Actor Feeny and his Hollywood romance bring hope through 2021

Today, not many people in Hollywood can say that not only have they repeatedly starred on TV with their spouse in real life, but they also continue to have happy marriages long after the cameras have stopped. turn. After almost 70 years of marriage, William Bill Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett are actually those people. Known for their Emmy Award winning roles as Dr Mark and Ellen Craig on St. Elsewhere and like Boy meets the worlds beloved George Feeny and Lila Bolander-turned-Feeny, these two have brought work home with them for decades and decades.

Bill never liked any kind of love scene and if you look at his career, he didn’t have that kind of career. If it was with me it was fine, Bartlett, 91, tells Forbes that her husband comforts acting in intimate scenes, then continues with a laugh. I, of course, as a woman, we love love scenes. Anybody!

Bartlett and Daniels originally met while they were both studying at Northwestern University. Daniels, now 93, remembers their first meeting like it was yesterday. He says they met in a classroom where a teacher was playing a play and as he remembers watching terrible auditions from other students in the class before hearing someone at the back of the class who, according to him, looked like an actress. He remembers turning around and seeing this pretty blonde.

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I waited for her at the classroom door until she passed, Daniels says. And I said, How about a cup of coffee? And she said, You are too short. I said, Come on, have a cup of coffee. She said, OKAY. Turns out she heard I was on Broadway. She had followed me around campus, I didn’t even know it. Bartlett immediately responds to Daniels sharing this part of the story, that’s right, I didn’t mean to [be] a stalker. I didn’t want to interfere with his life, and I never thought for a minute to take an interest in me. So when I said, You are too short, I thought Oh no, were wrong. You do not want me.

After their marriage in 1951, Daniels would continue to star in popular films such as The graduate, 1776 and The Blue Lagoon. Beyond her popular run alongside Bartlett on St. Elsewhere and her memorable voice works as KITT on Knight rider throughout the 1980s, Daniels’ role as Mr. Feeny on Boy meets the world from 1993 to 2000 remains without doubt his most emblematic role of his acting career. A character known for his unparalleled sharing of wisdom and advice to his teenage students, Daniels’ popularity and the audience’s very vocal appreciation for his nurturing screen presence has not waned since the show ended he over 20 years ago.

Noticing the genuine fan love Daniels continues to receive, he and Bartlett (often with technical support from their son) recently joined. Cameo, the app where notable personalities from multiple entertainment industries allow fans to purchase a personalized video for themselves or someone as a gift. Daniels also participates in occasional video chats with fans, which allows one person to see and speak with Daniels virtually for a few minutes. Bartlett says many female fans who converse with Daniels often cry when talking to him, overwhelmed by their appreciation for his character of Mr. Feeny and cherishing the opportunity to interact with him live. He doesn’t understand why people love him so much. He really doesn’t get it, says Bartlett of Daniels making these fan videos and seeing the outpouring of affection towards him. He does and he is grateful for it. He likes people to care, but it’s hard to understand. He’s just an actor.

Daniels, however, joins fans in understanding the magnitude of the final class scene Boy meets the world, like the young characters who grew up in front of Mr. Feeny bravely walks as young adults in the world. Affectionately remembering that unforgettable scene, Daniels said, it was very emotional for me and it was our last show. They all left and I was there at the office with an empty classroom and got to say what I couldn’t tell them personally that I love them all. They gave me this line to do and I was very happy that it turned out so well.

Bartlett and Daniels’ life today is fairly ordinary, yet fully aware of the continuing pandemic. Daniels has The New York Times, that he calls my Bible, puts it at his door every day and says he reads it carefully enough and has been doing it since he was a little boy. Most of the time we stay at home. We are told to stay put and avoid crowds, which we do, Daniels continues. We make these cameos quite regularly and it keeps us busy. So far we have been doing well.

If anyone needs anything to look forward to in 2021, it’s the celebration of 70 years of marriage for these two amazing actors, but more so, these humble and inspiring human beings. When asked what Bartlett and Daniels love each other most after all this time together, Bartlett said of Daniels, He makes me laugh. Her sense of humor and her daily ability to find something funny is really good for me because I’m really intense. That and be a great father. He’s a great father. When it was Daniels’ turn to answer about Bartlett, he said, I think our relationship is based on mutual respect and I think she’s smarter than me, better actress than me, so I think about it. hang on and try to hear me. Bartlett cuts it off quickly and says with a laugh, he doesn’t mean that at all. Daniels responds with a smile on his face, I’m an actor. I invent it as I go along.