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IMDbPro

William Daniels(I)

  • Actor
  • Director
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 5,0001842
William Daniels
CT #1 Post
Play trailer1:02
Boy Meets World (1993–2000)
15 Videos
85 Photos
William Daniels is an American actor, born in Brooklyn, New York City. He was born in 1927, to bricklayer David Daniels and his wife Irene.

Daniels was a member of the singing Daniels family in Brooklyn. He made his television debut in 1943 at the age of 16, as part of a variety act. That same year, Daniels made his Broadway debut in the comedy play "Life With Father" (1939) by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Until the 1960s, Daniels was primarily a theatrical actor, with a few guest star roles in television. For his role in the play "The Zoo Story" (1958) by Edward Albee, Daniels received an Obie Award.

Daniels made his film debut in 1963, at the age of 36. He debuted in the Cold War-themed thriller "Ladybug Ladybug" (1963), where he played school principal Mr. Calkins. His next film role was the comedy-drama film "A Thousand Clowns" (1965), where he played child welfare worker Albert Amundson. Daniels had a supporting role in "The Graduate" (1967), playing the father of protagonist Benjamin Braddock (played by Dustin Hoffman).

Daniels found his first major television role in the superhero comedy "Captain Nice" (1967). He played police chemist Carter Nash, who could transform into the superhero Captain Nice by drinking a super serum. In both identities, Nash was a mild-mannered mama's boy, who was pressured into a crime-fighting career by his mother (played by Alice Ghostley). He was clumsy as a hero, and had a crippling fear of heights. The series lasted only 15 episodes

In the 1970s, Daniel's most prominent role was that of John Adams in the film adaptation of "1776" (1972). He also played John Quincy Adams in the historical television series "The Adams Chronicles" (1976). He had a regular role in the sitcom "The Nancy Walker Show" (1976) as Lt. Commander Kenneth Kitteridge of the United States Navy. Kenneth was the loving husband of protagonist Nancy Kitteridge (played by Nancy Walker). The series lasted for 13 episodes.

In the crime drama series "Knight Rider" (1982-1986), Daniels voiced KITT, an artificially intelligent electronic computer module in the body of a robotic automobile. The series lasted for 90 episodes. The series was very popular in its time, and has had a large number of sequels and spin-offs.

Daniels also played surgeon Dr. Mark Craig in the medical drama "St. Elsewhere" (1982-1988). The setting was St. Eligius Hospital, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston. The series lasted for 137 episodes and garnered 62 Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

Daniels played KITT again in the television film "Knight Rider 2000" (1991). He had a prominent role in the sitcom "Boy Meets World" (1993-2000) as teacher George Feeny, a strict but loving mentor to protagonist Cory Matthews (played by Ben Savage). The series lasted for 158 episodes, and Feeny was one of Daniel's most recognizable roles.

Daniels guest starred as KITT in two episodes of the animated sitcom "The Simpsons" (1989-). The episodes were "The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace" (1998) and "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore". Daniels also voiced a Hospital Ship in the episode "Critical Care" (2000) of the science fiction series "Star Trek: Voyager" (1995-2001).

In the 2000s, Daniels provided voice roles for animated television series, such as "Kim Possible" and "The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy". His most prominent role in the 2010s was that of George Feeny again, who appeared in 5 episodes of the sitcom series "Girl Meets World" (2014-2017). It was a sequel series to "Boy Meets World" , featuring the life of Cory Matthews as a teacher and father.

By 2020, Daniels was 92 years old, one of the oldest living actors.
BornMarch 31, 1927
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BornMarch 31, 1927
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 5,0001842
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 2 Primetime Emmys

Photos85

William Daniels, Michael Pataki, and Dennis Weaver in McCloud (1970)
Bernadette Peters and William Daniels in McCloud (1970)
J.D. Cannon, William Daniels, and Ken Scott in McCloud (1970)
J.D. Cannon and William Daniels in McCloud (1970)
William Daniels in Galactica 1980 (1980)
Val Bisoglio, William Daniels, and James Patrick Stuart in Galactica 1980 (1980)
Rex Cutter, William Daniels, Roger Davis, Marj Dusay, and Lara Parker in Galactica 1980 (1980)
Rex Cutter, William Daniels, and Lara Parker in Galactica 1980 (1980)
William Daniels in Galactica 1980 (1980)
William Daniels and Lara Parker in Galactica 1980 (1980)
William Daniels in McCloud (1970)
Jeff Goldblum, Madolyn Smith Osborne, William Daniels, and Robert Preston in Rehearsal for Murder (1982)

Known for

Denzel Washington, Ed Begley Jr., David Morse, Howie Mandel, Cynthia Sikes, Ellen Bry, William Daniels, and Ed Flanders in St. Elsewhere (1982)
St. Elsewhere
8.0
TV Series
  • Dr. Mark Craig
Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft in The Graduate (1967)
The Graduate
8.0
  • Mr. Braddock
  • 1967
Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins in The Blue Lagoon (1980)
The Blue Lagoon
5.8
  • Arthur Lestrange
  • 1980
1776 (1972)
1776
7.6
  • John Adams (MA)
  • 1972

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • Bobby Cannavale and Melissa McCarthy in Superintelligence (2020)
    Superintelligence
    • (voice)
  • Cloris Leachman, Danielle Fishel, Ben Savage, Tania Gunadi, Ceci Balagot, Rowan Blanchard, Sabrina Carpenter, Ava Kolker, August Maturo, Ivy George, and Cooper J. Friedman in Girl Meets World (2014)
    Girl Meets World
  • Lego Dimensions (2015)
    Lego Dimensions
    • (voice)
  • James Pickens Jr., Ellen Pompeo, and Chandra Wilson in Grey's Anatomy (2005)
    Grey's Anatomy
  • Paulilu Mixtape (2012)
    Paulilu Mixtape
  • Candice Bergen, William Shatner, and James Spader in Boston Legal (2004)
    Boston Legal
  • Kyra Sedgwick, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Robert Gossett, J.K. Simmons, Jon Tenney, and Corey Reynolds in The Closer (2005)
    The Closer
  • Will Ferrell and Jon Heder in Blades of Glory (2006)
    Blades of Glory
  • Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder in The Benchwarmers (2006)
    The Benchwarmers
    • (voice, uncredited)
  • The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (2001)
    The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
    • (voice)
  • Nicole Sullivan, Christy Carlson Romano, John DiMaggio, and Will Friedle in Kim Possible (2002)
    Kim Possible
    • (voice)
  • Jerry Stiller, Kevin James, and Leah Remini in The King of Queens (1998)
    The King of Queens
  • Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)
    The Simpsons
    • (voice)
  • Crazy Love
  • The Lyon's Den (2003)
    The Lyon's Den

Director

  • Denzel Washington, Ed Begley Jr., David Morse, Howie Mandel, Cynthia Sikes, Ellen Bry, William Daniels, and Ed Flanders in St. Elsewhere (1982)
    St. Elsewhere

Soundtrack

  • Danielle Fishel, Ben Savage, Will Friedle, and Rider Strong in Boy Meets World (1993)
    Boy Meets World
    • (uncredited)
  • 1776 (1972)
    1776
  • Lauren Bacall, Yul Brynner, Florence Henderson, Angela Lansbury, Paul Lynde, Diana Rigg, Ray Walston, Edie Adams, Vivian Blaine, Tom Bosley, Carol Channing, William Daniels, Alfred Drake, Nanette Fabray, Jill Haworth, Clark Jones, Ruby Keeler, Richard Kiley, Bert Michaels, Patricia Morison, Robert Morse, Zero Mostel, Hildy Parks, Estelle Parsons, Robert Preston, Marian Seldes, Stephen Sondheim, Maureen Stapleton, Leslie Uggams, Gwen Verdon, Virginia Vestoff, David Wayne, and Walter Willison in The 25th Annual Tony Awards (1971)
    The 25th Annual Tony Awards

Videos15

The Graduate: 50th Anniversary
Clip 1:29
The Graduate: 50th Anniversary
The Graduate: 50th Anniversary
Clip 1:09
The Graduate: 50th Anniversary
The Graduate: 50th Anniversary
Clip 1:32
The Graduate: 50th Anniversary
Trailer
Trailer 1:26
Trailer
The Graduate
Trailer 3:45
The Graduate
Boy Meets World: Season 3
Trailer 1:02
Boy Meets World: Season 3
The Blue Lagoon
Trailer 1:45
The Blue Lagoon
Blind Date
Trailer 1:39
Blind Date
Two For The Road
Trailer 2:16
Two For The Road
Boy meets World: Season 2
Trailer 1:07
Boy meets World: Season 2
The Parallax View
Trailer 2:30
The Parallax View
Boy Meets World: Season One
Trailer 0:31
Boy Meets World: Season One

Personal details

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  • Official sites
    • Cameo
    • Facebook
    • March 31, 1927
    • Brooklyn, New York, USA
    • Bonnie BartlettJune 30, 1951 - present (3 children)
  • Other works
    Created the role of John Adams in the Broadway musical "1776", and appeared on the original cast recording.
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Interview

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    In an episode of Boy Meets World (1993), Daniels's character, George Feeny, is congratulating Cory on the quality of his film project. Cory then asks, "You think it's a great film?" George responds, "No, I think The Graduate is a great film," referring to his earlier role in The Graduate (1967).
  • Quotes
    [on filming "The Graduate" with Mike Nichols and Dustin Hoffman]: Mike was very demanding of Dustin, because such a lot was riding on him.
    • Perhaps best known for his roles as Dr. Mark Craig on St. Elsewhere (1982) and Mr. George Feeny on Boy Meets World (1993) and Girl Meets World (2014).

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