William Daniels, 98, Says He’s ‘Pleased’ Fans Still Appreciate His Work Years Later: ‘I Hope I’m Around a Little Longer’ (Exclusive)

Daniels, who notably played the beloved Mr. Feeny on ‘Boy Meets World’ and Mark Craig on’St. Elsewhere’, turned 98 on March 31

William Daniels. Photo: Albert L. Ortega/WireImage

As he looks back on his long career, William Daniels shares his appreciation for his fans.

The actor, who just turned 98 on March 31, has starred in several iconic roles throughout his tenure — John Adams in 1776, Dr. Mark Craig in St. Elsewhere and of course, his beloved part as Mr. Feeny in Boy Meets World. Now, Daniels tells PEOPLE he’s glad fans still hold his work dear.

“Well, you have to be pleased, and I certainly am,” he says. “And I hope I’m around a little longer, and we’ll do it again next year.”

As for how he’s doing overall, his wife, Bonnie Bartlett Daniels, tells PEOPLE that she makes sure the pair gets “some exercise” daily.

“He’s very strong. His body is very strong, even now,” she shares. “So I just want him to keep it strong by exercising. We have a gal who comes in twice a week and puts us through a kind of  routine.”

(L-R) Bonnie Bartlett Daniels and William Daniels attend the Artsquared Digital Art Launch, a project of COllective heART, at Bryant Park on August 20, 2019 in New York City.Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

Daniels got his start as a performer on the NBC show, The Horn and Hardart Children’s Hour, he says. He was about 5 years old at the time, and though it was an unpaid role, Daniels’s mother told him the real value was in the experience, “which she was probably right about,” he says.

Perhaps his most notable role came on the popular, feel-good Disney show Boy Meets World. Daniels played Mr. George Feeny, the wise teacher that served as a mentor and a consistent source of advice to many of the show’s main characters, including Cory, Shawn, Topanga and Eric.

William Daniels as Mr. Feeny for Boy Meets World.ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

In December 2024, Daniels shared with PEOPLE that he’s deeply familiar with his Boy Meets World character’s lasting impact.

“I’m very aware of the respect people have for my character, George Feeny. I hear it at conventions, in Cameo requests,” he said. “So I hope to use that authority as a teacher and mentor to help protect young people.”

Fans can support the newly 98-year-old actor, and his longtime wife, by heading to their official website, where they can purchase autographed memorabilia from the couple. “It’s full of good stuff,” Bonnie says.

“[Our son Michael] worked very hard on it and it’s so successful so far. [William] sells out of things and then we have to sign things and ship them to him. It’s doing very well. It’s got T-shirts, it’s got all kinds of memorabilia from our careers. Mostly Bill, but me too.”

The Love of Life actress notes that their granddaughter “designed the T-shirts,” adding, “It’s all out there. It’s very good. It gets better all the time. And I guess you could say that’s a good 98th birthday.”