Some actors become part of our lives without us even noticing. Their voices and faces stay with us for decades, through different shows and different generations. A rare photo of a veteran actor out on an ordinary day reminded many fans of exactly that feeling.
The man in the photo is William Daniels. For millions of viewers, he will always be Mr. George Feeny, the wise teacher and neighbor who guided Cory Matthews and his friends through growing up on the 1990s sitcom Boy Meets World.
But Mr. Feeny is only one chapter of a remarkable career. Born in 1927, Daniels worked across theater, film and television for decades. He won Emmy Awards for his role as Dr. Mark Craig on the medical drama St. Elsewhere, and he played John Adams in the Broadway musical 1776 and its film version.
Many fans are surprised to learn that he was also the voice of K.I.T.T., the talking car in Knight Rider. His calm, clever and unmistakable voice made the car one of the most famous characters on television in the 1980s.
Away from the screen, Daniels took on an important role for his fellow actors. He served as President of the Screen Actors Guild, where he worked to protect the rights of performers, with the same quiet integrity he brought to his characters.
His personal life is just as impressive. In 1951 he married actress Bonnie Bartlett, and their marriage has lasted for more than seventy years, a love story that is very rare in Hollywood.
That is why a simple photo of him on an everyday outing means so much to fans. It shows the real man behind the famous voice and the famous lessons, still enjoying life far away from the studio lights.
For a whole generation, Mr. Feeny taught more than school subjects. He taught kindness, honesty and how to be a better person, and William Daniels lived those values throughout his long and remarkable career.
