Laverne & Shirley or why she was released from her contract during the 8th season except to say it was all a mystery to her.
'Shirley I Jest' is a light hearted skip down memory lane without the dirt; only the laughs.
I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
Did you know that Cindy Williams briefly thought about having a career in nursing? Her mother wanted Cindy to pursue being a secretary but in the end Cindy enrolled at the Los Angeles City College for Theatre Arts. Thankfully, she pursued acting; otherwise we would have missed her roles in the movies 'The Conversation', and 'American Graffiti.' Did you know that Cindy Williams was thinking of leaving acting at the time the role of Shirley Feeney in my absolute favorite TV series, 'Laverne & Shirley' was being offered?
Cindy Williams writes about her life as a child with an alcoholic father, and what lead her to become an actor, her early jobs as a waitress, funny anecdotes of auditions and filming that will make you laugh out loud and search the internet for these movies so you can watch the scenes yourself. She shares interactions with fellow actors on the set and off but doesn't highlight any negative stories against fellow actors or directors. In fact, she shares one story about attending a Vanity Fair Oscar party with waiters passing around a tray of cookies with the images of magazine covers featuring one her favorite actors. She wanted this boyishly handsome actor to sign the cookie for her but his famous girlfriend with alabaster skin and hair to be envied wanted the cookie instead. Cindy Williams did not reveal their names.
I loved learning some new details about Laverne & Shirley but really wished she would have delved into the 8 seasons of the show more. The book didn't offer much detail into the squabbles she had with Penny Marshall while filming Laverne & Shirley or why she was released from her contract during the 8th season except to say it was all a mystery to her.
'Shirley I Jest' is a light hearted skip down memory lane without the dirt; only the laughs.
I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2019
Love this book!
January 2, 2015
I was born during the run of Happy Days and its spinoff Laverne and Shirley. I remember, as a young child, watching the reruns of these popular shows and while Happy Days was a fun show, I adored the depiction of the two working – class women in Laverne and Shirley—even in their animated tv show! I loved my coloring book featuring the two. I jumped at the chance to read Shirley I Jest: A Storied Life when I saw it on Netgalley.
Cindy Williams relates her early life honestly, featuring a few things that would have brought down weaker people. I was very impressed by her story, and while I was unaware of her early (possible) struggles, it only makes me respect her more. Her long and diverse career in hollywood is still going strong, thanks to a recent appearance on a disney tv show. Despite so many stories about ill will between her and her costar, Penny Marshall, Williams does not mention the issues, ever the classy lady.
This book reads much like a conversation with Williams, possibly over coffee—a very long and storied conversation. And the forward by her friend, Ed Begley, Jr was thoughtful and really lovely. It is clear, by reading Shirley I Jest: A Storied Life, Cindy Williams has had a great life, made possible by her acting.
Cindy does describe a picture taken for Paramount’s 75th Anniversary where she is standing between Ted Danson and Matthew Broderick—however, when I found the described photo, Cindy appears to be in the upper right hand corner of the picture. 75th Paramount Anniversary picture on askmanny’s Flickr page (okay to share, per creative commons).
Overall, I enjoyed reading Shirley I Jest: A Storied Life. I enjoyed the stories at the end about specific celebrity meetings, as well as the portions of the book talking about her friendship (and foray into comedy) with Andy Kaufman.
I think a great compliment to this book would be Penny Marshall’s My Mother was Nuts.
This was my first read of 2015, and while it is not yet out, the publisher, Rowman and Littlefield, allowed me to read it early in exchange for my honest review. It is available, from your favorite retailer on May 5, 2015.
Cindy Williams relates her early life honestly, featuring a few things that would have brought down weaker people. I was very impressed by her story, and while I was unaware of her early (possible) struggles, it only makes me respect her more. Her long and diverse career in hollywood is still going strong, thanks to a recent appearance on a disney tv show. Despite so many stories about ill will between her and her costar, Penny Marshall, Williams does not mention the issues, ever the classy lady.
This book reads much like a conversation with Williams, possibly over coffee—a very long and storied conversation. And the forward by her friend, Ed Begley, Jr was thoughtful and really lovely. It is clear, by reading Shirley I Jest: A Storied Life, Cindy Williams has had a great life, made possible by her acting.
Cindy does describe a picture taken for Paramount’s 75th Anniversary where she is standing between Ted Danson and Matthew Broderick—however, when I found the described photo, Cindy appears to be in the upper right hand corner of the picture. 75th Paramount Anniversary picture on askmanny’s Flickr page (okay to share, per creative commons).
Overall, I enjoyed reading Shirley I Jest: A Storied Life. I enjoyed the stories at the end about specific celebrity meetings, as well as the portions of the book talking about her friendship (and foray into comedy) with Andy Kaufman.
I think a great compliment to this book would be Penny Marshall’s My Mother was Nuts.
This was my first read of 2015, and while it is not yet out, the publisher, Rowman and Littlefield, allowed me to read it early in exchange for my honest review. It is available, from your favorite retailer on May 5, 2015.
April 5, 2019
So, I’ll start by saying I did enjoy this to an extent. As I said when reviewing Penny Marshall’s book, I love reading about people’s childhoods and upbringings so I liked reading about where she came from, although I didn’t get a real sense of any of her family members as three dimensional people. Her mom seemed like a nice lady, and her dad seemed like he could have been a very complex character but wasn’t explored.
I enjoyed the stories of the things she and Penny got into behind the scenes of Laverne & Shirley (like totally redoing the set to make it more blue-collar) and their first job together writing for the sketch show. The story she told about the two of them meeting Cher made me happy because they were friends at one time, off the set, and as a fan of any TV show you want to believe a cast is close, that the friends you see on TV are friends in real life.
One thing I really wanted to see more of was her departure from L&S. It was about 5-6 paragraphs long. Dude, I needed the other side of the story. Though, in the end if it really was her husband that had a lot of demands and things (as was Penny’s version) I could see not wanting to write about that or badmouth him since he is the father of her children. But speaking of them, I also would have liked to have heard more about her journey into motherhood. She seems to really love her kids, some cute family stories would have been nice.
In general I just feel like there was a lot held back and we were taught in memoir that if you’re gonna go for something you have to commit. So while this wasn’t a bad book, it felt a bit restrained. Some things felt glossed over and tamped down as not to make any waves. I do get that. It’s why I wasn’t good at memoir. Anxious people don’t like to make waves, but from a readers perspective it left me wanting more but in an unsatisfied way. I’m not sorry I read it though. Quick read, and fun to hear some stories from L&S that I hadn’t heard before.
I enjoyed the stories of the things she and Penny got into behind the scenes of Laverne & Shirley (like totally redoing the set to make it more blue-collar) and their first job together writing for the sketch show. The story she told about the two of them meeting Cher made me happy because they were friends at one time, off the set, and as a fan of any TV show you want to believe a cast is close, that the friends you see on TV are friends in real life.
One thing I really wanted to see more of was her departure from L&S. It was about 5-6 paragraphs long. Dude, I needed the other side of the story. Though, in the end if it really was her husband that had a lot of demands and things (as was Penny’s version) I could see not wanting to write about that or badmouth him since he is the father of her children. But speaking of them, I also would have liked to have heard more about her journey into motherhood. She seems to really love her kids, some cute family stories would have been nice.
In general I just feel like there was a lot held back and we were taught in memoir that if you’re gonna go for something you have to commit. So while this wasn’t a bad book, it felt a bit restrained. Some things felt glossed over and tamped down as not to make any waves. I do get that. It’s why I wasn’t good at memoir. Anxious people don’t like to make waves, but from a readers perspective it left me wanting more but in an unsatisfied way. I’m not sorry I read it though. Quick read, and fun to hear some stories from L&S that I hadn’t heard before.
June 10, 2015
I have never been a huge fan of Laverne and Shirley but I have always enjoyed Cindy Williams, which is why this book look so inviting to me.
Having said that, I can honestly say that I enjoyed this book.. Did I love it? No and the reason for this is that I found this book incredibly vanilla.
I am not sure if this a trend these days as I have read a few others in this "genre" for which I have the exact same comment.
This book was fun to read because Williams has some funny anecdotes about some of the biggest tv celebrities., including Andy Kaufman. She has a fun way of writing that makes you feel as though you are actually living the whole event right with her and....she is funny. However, my beef with this book is that she just does not go into enough details about most of the things in her life. For example, she talks about Laverne and Shirley and then, poof in less than two sentences, she tells us "by now I have married...: Really? Two paragraphs ago you were telling us about Laverne and Shirley and now you are married? Not one mention of her even having a boyfriend up until this point and never again after that.
It felt as though she skipped over some huge points - mainly in her personal life and that is simply not acceptable if you are writing a memoir. If all you wanted to talk about was your career then that book should have been written and NOT called a memoir.
Additionally, after I read the entire book, I had absolutely no idea how Cindy felt about Laverne and Shirley, Penny Marshall or almost everybody else she mentioned - except Ed Begley Jr. She does not write, at any point in time, about ANY of her feelings and emotions. She is never mad, sad or thrilled.
I didn't hate this book, but wow, was it lacking as a "memoir:.
Having said that, I can honestly say that I enjoyed this book.. Did I love it? No and the reason for this is that I found this book incredibly vanilla.
I am not sure if this a trend these days as I have read a few others in this "genre" for which I have the exact same comment.
This book was fun to read because Williams has some funny anecdotes about some of the biggest tv celebrities., including Andy Kaufman. She has a fun way of writing that makes you feel as though you are actually living the whole event right with her and....she is funny. However, my beef with this book is that she just does not go into enough details about most of the things in her life. For example, she talks about Laverne and Shirley and then, poof in less than two sentences, she tells us "by now I have married...: Really? Two paragraphs ago you were telling us about Laverne and Shirley and now you are married? Not one mention of her even having a boyfriend up until this point and never again after that.
It felt as though she skipped over some huge points - mainly in her personal life and that is simply not acceptable if you are writing a memoir. If all you wanted to talk about was your career then that book should have been written and NOT called a memoir.
Additionally, after I read the entire book, I had absolutely no idea how Cindy felt about Laverne and Shirley, Penny Marshall or almost everybody else she mentioned - except Ed Begley Jr. She does not write, at any point in time, about ANY of her feelings and emotions. She is never mad, sad or thrilled.
I didn't hate this book, but wow, was it lacking as a "memoir:.
January 11, 2015
While never particularly enamored with "Happy Days", to this day I can quote entire passages of dialogue from the hilarious, charming, and wholly re-watchable "Laverne & Shirley" - and to this day as well, wish I still had my own Boo Boo Kitty! Shirley was always my favorite, so when I saw Cindy Williams had a memoir coming out, I was anxious to find out more about her ... and while 'Shirley, I Jest!' is far from a biography (it's really more anecdotal notes and stories that Williams recalls from her life and work, more or less in chronological order), you can still feel a bit of Shirley Feeney on every page as Williams humbly discusses growing up with an alcoholic father, her first obsessions with TV and acting, and how - after achieving success with films like 'American Graffiti' and 'The Conversation', a downturn in her career (along with a seemingly unreliable Penny Marshall) nearly caused her to turn down the role of Shirley Feeney. While this reader would have liked more of a biography - Williams touches on her grandma's death, her hippie days, and marriage to Bill Hudson with zero detail, for example - when I settled into the idea that this brief (200 pages) memoir was more like sitting with Cindy as she tells you tales from her life, the book was a treat and Williams comes off both grateful and even almost surprised by what she's achieved. Boo Boo Kitty would be proud. ***1/2
Note: I received a free ARC of this book via netgalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book via netgalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2023
This book is a very quick and fun one to read. Cindy Williams is probably best known for her role in "Laverne and Shirley" It was one of my favorite tv shows when it aired in the 1970s and early 1980s. At the time it was a very popular TV series. Cindy Williams shares snippets from her life. the book is only a Little over 160 pages.She shares about her childhood growing up in Texas then California.
I liked reading about her acting roles in Room 222, the movie American Graffiti,{ it was interesting to read that this movie was done on a budget of less than 1million dollars} I was a big fan of that movie that launched the careers of many stars. She offers a few fun facts about that movie. Of course she writes about Laverne and Shirley. Cindy Williams keeps her book "nice" no mud-slinging in her book. If she brings up unpleasant times she keeps it brief with no finger pointing. I liked this book. Nice to read a book from an actress I admired a lot back in the 1970s. Nice book to read. If you are a fan of Laverne and Shirley, or American Graffiti. You may enjoy this book. My only complaint is I would like to know more about what happened after Laverne and Shirley. Otherwise an enjoyable book to read. UPDATE; I re-read this book. I wanted to because Cindy Williams died this year and wanted to read again in memory of her. a nice read and glad to read again.
I liked reading about her acting roles in Room 222, the movie American Graffiti,{ it was interesting to read that this movie was done on a budget of less than 1million dollars} I was a big fan of that movie that launched the careers of many stars. She offers a few fun facts about that movie. Of course she writes about Laverne and Shirley. Cindy Williams keeps her book "nice" no mud-slinging in her book. If she brings up unpleasant times she keeps it brief with no finger pointing. I liked this book. Nice to read a book from an actress I admired a lot back in the 1970s. Nice book to read. If you are a fan of Laverne and Shirley, or American Graffiti. You may enjoy this book. My only complaint is I would like to know more about what happened after Laverne and Shirley. Otherwise an enjoyable book to read. UPDATE; I re-read this book. I wanted to because Cindy Williams died this year and wanted to read again in memory of her. a nice read and glad to read again.
May 12, 2015
I'm not a big fan of Cindy Williams but I don't dislike her. I like reading bios/autobios, though, and came across hers which has recently been published.
This is Williams' life starting from when she was a child to about the time she left Laverne & Shirley. She writes about her experiences on the movies and TV shows she has been on and the people she has met.
It's fairly high level overview. She doesn't bring it to a very personal level except in the beginning where we learn her father had a drinking problem. Her marriage to Bill Hudson and the birth of her daughter are mentioned in a paragraph (you'd never know they have since divorced). She focuses on her acting career and the interactions with celebrities she has had over the years ... like meeting Suzanne Somers for the first time (during the filming of American Graffiti), being a guest on the Johnny Carson show, sharing Thanksgiving dinner with John Belushi, her friendship with the strange Andy Kaufman, getting VIP passes to a Bruce Springsteen concert, etc.
I liked the writing style. It was a quick and easy read. As I said, I'm not a huge fan so I found that the amount of detail was just enough.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2015/05...
This is Williams' life starting from when she was a child to about the time she left Laverne & Shirley. She writes about her experiences on the movies and TV shows she has been on and the people she has met.
It's fairly high level overview. She doesn't bring it to a very personal level except in the beginning where we learn her father had a drinking problem. Her marriage to Bill Hudson and the birth of her daughter are mentioned in a paragraph (you'd never know they have since divorced). She focuses on her acting career and the interactions with celebrities she has had over the years ... like meeting Suzanne Somers for the first time (during the filming of American Graffiti), being a guest on the Johnny Carson show, sharing Thanksgiving dinner with John Belushi, her friendship with the strange Andy Kaufman, getting VIP passes to a Bruce Springsteen concert, etc.
I liked the writing style. It was a quick and easy read. As I said, I'm not a huge fan so I found that the amount of detail was just enough.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2015/05...
September 16, 2015
The majority of this book deals with Cindy's rise to fame and her Hollywood career. Very little here on her childhood and personal life.
That didn't spoil this wonderful read. I loved hearing all the "back stage" gossip in the shooting of the film, American Graffiti, a classic gem of a movie. It was such fun learning how Cindy received a role in the TV sitcom, Happy Days and how this role led to the creation of the TV sitcom, Laverne and Shirley. However, through it all, Cindy remains unaffected by all her fame. She remains just "the girl next door."
In 2008, I had the privilege to see Cindy and Eddie Mekka (Carmine) perform in the play, "It Had To Be You." Their comedic timing was unlike anything I have ever seen on stage. I laughed until my belly hurt. After the production, I met both of them and was able to not only tell them what a fine job they did in the play but also to tell them how much I loved their work in "Laverne and Shirley," one of my all time favorite sitcoms. They were friendly and so down to earth just as I suspected they would be.
When you read the book you hear Cindy's voice telling her story. I rated this book with three stars because it is a fun and easy read. No criticism of your work here, Cindy. I love that you wrote this in the first place!
That didn't spoil this wonderful read. I loved hearing all the "back stage" gossip in the shooting of the film, American Graffiti, a classic gem of a movie. It was such fun learning how Cindy received a role in the TV sitcom, Happy Days and how this role led to the creation of the TV sitcom, Laverne and Shirley. However, through it all, Cindy remains unaffected by all her fame. She remains just "the girl next door."
In 2008, I had the privilege to see Cindy and Eddie Mekka (Carmine) perform in the play, "It Had To Be You." Their comedic timing was unlike anything I have ever seen on stage. I laughed until my belly hurt. After the production, I met both of them and was able to not only tell them what a fine job they did in the play but also to tell them how much I loved their work in "Laverne and Shirley," one of my all time favorite sitcoms. They were friendly and so down to earth just as I suspected they would be.
When you read the book you hear Cindy's voice telling her story. I rated this book with three stars because it is a fun and easy read. No criticism of your work here, Cindy. I love that you wrote this in the first place!
February 23, 2016
super-light, anecdotal recitation of some of her experiences growing up and then acting in films and TV [she knew Sally Field in high school; she talked to Kevin Costner at an event where he was stressing about whether any of the fans would know who he was; she dueted with Gene Kelly, and so on........].
not a fan of Laverne & Shirley, so the rehash of how episodes were shot and what not might mean more to others, but I did like American Graffiti and found her tales of what it was like to go from complete unknown to being part of the ensemble in a Best Picture-nominated hit interesting.
I guess I get that she's a nice person and doesn't want to trash other celebrities, but for a memoir it was also lacking in really any personal stuff from her adulthood. She'll get fired from hit series and be over it in a paragraph; suddenly has two kids and a husband with no info except for their role in one quick recollection, etc. etc.
In summary -- if you want to know what a somewhat well-known actor's life was like, find a different book. If you think might enjoy seeing Cindy Williams as a guest on The View or in the old days Merv Griffin or some other low-key happy interview show, then this will be a good, amusing read for you.
not a fan of Laverne & Shirley, so the rehash of how episodes were shot and what not might mean more to others, but I did like American Graffiti and found her tales of what it was like to go from complete unknown to being part of the ensemble in a Best Picture-nominated hit interesting.
I guess I get that she's a nice person and doesn't want to trash other celebrities, but for a memoir it was also lacking in really any personal stuff from her adulthood. She'll get fired from hit series and be over it in a paragraph; suddenly has two kids and a husband with no info except for their role in one quick recollection, etc. etc.
In summary -- if you want to know what a somewhat well-known actor's life was like, find a different book. If you think might enjoy seeing Cindy Williams as a guest on The View or in the old days Merv Griffin or some other low-key happy interview show, then this will be a good, amusing read for you.
April 12, 2015
Shirley, I Jest is basically a who's who of famous people from the last few years. While a large chunk of the book is devoted to Cindy Williams' time on Laverne & Shirley, there are also some stories from American Graffiti and The Conversation, plus information on her brief encounters with Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison and Cary Grant (!!!!!!!). Like some other celebrity books I've read recently, this also doesn't really get into salacious gossip. It's more like examples of famous people I like being decent people. (This makes me really happy; I don't want to live in a world where celebs I like turn out to be horrible.)
This book is also an incredibly fast read---partially because it's about 200 pages, including pictures, but mostly because it reads like Cindy Williams is just talking to the reader, sharing stories and conversations.
This is easily my favorite celebrity memoir. It's incredibly short (unfortunately) but thorough, and I hope there will be another volume at some point.
Highly recommended.
This book is also an incredibly fast read---partially because it's about 200 pages, including pictures, but mostly because it reads like Cindy Williams is just talking to the reader, sharing stories and conversations.
This is easily my favorite celebrity memoir. It's incredibly short (unfortunately) but thorough, and I hope there will be another volume at some point.
Highly recommended.
May 3, 2015
I grew up watching Cindy Williams on "Laverne & Shirley" and always found her adorable. She's been in some classic films from the 70s (American Graffiti, The Conversation) that mean a lot to me as a cinephile. It also helps that she always reminded me of my mother in the best possible way.
I've read many celebrity bios (including her co-star Penny Marshall's), and this one was a little thin. It's well under 200 pages, and she omits some key entries in her filmography. (There's not a single reference to my favorite film of hers, "UFOria.") It ends rather abruptly and it's also short on dish.
That said, this was a sweet, fast read and I really enjoyed it. The beginning chapters are quite rich in which she details growing up with an alcoholic father, and the Andy Kauffman stuff is particularly fun.
I've read many celebrity bios (including her co-star Penny Marshall's), and this one was a little thin. It's well under 200 pages, and she omits some key entries in her filmography. (There's not a single reference to my favorite film of hers, "UFOria.") It ends rather abruptly and it's also short on dish.
That said, this was a sweet, fast read and I really enjoyed it. The beginning chapters are quite rich in which she details growing up with an alcoholic father, and the Andy Kauffman stuff is particularly fun.
June 16, 2015
For a memoir, this one fell flat. Cindy Williams became popular with audiences with her roles in “American Graffiti” and “Laverne & Shirley” and although she tells what it was like working with George Lucas and the cast on American Graffiti, she gave not as much attention to her role in Laverne & Shirley. And there is little if any of her personal life; what’s up with that? It seems that all celebrity memoirs these days mention the other celebrities they worked with and admired and Cindy Williams is no different, but she didn’t tell us much. I don’t need dirt but how about more of why they inspired her or what it was like being and working with them. Okay, she did do a bit on Andy Kaufman, which I learned more about the man he was. It was okay, but I enjoyed Penny Marshall’s memoir much more!
January 20, 2022
Cindy Williams's bio leaves a reader with more questions than it answers. I recently read Penny Marshall's autobiography, and she goes into some detail about her life, relationships, and the Laverne & Shirley show. According to Marshall, Williams stormed off the set in the 8th season, in cahoots with her then manager, and left the show completely screwed. In Williams'a version, she doesn't really know what happened to her part on the show. One day, she says, they just didn't want her. Right. And Williams marries Bill Hudson and has a couple of kids. That's all dealt with in about a paragraph. I don't know why Williams wrote a biography when she had nothing to say.
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