Their marriage began without romance, nearly unraveled from betrayal, and was saved by a cross-country move. After 73 years together, William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett are still each other’s greatest love story.
William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett’s relationship has defied the odds in an industry known for breakups. However, from their early days as ambitious students to being beloved fixtures in American pop culture, their journey has been anything but picture-perfect.
Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels celebrating their win at the Emmy Awards in Pasadena, California, on September 21, 1986. | Source: Getty Images
Infidelity and the heartbreak of losing a child tested their relationship in ways that could have easily broken it. And yet, they held on. Here’s a look inside their extraordinary relationship and a love story that has endured for over seven decades.
William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett sharing a kiss backstage at the Emmy Awards on September 21, 1986, in Pasadena, California. | Source: Getty Images
How a College Audition Sparked a Lifelong Love
Daniels and Bartlett have built a legacy in Hollywood that spans decades. He is best known for his roles as George Feeny in “Boy Meets World,” Dr. Craig in “St. Elsewhere,” and the voice of KITT in “Knight Rider.”
Bartlett, an acclaimed actress in her own right, earned accolades for her performances in shows like “St. Elsewhere” and “Little House on the Prairie.” However, their story began long before their fame.
William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett photographed in 1986. | Source: Getty Images
The two first crossed paths at Northwestern University, where they studied acting. Daniels vividly recalled their first meeting. In a class where the teacher was casting a play, he remembered watching what he described as “dreadful” auditions.
Despite their awkward but charming first exchange, their connection quickly grew.
William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett photographed at Sardi’s Restaurant in New York on April 13, 1986. | Source: Getty Images
Then, a voice from the back of the room that sounded like an actress caught his attention. He turned around and recalled seeing “this lovely blonde.”
After class, Daniels waited by the door for Bartlett. “I said, ‘How about a cup of coffee?’ And she said, ‘You’re too short.’ I said, ‘C’mon, have a cup of coffee.’ She said, ‘OK,'” he shared.
William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett at the Jewish National Fund Annual Tree of Life Awards on December 11, 1986, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Unbeknownst to Daniels at the time, Bartlett had already taken notice of him. “Turns out she heard I had been on Broadway,” he explained. “She had been following me around campus, I didn’t even know it.” Bartlett responded to his recollection, saying:
“True. I didn’t want to [be] a stalker. I didn’t want to interfere with his life and I never thought for a minute he’d be interested in me. So when I said, ‘You’re too short,’ I thought ‘Oh no, we’re wrong. You don’t want me.'”
William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett filming “St. Elsewhere” in 1987. | Source: Getty Images
Despite their awkward but charming first exchange, their connection quickly grew. They discovered a shared passion for acting and mutual respect for their talent and ambition. “We both have the same goals. We both liked acting,” Bartlett said.
William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett of “St. Elsewhere” photographed in 1987. | Source: Getty Images
“We both liked when the other one worked,” she continued. Daniels echoed her sentiment, adding, “There was never any jealousy between the two of us. We were happy when the other one was working.” That early understanding would become the foundation of a marriage that endured many trials and triumphs.
Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels on the set of “St. Elsewhere” circa 1987. | Source: Getty Images
Weathering the Storm
Though Daniels and Bartlett’s marriage ultimately stood the test of time, its early years were marked by instability, painful betrayals, and emotional reckoning.
“That I’d spend my life with him, that never occurred to me. There was no plan. We were actors and trying to get work, and we liked being together,” Bartlett confessed.
Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels at the NBC Affiliates Party on June 2, 1987, at Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
The actress revealed in her memoir “Middle of the Rainbow” that she had an affair that lasted a few months in 1959.
Their decision to marry wasn’t rooted in romance and practicality. “And when we got married, I thought we just got married so that we could have sex really,” the actress shared.
Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels at the “La Boheme” opening night performance on September 9, 1987, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
“We got married for the expediency of it. This was not a romantic thing. It was probably as much mental and sexual. It was just a meeting of the minds and a meeting of the bodies,” she added.
After marrying in 1951, Daniels credited his wife’s presence as vital to his success in school, admitting, “If I hadn’t met Bonnie, I don’t think I would have gotten through.”
Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels at the 39th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on September 20, 1987, at Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California. | Source: Getty Images
However, the couple faced years of turmoil while living in New York. During that time, both were unfaithful. “I guess it was a little bit of an open marriage at first, but that was very painful. That didn’t work well. And it was a time when people were doing that.” Bartlett revealed.
She added, “It was at a time in New York when there was a lot of sex and a lot of people doing all kinds of things, you know — very free. But I don’t know if there was a lack of commitment a little bit, and that’s not good. So there was a lot of pain connected with any transgression, with any extramarital thing.”
William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett at the cocktail party to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade on January 22, 1989, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images
The actress revealed in her memoir “Middle of the Rainbow” that she had an affair that lasted a few months in 1959. However, Daniels’ affair with a New York-based producer in the early 1970s still left her wrecked. Despite the heartache, they stayed together.
Bartlett admitted, “I was always the one that would say to Bill, ‘I don’t think I want to be married to you anymore.’ And he’d say, ‘Oh, come on. You’re smitten with me. You’ve always been crazy about me.’ Every time I’ve questioned the relationship, he doesn’t take it seriously.”
Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels circa 1989. | Source: Getty Images
Sadly, their struggles went beyond infidelity, as they also suffered a devastating loss.
Still, the emotional weight of their early years was undeniable. “It was very painful for the both of us. But it was something we had to go through because we never went through it. When we got together I was 18,” Bartlett said.
Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels at the “Rambling Rose” premiere on September 19, 1991, at Mann National Theatre in Westwood, California. | Source: Getty Images
“Bill was my first boyfriend…We just had to go through all that and still, we loved each other very much and always have. [We] have always been there for each other,” she continued.
“That’s what matters — if you’re there for the person and help [them] along in a relationship, [have] respect for them and what they’re doing and being there for them…[You have to] be together on the other side,” the actress added.
Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels before greeting fans at Fraunces Tavern Museum on July 3, 2015, in New York. | Source: Getty Images
Sadly, their struggles went beyond infidelity, as they also suffered the devastating loss of one of their sons. That tragedy and the emotional toll of their personal lives created a storm that might have ended many other relationships. But it didn’t end theirs.
Instead, the couple, who went on to welcome two boys, moved to Hollywood — and that shift marked a turning point. “Hollywood was really the saving grace for our marriage,” Bartlett explained.
She added, “Because once we got to Hollywood and we were here and living like a normal family and having weekends at home with our kids and doing things, it was [a] totally different story. Nobody wanted anything more than that.”
However, looking back years later, the actress saw those difficult times as necessary. “So much happens and you live — the good things, you hurt each other. We’ve hurt each other but you recover and you grow and you change and you adapt,” she revealed.
“You have to be able to adapt to the other person. You have to think of them first. It doesn’t happen overnight. It took us years to get to a real companionship marriage,” the Hollywood star added.
Lasting Love
After decades of trials, triumphs, and transformation, Daniels and Bartlett have emerged with an unshaken bond.
Reflecting on a marriage of over seven decades, the actress admitted, “I never expected it to be a marvelous, wonderful thing. I had no anticipation of that at all, and it just happened.”
My 4-Year-Old Son Was Distressed Every Time My MIL Babysat – When I Discovered the Reason, I Got Revenge
Working as a nurse, Zoe often relied on her mother-in-law, Denise, to babysit Leo, her son. But when the little boy becomes visibly shaken by his grandmother’s presence, Zoe has to question the old woman’s actions, only to discover that Denise has a hidden agenda.
I had always thought that my mother-in-law, Denise, was a little overbearing, but I chalked it up to her just being protective of my son, her only grandson, Leo.
She was one of those women who carried herself with a certain authority that made you straighten your back and rethink your words. This had become more pronounced when Jeremy, her husband, passed away a few years ago, allowing Denise to reclaim her role as head librarian of the local library.
“Why shouldn’t I?” she asked Andrew, my husband, one day. “I have time now, so there’s no need to just have my part-time role there. And I can have my book club meetings at the library, too.”
“Okay, Mom,” Andrew said. “You do whatever you want.”
She wasn’t mean, exactly, but Denise had a way of making you feel small without even trying. But still, she lived two roads away and was always willing to babysit Leo whenever I had a shift at the hospital, and considering Andrew’s unpredictable hours at the law firm, Denise usually had to step in often.
“It’s what grandmothers are for, right, Zoe?” she would say whenever I asked her to come over.
And despite how her moods could shift without a moment’s notice, she was reliable and didn’t complain about it once.
But lately, Leo had been acting strange whenever Denise came over. At first, it was small things. He would cling to my leg a little longer than usual when I tried to leave or hide behind the couch when he heard her car pull up in the driveway.
I thought that my son was just going through a phase, or maybe even a bit of separation anxiety. I had seen it all the time with the kids in my ward, especially when they woke up and their parents weren’t in sight.
But then, last week, right before I was about to leave for a night shift, he started crying.
“I don’t want Grandma to stay with me!” he blurted.
Big, fat tears rolled down his cheeks, and he clutched my scrub with a grip that seemed stronger than a grown man’s.
I knelt beside him, brushing a lock of his blonde hair from his forehead.
“But why, sweetheart?” I asked gently. “Grandma loves you. And she always brings you treats. Remember the brownies and ice cream from last week?”
My son’s eyes darted to the doorway as if expecting her to walk in at any moment.
“Because… Grandma acts strange,” he said, his eyes wide.
I was about to press him further because I needed to know what was going on. But moments later, Denise’s familiar, clipped footsteps echoed down the hallway. Leo bolted off to his room.
“What’s going on?” Denise asked as she set her purse down on the hallway table. “Where’s my grandbaby?”
“Nothing,” I said quickly. “He ran to his room to play with his toys. Andrew is away for the next two days. He’s meeting with a client and running through a case.”
Denise nodded.
I left for work, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that settled in my stomach. I spent the entire night running between patients and thinking about Leo’s words.
“Grandma acts strange.”
What did that even mean to a four-year-old?
When I got home the next morning, I found my son sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the TV. His favorite cartoons were playing, but he wasn’t watching them. Instead, his eyes were red and puffy, like he had been crying all night.
“Leo?” I said slowly. “Did you sleep at all?”
He shook his head.
“No, Mommy,” he said. “I stayed up. I didn’t want to sleep.”
“Why not?” I asked, even though I could already feel my heart sinking.
I pulled one of the blankets under the coffee table and wrapped Leo in it, hoping if he felt safer, he would talk.
“Because Grandma scares me,” he said, his hands clutching his teddy bear tightly.
I felt a wave of panic wash over me.
“Scares you? What happened, honey? What did Grandma say or do?”
“She keeps trying to put something into my mouth,” he said. “She chases me with it, and it’s scary.”
“What is she trying to put into your mouth, sweetheart?” I asked, my voice tight as I strained to show my emotions.
Leo hesitated.
“Cotton buds,” he said. “You know, what you clean my ears with? She said that she wants to put my spit in the tube. I don’t like it. I don’t want it.”
My blood ran cold. Ever since Leo’s accident a few months ago, where he fell off his bike and landed himself with a broken arm, he’s been terrified of doctors, needles, and anything that reminded him of his time in the hospital.
The thought of Denise running around the house with a cotton swab and a test tube made my blood boil. Why was she trying to get my son to take a DNA test?
“Where’s Grandma?” I asked Leo.
“In the guest room,” he said.
I marched to the guest room and found Denise sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the screaming match that was about to come. Without hesitation, I shook her awake.
“Wake up, we need to talk,” I said.
“What’s going on?” she asked, blinking away her sleep.
“Leo just told me that you’ve been trying to swab his mouth for a test? Why are you traumatizing my son? Why do you want him to have a DNA test?” I demanded.
Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked like she was going to deny it.
“I’m sorry,” she said, sitting up. “I didn’t mean to frighten Leo. I’ve just been wondering about something…”
“What? What would possibly be so important that you’d do this behind my back?”
“His hair,” she said simply. “Nobody has had blonde hair like that.”
“You think that my son isn’t Andrew’s because of his hair color?” I asked.
“I know it sounds crazy, but it’s been gnawing at me. I just needed to know, but I didn’t want to accuse you…”
“I can’t believe that you would go to such lengths, Denise.”
“I didn’t know what to think. I’m sorry, Zoe,” she said.
“Please leave, Denise,” I said. “I need time to process this. And I need to focus on Leo.”
She nodded, looking defeated.
Over the next week, things were tense between Andrew and me. While she drove home on the day of the confrontation, she had phoned Andrew and told him everything, firmly securing some seeds of doubt.
“I think we should do the test,” he quietly said one day, not meeting my eyes.
I stared at him, hurt.
“You really think that’s necessary? You believe what your mother is implying?”
“It’s not that I believe it,” he said. “But if we do the test, we can put this all to rest. No more doubts, no more accusations. What if Leo was switched at birth?”
“I had a home birth!” I exclaimed. “You would have remembered if you were here and not in court.”
I sighed.
“Alright,” I said after a moment. “I’ll do the test for Leo, but on one condition.”
“What condition?” he asked.
“If I’m going to do this to prove our son is yours, then you’re going to do a test too. To prove that your father is really your father. Denise needs to know what this feels like.”
Andrew’s eyes widened, shock registering on his face from my request. “What? Why would you even suggest that?”
I could feel his brain overthinking it, but I also knew that he was trying to view the situation from my point of view.
I leaned forward, my voice firm, “Because your mother is the one who’s throwing accusations around. If she’s so obsessed with bloodlines, then maybe she should be sure of her own. So, if you want me to take a test, then you’re going to take one too.”
Andrew hesitated, clearly taken aback by my demand. But after a moment, he nodded. “Okay. If that’s what it takes, I’ll do it.”
A few days later, the test results came back. As expected, the test confirmed that Leo was indeed Andrew’s son.
But there was also another revelation that nobody saw coming.
It turned out that the test results for Andrew showed that his biological father wasn’t the man he had called Dad his entire life.
“What the hell, Zoe?” he said out loud.
“This is a conversation for you and your mother,” I said offhandedly.
As much as I wanted to know the truth and to know about Leo’s biological grandfather, I didn’t want to get caught up in Denise’s drama any further. No, thank you. I had a son to focus on. And there was just something about how Denise acted that I wasn’t going to forgive soon.
But eventually, my curiosity gave in and I asked Andrew about his conversation with his mother. It turned out that she had an affair in her youth, resulting in Andrew.
“She said that she had always suspected it, but she didn’t dare do a DNA test while my father was alive. Just imagine, I’ve gone my entire life thinking that my father was just that, my father. But he wasn’t, not biologically. I can’t forgive her, Zoe.”
My heart broke for him.
“So, what does this mean?” I asked.
“It means that we take our time and space away from my mother. And we focus on our son. She’s the one who betrayed our family. Not us,” he said.
I nodded, ready to move on and focus on our family.
Apparently, Denise’s guilt had eaten away at her for decades, leading her to project her insecurities onto me and our son.
What would you have done?
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
My MIL Intentionally Sent Me Faded Flowers for My Birthday with a Nasty Note
Emily has always had issues with Denise, her mother-in-law. But when her birthday rolls around and her husband, Evan, has to go away on a business trip, Emily is left to entertain herself. Denise, on the other hand, takes matters into her own hands and gives her daughter-in-law a horrible birthday gift.
I know we all have problematic mother-in-law stories, but my goodness. I’ve been dealing with Denise for well over five years now. My husband, Evan, and I come from very different backgrounds, which were the first ingredients for a disaster.
Evan grew up in an affluent suburb, while I was raised by a single mom in a rough neighborhood where clothing was stolen straight off the line.
And to make it even worse for Denise? I’m a mixed-race woman, which Denise always looked down on.
“You definitely get your hair from your mother, then,” she would say to annoy me.
Despite Evan’s love and constant defense of me, Denise never missed a chance to remind him that he could’ve done better.
“I’ll bet you a spa day, Emily,” Evan told me one day as we were driving to his mother’s house for dinner. “She’s going to mention something about an ex-girlfriend or about me having done better.”
“You’re on,” I said.
Naturally, he was correct because not even fifteen minutes into the dinner, Denise was talking about an ex.
Read the full story here.
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