William Daniels and Wife Bonnie Bartlett Reveal They’re ‘So Active’ in Their Late 90s

In this age of social media, text messaging and email, long-married actors and St. Elsewhere alums William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett like to do some things the old-fashioned way. “I handle all the fan mail,” Bonnie tells Closer exclusively, who admits she doesn’t mind doing the work, “but Bill has to sign” his own autographs.

Married in 1951, Bonnie, 95, and Bill, 97, take great pride in their life together. “We’re so active at our age,” says Bonnie, who goes on walks and does Pilates exercises in her pool to stay fit. “We have a stationary bike,” adds Bill. “I get on the bike a lot.” The couple also work with a trainer twice a week.

Likewise, Bonnie and Bill keep their minds active with work, reading and keeping up with current events. The pair are so passionate about the upcoming presidential election they have created a public service message urging everyone to vote on November 5. “We have never done anything like this before, but we had to because it’s so serious,” Bill says. Bonnie agrees wholeheartedly. “It’s not about politics, it’s about saving our country,” she says. “It’s the most serious vote of our lifetime.”

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Bonnie and Bill met as drama students at Northwest University and raised two sons together. After 73 years of marriage, they insist there is no trick to wedded bliss. “Every marriage is different,” reasons Bonnie, although she believes that nurturing separate interests is key. “Whatever the creative thing is that you like to do — gardening, sewing, knitting — it’s important to have your own passion.” She also believes in a fair division of domestic labor. “No one should have to do all the cooking and cleaning,” she says.

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She admits her work as an actress “is as important to me as anything in my life.” Bill has always supported this. “When I’m working, Bill’s happy. And when he’s working, I’m happy,” she says. “We always adjusted our life so the other person could work. If we had planned a vacation and the other person was working, we’d cancel it.”

That dedication helped propel them to the top of their profession. Bill is an Emmy winner for St. Elsewhere and remains beloved as Boy Meets World’s Mr. Feeny and the voice of K.I.T.T. on Knight Rider. In addition to Bonnie’s role on St. Elsewhere, which also won her an Emmy, fans often recognize her as a snotty author on The Golden Girls.

They also raised two sons, Michael and Robert. “The biggest surprise of my life is that I enjoyed being a mother,” admits Bonnie. “I had no idea of the plea sure and joy it would give me to take care of kids.” Today, the couple have four grandchildren.

Of course, there have been bumps in the road. In her 2023 memoir, Middle of the Rainbow, Bonnie talked about infidelities early in their marriage. The couple also faced a crossroads when Bill landed a job in L.A. but Bonnie wanted to remain in New York. “I got her to come out here on the proposition that it would just be for the summer,” Bill recalls.

She stayed and has never regretted it. “We love to be in our home in Studio City,” says Bonnie, who after all this time still enjoys her husband’s company most of all. “He makes me laugh all the time,” she says. “It’s a blessing to have someone who makes you laugh.”