Laverne and Shirley (1976 – 1983): Williams vs. Marshall
Laverne and Shirley was a popular spinoff of Happy Days. It followed the hijinks of Laverne DeFazio, played by Penny Marshall, and Shirley Feeney, depicted by Cindy Williams, two women looking for love and trying to make a living in Milwaukee and their strange social circle. While Williams and Marshall had great onscreen chemistry, they admit to conflicting with each other and with writers. In his memoire, producer Garry Marshall says of the duo, “On a daily basis, there was infighting, yelling, cursing, and so much more.” Showrunners escalated the conflicts when they scheduled Williams to work on the day she was expected to delivery her baby. But the conflicts between the show’s stars didn’t last forever. Despite the bickering, they respected the other, and their differences didn’t stop them from forming a friendship that lasted the rest of their lives.