[
March 31, 2026, 9:03 a.m. ET
It’s been nearly a century of Mr. Feeny.
William Daniels, an actor best known for playing the wise and omnipresent schoolteacher on “Boy Meets World,” marked his 99th birthday on Tuesday, March 31. In a post to X Monday, March 30, Williams wrote: “Hard to believe I’m turning 99 tomorrow! I’m so grateful that staying connected with my fans has been so fulfilling in my later years.”
“Thank you for keeping me young,” he told fans in a video posted alongside the caption, adding that over the years he’s enjoyed connecting in person at events and on Cameo, a website that allows fans to pay for personal recorded messages from their favorite celebrities.
“Class dismissed,” he joked at the end of the video, a clear reference to Mr. Feeny, who became a central character not only on “Boy Meets World,” which ran for seven years in the ’90s, but also on its spinoff “Girl Meets World.”
Ahead of his birthday, Daniels revealed to People that he didn’t feel his age.
“I certainly don’t feel 99 years old, that’s for sure,” he told the outlet, adding with a laugh when asked about next year, “Oh, I don’t want to be a hundred. Who wants to be a hundred?”
He also shared his birthday plans with the outlet.
“To celebrate my 99th, the whole family is getting together. My two sons, their wives, and our four grandchildren. Half of our family lives on the East Coast, so it’s great to have everyone in one place,” he continued. Daniels shares two sons, Michael and Robert, with wife and fellow actor Bonnie Bartlett.
“I think the main reason why we’ve been married for 75 years is because we never seriously considered being with anyone else. So we had to work things out. You know?” he told People of his union with the “Twins” actress. The two wed in 1951.
“I do hundreds of Cameos every year, and that feels good,” Daniels added, saying it keeps him young and agile. “It allows me to perform, which demands a certain amount of energy and focus. I think that’s good for me. I like being productive.”
Daniels, who rose to fame before the ’90s sitcom took off, is also known for his roles in “St. Elsewhere,” “1776” and “Knight Rider.”
https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2026/03/31/USAT/89399701007-783493.jpg?crop=2256,1270,x0,y278&width=2256&height=1270&format=pjpg&auto=webp
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2026/03/31/mr-feeny-william-daniels-turns-99/89399328007/
Anna Kaufman
Almontather Rassoul
