This Famous Hollywood Couple Endured the Loss of Their Son & Have Been Together for 73 Years – Inside Their Relationship

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.”