Hollywood golden couple William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett have the kind of happily-ever-after that is unheard of in the cutthroat entertainment industry.
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Hollywoods Oldest Couple Opens Up About Marriage
Hollywood golden couple William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett have the kind of happily-ever-after that is unheard of in the cutthroat entertainment industry.The a...
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The acting titans will be celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary on June 20, a milestone worthy of applause and one as Hollywood's most enduring marriage.
Boy Meets World icon Daniels, 99 and his Little House on the Prairie star wife, 96, have weathered their fair share of storms throughout their union, including the devastating loss of their child and an 'open marriage' shortly after tying the knot.
Now the couple have opened up like never before in an exclusive interview with The Daily Mail, revealing the secret behind their marriage and how Bartlett's initial aversion to his 5ft 7 height could have halted their Hollywood love story.
'I wouldn't be with anyone else in my life than this woman sitting next to me,' the Boy Meets World star lovingly told The Daily Mail.
It's an anniversary the couple couldn't have predicted they have reached and one they are aware is incredibly rare.
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Boy Meets World star William Daniels and his wife Bonnie Bartlett shared the secrets behind their nearly 75-year marriage in an exclusive interview with The Daily Mail; pictured on season five of St. Elsewhere
The couple spoke with The Daily Mail as they prepared for the milestone anniversary on June 20
William is beloved for his role as the paternal teacher, Mr. Feeny - pictured 1993 with Ben Savage
'It just happened,' Bartlett said. 'You don't plan for it. You really don't plan for it. I'm not at all romantic or anything like that. I'm a big believer in today, you know? And then all of the sudden it's 75 years. It's kind of amazing, I must say.
'It is amazing, especially in our business.'
'I wouldn't be with anyone else in my life than this woman sitting next to me,' Daniels adorably told The Daily Mail; the couple pictured 2019
Bartlett and Daniels have been open about the ups and downs they have had in their marriage - pictured 1986 at the Emmys
'I love them all,' he said of the cast. 'And we see them as much as possible, which you know, is not always a lot.'
'But we do see them,' Bartlett said.
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'We do see them. And I look forward to seeing them,' he said.
'He really loves those kids,' Bartlett said.
Nowadays Daniels - who was also the voice of KITT in TV series Knight Rider - is fulfilling Cameo requests from fans still eager to hear from their beloved Mr. Feeny.
'Birthdays, Mother's Days, graduations, pep talks. He gets so many of those. You can tell that people have problems, you know, in life, and they write to Mr. Feeney to see if he can help him,' Bartlett said.
'They like to hear from him. I think it does help. They want them, he'll give it, it's great.'
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Bartlett, meanwhile, is also known for beloved TV series, Little House on the Prairie, in which she played Grace Snider Edwards.
The story has undergone the reboot treatment, a show Bartlett expressed interest in appearing in.
'I haven't seen it, but I know that I talked to my agent about it and said, "you know, if they want me, I'll go on at anytime, just one shot or whatever"... But I haven't seen it yet. And I understand it's more realistic.'
'I love them all,' Daniels said of the Boy Meets World cast - pictured 1990s
Daniels, pictured with the cast in 2023, says he looks forward to seeing them
The love for Mr. Feeny continues to this day, with numerous fans seeking his wisdom on Cameo
A deadpan joke Daniels made about marriage advice prompted his wife to laugh
The beloved Hollywood couple, however, face physical challenges when it comes to continuing their acting career.
'Physically, you know, we're a little bit, hampered, I guess? My vision isn't good and... I can walk, I mean, I can walk.
'Bill has trouble, some trouble walking, and his memory isn't as good as mine, but we're fine, and we're happy, and we have this wonderful family of ours right near us.
'Our son Michael and his family. And they're right near us and they take care of us, as well as we have two ladies that take care of us. One does business and one does care and we have awfully good help.'
Through the thick and thin, it is the family that has kept them together.
'All of that family is wonderful, and that's what really keeps you together, because you become… in our case, it's not only a family, it's a business. So we are all in it together.'
Daniels, however, couldn't help but crack a joke when asked for his advice on having a long, successful marriage.
'Don't,' he stated dead-pan, prompting his wife to laugh.
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