Hollywood veteran William Daniels caused quite a stir on Thursday when he posted a throwback photo from his days as Mr. Feeny on Boy Meets World, leading fans to think the worst.
The 98-year-old took to Instagram to share a memory from his time on the ’90s sitcom, in which he played a kind-hearted yet strict teacher.
William’s shocking post
“Something about this time of year always takes me back to one of my favorite roles as Mr. Feeny,” William wrote in the caption, alongside an autographed photo of himself in character.
“Let’s celebrate this back-to-school season with 10% off all signed Feeny photos from our shop, now through September 15th!”
Fans immediately flooded the comment section, sharing their immense relief after realizing that the post was not announcing his death.
© Getty Images“MR. FEENY!!! Don’t do that I thought you departed from us!” wrote one horrified fan, while another added, “I hate the fact that every time I see these posts my heart drops.”
“No, you can’t be posting things like this. Damn near gave me a heart attack,” quipped another, while a fourth exclaimed, “You can’t keep scaring me like this.”
Other fans took the opportunity to share what Mr. Feeny meant to them, with one commenting, “We love you, Mr. Feeny. The teacher of an entire generation,” while another declared, “I gotta meet Mr. Feeny one day just to say thank you.”
A storied career
© NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal viaWilliam rose to fame for his role on the ’80s medical drama St. Elsewhere, and went on to win two Emmy Awards for his work on the hit show.
He also voiced KITT on Knight Rider from 1982 to 1986, making him a household name with an instantly recognizable voice.
The actor endeared himself to a new generation when he portrayed Mr. Feeny in the kids TV show Boy Meets World from 1993 to 2000.
© Getty ImagesHe reprised his role in the 2014 reboot, Girl Meets World, starring a young Sabrina Carpenter.
Speaking to People about how dedicated his fans still are all these decades later, William shared that he couldn’t have asked for more.
“You have to be pleased, and I certainly am. I hope I’m around a little longer and we’ll do it again next year,” he said.
Everlasting love
© NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesBy his side throughout his storied career was his wife, Bonnie Bartlett, who rose to fame on Love of Life and Little House on the Prairie before portraying William’s onscreen wife, Ellen Craig, in St. Elsewhere.
The duo became the second married couple to ever win Emmy Awards for acting on the same night in 1986.
They have been married for a whopping 74 years, and revealed the secret to their long-lasting love in an interview with People.
© Getty Images“It’s like we don’t have to communicate almost. We just know what to do,” Bonnie explained, “And when one person is upset, the other person sort of kind of calms down, and we help each other in that way.”
“I know what he’s going through if we go to a shoot or something like that,” she continued.
“He has always helped me with acting problems. He would go to see me doing a play, and he’d say something that would just help me get through the whole thing and be better. And I did that for him.”
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