Monday 11 May 2015

Book ~ "Shirley, I Jest!: A Storied Life"(2015) Cindy Williams and Dave Smitherman

From Goodreads ~ Cindy Williams, half of the comedic duo of Laverne & Shirley, has had a wild and lively career in show business. This book is an engaging and heartfelt journey from Williams’s blue collar roots to unexpected stardom - from being pranked by Jim Morrison while waiting tables at Whisky a Go Go to starring in one of the most iconic shows on television. 

With wit and candor, Cindy tells stories of her struggles as a child growing up with meager means and dreaming of becoming an actress. She also shares many misadventures and amusing anecdotes about some of the most famous actors in Hollywood. Never taking herself too seriously, Cindy finds humor and irony in the challenging world of show business.

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.

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