William Daniels Reveals Travel “Pause” Ahead of 99th Birthday

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Mr. Feeny’s class is always in session, just in a different setting.

As William Daniels approached his 99th birthday on March 31st, the Boy Meets World actor shared that he was changing how he interacts with his fans.

Daniels recently shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he loves interacting with fans and friends through Cameo and at events. He thanked them for making him feel young and ended his message with a playful ‘class dismissed’.

Daniels explained his recent decision to limit public appearances, but assured fans he’ll still be accessible to them.

He excitedly announced he’s turning 99 tomorrow! He shared how much he appreciates staying in touch with his fans, especially as he’s getting older. Although he’s decided to stop traveling long distances, he’s still connecting with people through Cameo.

Even though he’s stepping back from public appearances for a while, the former Disney Channel star says he’s doing well and still wants to connect with his fans.

Daniels recently told People magazine that making hundreds of personalized video messages each year is rewarding. He explained that it lets him continue performing, which keeps him energized and focused – something he finds beneficial. He also enjoys staying productive.

You know, people often ask me how I feel about turning 99, and honestly, I don’t feel a day over… well, not 99! I played Mr. Feeny for many years, from 1993 to 2000, and even revisited the role on Girl Meets World, but age is truly just a number. That’s for sure!

And as for a productive birthday? The Knight Rider star admits it involves time with his family.

To mark his 99th birthday, Daniels is thrilled his entire family will be together, including his wife of 74 years, Bonnie Bartlett, his two sons and their wives, and their four grandchildren. He’s especially happy because half of the family lives on the East Coast, making it rare to have everyone together in one place.

When asked about turning 100, Daniels joked that he wasn’t quite up for it, saying, “I really don’t want to be a hundred. Does anyone?”

For more on William and his fellow Boy Meets World stars, keep reading…

Savage played Cory Matthews on Boy Meets World, which anchored ABC’s TGIF lineupfrom 1993 to 2000.

He graduated from Stanford University in 2004 with a degree in political science. After that, he appeared in small roles on television shows like Party of Five and Chuck, and in some independent films. In 2014, he rejoined Danielle Fishel to play his original character in the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World, a continuation of their earlier work.

Following the conclusion of his show in 2017, Ben Savage – brother of The Wonder Years star Fred Savage – went on to appear in several series, including The Leftovers, Speechless, Criminal Minds (playing a young Jason Gideon), and Homeland (as a younger version of Saul, marking the second time he’s portrayed a character originally played by Mandy Patinkin). Though he hasn’t joined his former co-stars on their Pod Meets World podcast, he and Danielle Fishel reunited in 2021 for a comedic spoof promoting Panera Bread as the ideal lunch destination.

For years, he hinted at a serious relationship on Instagram, but kept his girlfriend’s identity a secret. In March 2023, he announced his marriage to his longtime partner, Tessa Angermeier.

Savage ran for West Hollywood City Council in 2022 and for Congress in 2024, but was not elected in either race.

Besides her roles as Topanga on Boy Meets World and Girl Meets World – where she even had her first kiss with co-star Ben Savage – Danielle Fishel worked as a TV personality. She reported for The Tyra Banks Show and hosted The Dish on Style Network. Later, she returned to college at age 27 and graduated in 2012.

She first met her husband, Tim Belusko, while they were both in school, and they were married for two years before divorcing in 2016. In 2018, she married Jensen Karp, the host of Drop the Mic, with some of her former co-stars, including Savage—who playfully congratulated her on becoming engaged—and Will Friedle, attending the wedding.

Danielle Fishel and her husband welcomed their son, Adler, in June 2019, and another son, Keaton, in August 2021. Known for her great hair, she also launched her own hair care line, Be Free by Danielle Fishel. Beyond acting, Danielle continued to work behind the scenes, directing episodes of popular shows like Girl Meets World, Sydney to the Max, Raven’s Home, and Lopez vs. Lopez.

Danielle Fishel co-hosts the podcast Pod Meets World with Will Friedle and Rider Strong. In an August 2024 episode, she revealed she was diagnosed with DCIS, a very early stage form of breast cancer – what she described as “technically stage zero.”

She reassured everyone that she would be okay, explaining she was having surgery to address the issue and would need follow-up care afterward.

Rider Strong is best known for his role as Shawn Hunter in Boy Meets World. He later appeared in the horror film Cabin Fever (2002) and its sequel, starred in the TV series Pepper Dennis, and provided the voice of Brick Flagg on Kim Possible. He revisited the role of Shawn Hunter in seven episodes of Girl Meets World.

Beyond acting, Strong has worked as a filmmaker, writing, directing, and producing several short films and the 2017 TV movie Micah the Ghost. He collaborated with his brother, Shiloh Strong (who initially auditioned for the part of Eric Matthews), on some of these projects. Most recently, he directed the music video “Typhoon—We’re In It,” which won Best Music Video at the Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Film Festival in October 2022.

In 2013, Strong married Alexandra Barreto and their son, Indigo, was born in December 2014.

Will Friedle reprised his role as Eric Matthews on Girl Meets World, but he’s also become a very popular voice actor. He’s lent his voice to numerous animated series, including Kim Possible, Teen Titans Go!, DC Super Hero Girls, Disney XD’s Guardians of the Galaxy (as Star Lord Peter Quill), and The Legend of Vox Machina.

Long before attending the wedding of Fishel and Karp, he served as best man at the 2004 wedding of actor Jason Marsden, known for his role in Step by Step. This showcased the popular practice of cross-promotion between shows on the TGIF programming block. Later, in December 2019, he was seen wearing a T-shirt featuring Topanga, a gift from his future podcast co-host’s hair care company.

Friedle married Susan Martens in 2016.

Norman Lloyd Daniels, a two-time Emmy Award winner known for his role on St. Elsewhere, was also one of the original stars of the musical 1776. He gained further recognition as the voice of K.I.T.T., David Hasselhoff’s iconic car in Knight Rider, and later introduced himself to a new audience as Mr. Feeny on Boy Meets World.

Following his time as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1999 to 2001, William Daniels continued acting in guest roles on popular TV shows like Scrubs, Boston Legal, and The Closer. He also had a recurring role on Grey’s Anatomy in 2012. At 97 years old, his most recent on-screen appearance was reprising his famous role as Mr. Feeny on Girl Meets World. He still makes appearances at fan events and recently lent his voice to K.I.T.T. in the 2020 film Superintelligence.

Born and raised in New York City, he has been married to actress Bonnie Bartlett since 1951, and they have two sons together.

Following her role on Boy Meets World, the actress, originally from Chicago, became known for playing Mrs. Winterbourne on Charmed. She also reprised her role as Amy Matthews, Cory and Eric’s mother, in a few episodes of Girl Meets World.

In real life she’s mom to daughter Jessica and son Aaron with editor husband John Randle.

Actor Russ, known for films like The Right Stuff and American History X, has consistently worked as a character actor since his role as Alan Matthews on Boy Meets World. He’s appeared in numerous television shows, including Boston Legal, The Young and the Restless, 90210, Colony, NCIS: Los Angeles, and more recently, Bosch, 9-1-1, and Animal Kingdom. He also reprised his role alongside Betsy Randle in the sequel series, Girl Meets World.

Behind the scenes he’s dad to a son and daughter with wife Clare Wren.

According to Looper, Jonathan Strong said the character of Minkus was removed from Boy Meets World because Family Matters‘ Steve Urkel was so popular. The show’s creators apparently didn’t want to have two nerdy characters competing for laughs.

Actor Antwon Tanner began his career as young Chuckie Lee in The Torkelsons. He later graduated from Wake Forest University and became known for playing the character Marvin “Mouth” McFadden on the popular CW series One Tree Hill. Tanner even revisited a former role, appearing in a few episodes of Girl Meets World as Minkus. More recently, he’s been in episodes of The Walking Dead, acted in films directed by David Fincher like Zodiac and Gone Girl, and had a role in the 2020 war film Greyhound alongside Tom Hanks.

He’s been married to wife Andrea since 2011.

After first appearing as Jack Hunter, the older half-brother on Mrs. Doubtfire, the actor also starred in the sitcom Brotherly Love alongside brothers Andrew and Joey Lawrence. He’s been in many independent films and has made guest appearances on shows like Boston Public, CSI: Miami, Workaholics, Melissa and Joey, and Hawaii 5-0. He’s also embraced the holiday season, starring in Mistletoe Mixup and Christmas on Repeat.

Lawrence married professional dancer Cheryl Burke on May 23, 2019, after knowing her for 13 years. They initially dated when Burke was partnered with Lawrence’s brother, Joey, on Dancing With the Stars, but took a ten-year break before getting together. The couple divorced in 2022, and Lawrence is currently dating Chilli Thomas, a singer from the group TLC.

McGee has appeared in several TV movies and short-lived series. She also returned to play Shawn’s girlfriend, Angela, on an episode of Girl Meets World, even though her departure from Boy Meets World wasn’t handled smoothly.

In a 2022 episode of the Pod Meets World podcast, Danielle Fishel revealed that Rider Strong and Will Friedle had reportedly asked the show’s producer to exclude her character, Angela, from the final episode of the 2000 series. This led to Angela leaving for Europe earlier than the other characters, before the show’s storylines were fully resolved.

As a longtime fan, it was really good to hear them finally address things! Friedel was firm that the rumored incident never actually happened, which is a relief. And honestly, McGee and Fishel both seemed genuinely regretful about any past issues. McGee said they could have worked better as a team during the show, and Fishel totally agreed – she said they could have really helped each other out. It’s nice to see them acknowledging that now.

McGee, who was once married to Courtland Davis, is once again attending fan conventions and recently celebrated Daniels’ 96th birthday with her friends on March 31, 2023. In addition to being a fan convention attendee, McGee is a singer, artist, and mother to Ramia, Langston, and Ezra.

In 2024, McGee revealed she was pregnant with her fourth child at the age of 54. Sadly, she later shared the news that she had experienced a miscarriage.

During an appearance on The Tamron Hall Show in September, McGee shared that she had a miscarriage. She explained it happened unexpectedly, relatively late in her first trimester, and they haven’t been able to determine a cause.

Danielle Fishel, known for her role as Rachel McGuire on Boy Meets World, appeared in the 2004 comedy White Chicks alongside Marlon and Shawn Wayans. Later, in 2019, she began a career in adult films with Drive and went on to win three AVN Awards.

She revealed to The Daily Beast in April 2021 that she’s discovered a passion for performing intimate scenes. She described it as a collaborative art form, comparing it to a dance or pairs figure skating, and expressed how much she enjoys it.

This strategy has proven successful for her, leading to a 2023 AVN Best Actress award and the publication of her memoir, Rated X.

Married to Terry Baxter since 2006, she shared with In Touch Weekly in January 2020 that her husband, who works as a real estate agent, is also a talented photographer and has taken photos of her over the years.

Nicksay Morgan Matthews first became known for playing Cory and Eric’s younger sister on a show from 1993 to 1995. She then went on to appear in the romantic drama Up Close and Personal, starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Redford.

The actress began her career with appearances on several television shows, like The Mentalist, 8 Simple Rules, and Judging Amy. Later, she revisited a previous role, appearing as Morgan in the 2017 finale of Girl Meets World.

Since marrying songwriter Dave Gibson back in 2015, I’ve been known professionally as Lily Gibson. You might have even seen the name in the credits! I was listed as Lily Gibson on an episode of NCIS in 2019, and again in the 2021 film Four Cousins & a Christmas. It’s been lovely building my career under that name.

After a year-long period of seclusion, Morgan emerged seeming like a completely changed and more mature young woman.

Sarah Ridgeway played Morgan from 1996 until the show ended in 2000. After acting, she continued her education, graduating from UC Riverside in 2007 and earning a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Redlands in 2010. Beyond her academic and acting work, Ridgeway is also a singer who has performed the national anthem at sporting events in the Los Angeles area. She also worked part-time for the Los Angeles Kings hockey team as part of the Kings Ice Crew.

She also came back as Morgan for the Girl Meets World finale.

Lauren got between Cory and Topanga for a mercifully brief four-episode arc.

After starting on Boy Meets World, Cardellini gained recognition for her role in the cult classic Freaks and Geeks. Her career then took off with appearances in Scooby-Doo, ER, and the acclaimed film Brokeback Mountain. She received an Emmy nomination for her guest role on Mad Men, followed by roles in New Girl and the Netflix drama Bloodline. Cardellini expanded into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing Hawkeye’s wife, and appeared in the Best Picture-winning film Green Book. Most recently, she both starred in and produced the Netflix dark comedy Dead to Me, earning Emmy nominations for both Best Comedy Series and Best Actress in 2020.

The actress is mom to daughter Lilah-Rose with longtime partner Steven Rodriguez.

Since his role as Frankie “The Enforcer” Stechino, Suplee has appeared in several well-known films and TV shows, including American History X, Remember the Titans, and Unstoppable. He’s also known for playing Randy Hickey in all four seasons of My Name Is Earl, and has had roles in films directed by Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street) and Edward Norton (Motherless Brooklyn), as well as the Netflix comedy The Ranch and the controversial film The Hunt.

Actor Jay Mewes Suplee has several upcoming projects, including a return to the world of Kevin Smith’s films with the announced Twilight of the Mallrats.

Since 2006, Steve Suplee has been married to Brandy Lewis, and they share two children. In January 2020, a photo of his impressive weight loss and improved health became widely popular online. Since then, he’s become a strong voice for fitness and healthy eating.

Once known as the school bully Griff Hawkins, Scott transformed into a genuinely kind and humorous person. He still occasionally showed a sarcastic side or hinted at the struggles of middle age and marriage, adding depth to his new personality.

He’s known for a fantastic range of shows and movies, including the dramatic HBO series Tell Me You Love Me, the comedy Step Brothers, and the revived Starz series Party Down (which returned after being off the air for 13 years). He also starred in the popular Parks and Recreation, the quirky Adult Swim show The Greatest Event in Television History, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, The Good Place, and Big Little Lies. Recently, he received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for his role as a grieving husband—or is he really grieving?—in the Apple TV+ drama Severance.

In real life Scott has two kids with Naomi Sablan, his wife since 2005.

Quinn was cast as the cool teacher, Jonathan Turner, simply because the show Friends was so popular at the time,” Strong told Vanity Fair in 2011. “ABC realized they needed to appeal to viewers in their twenties, and they wanted to include younger characters on all their programs—even this show, which was mostly watched by teens.”

Shawn was deeply upset when Mr. Turner was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident at the end of season four. Though Turner did recover, it happened off-screen, and he wasn’t seen again until he appeared on Girl Meets World. There, it was revealed he’d married a nurse he met while recovering in the hospital.

Between roles, Quinn appeared on several popular TV shows. She was a regular on Melrose Place for four years, had a guest spot on Pretty Little Liars in 2012, and made an appearance in Feud: Betty and Joan in 2017.

He’s been married to Margaret Quinn since 1985 and they have two children.

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2026-03-31 19:19