'Boy Meets World' Cast Reunites for Mr. Feeny Actor William Daniels' 96th Birthday
Members of the Boy Meets World cast reunited with William Daniels to celebrate the legendary actor's 96th birthday on Friday. Daniels starred as the beloved teacher Mr. Feeny on all seven seasons of the ABC sitcom. Bonnie Bartlett Daniels, his wife of 72 years, also appeared on Boy Meets World as Mr. Feeny's love interest, college dean Lila Bolander.
Will Friedle, Danielle Fishel, and Rider Strong stopped by to celebrate Daniels' birthday before they appeared at last weekend's Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo 2023. They shared photos of the reunion with PEOPLE. Daniels also shared a photo of himself and Bartlett Daniels, 93, on his Twitter page. "Time flies! Spend it with the ones you love," he wrote.
When Friedle, Fishel, and Strong started their Pod Meets World podcast last year, Friedle told PEOPLE that Daniels still sends them advice. "Ninety-five years old and he still shoots out the pearls of wisdom. His wife, Bonnie, as well. Talking to them is still magical," he said. "If you're willing to listen, Bill is dropping gems left and right," Fishel chimed in.
Daniels was a Hollywood legend even before he stepped on the Boy Meets World set, so the young cast soaked in whatever advice he offered. "When we were kids, goofing off and having a good time, he was very much a Feeny-like presence," Strong said last year. "Even when the cameras weren't there. In terms of knowing his lines, being a complete professional, being on time. Those were things that we needed to see, and had to learn to emulate in order to be professionals in the industry."
Daniels and Bartlett Daniels met while attending Northeastern University and have been married since 1951. Barlett recently shared their story in her memoir, Middle of the Rainbow, published in January. Their relationship wasn't perfect, as Bartlett Daniels told PEOPLE they faced mutual infidelity. She surprisingly credited Hollywood with saving their marriage.
"The marriage could have broken apart at any time those first 10 years, if one of us had, say, fallen in love with somebody, but we never did," the St. Elsewhere star explained. "That was never part of it. Both of us really wanted to be together. The love has never stopped."
Bartlett Daniels later said the two are "very happy" today, as Daniels has limited his acting gigs to cameos. He appeared in five episodes of the Boy Meets World spinoff Girl Meets World and voiced Knight Rider's KITT again in Superintelligence. He plans to attend '90s Con in Tampa in September to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Boy Meets World.