Why did Shirley leave Laverne and Shirley?

Shirley Feeney (played by Cindy Williams) departed Laverne and Shirley in the middle of the eighth season in 1982. The decision to leave the show was made by Williams, who was dealing with stress due to the grueling production schedule. As the show's format changed from a 30-minute sitcom to a one-hour show, Williams found the workload to be too demanding and was not able to adjust to the changes.

In addition to this, Williams had become pregnant with her first child and wanted to take some time off to be with her family. She also wanted to pursue other projects, as she had become frustrated with the lack of new material being written for her character. Williams had already been feeling undervalued and unappreciated in the show's ensemble, and the lack of creative opportunities further pushed her away from the show.

Ultimately, Williams left Laverne and Shirley in 1982 and was replaced by Betty Garrett. Her absence was explained in a two-part episode, where Shirley moves to the fictional town of Cape Flatter, California to pursue her dream of owning a dance studio. Though Williams never returned to the show, she and her former co-star Penny Marshall remained friends for the rest of their lives.