'Boy Meets World' 's William Daniels Says 'Love and Family' Keeps Him Going as He Turns 94

The actor, who played the beloved Mr. Feeny on Boy Meets World, tells PEOPLE he'll be filming videos for fans on his 94th birthday

William Daniels
Photo: Albert L. Ortega/WireImage

Here's to another trip around the sun, Mr. Feeny.

William Daniels, who played the beloved teacher on Boy Meets World, turned 94 on Wednesday. Asked how it feels to be reaching the milestone, the actor jokes to PEOPLE, "Better than the alternative!"

So how will he be celebrating? He'll spend some time filming Cameos with his son, Michael. Daniels, who has been on Cameo for some time now, says he's "amazed" by all of the fan love he's received. (The app allows fans to pay celebrities to record a short, personalized video message for a certain fee; you can request one from Daniels here.)

Then he, his wife of almost 70 years, Bonnie Bartlett, his son, Michael, and his granddaughter, Grace, will head out for dinner at their local California Pizza Kitchen in Los Angeles. It's no surprise that when asked to share a life lesson or two that keeps him going, Daniels' answer is short, sweet and profound: "Love and family."

He also credits exercise — and if you're ever seeking motivation in that department, this Instagram video of Daniels doing full-body sit-ups should do the trick.

Daniels played the wise and nurturing Mr. Feeny for all seven seasons of ABC's Boy Meets World, from 1993-2000. He's also known for his role as Mark Craig in NBC's medical drama St. Elsewhere, for which he won two Emmy awards. Adorably, Bartlett, 91, played his real-life spouse on both series and is also a two-time Emmy winner.

The couple met while they were both studying at Northwestern University and wed in 1951. This June, they will celebrate 70 years of marriage.

Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels
Frank Carroll/NBCU
Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels
Bonnie Bartlett and William Daniels. David Livingston/Getty Images

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In an interview with Forbes last December, the two revealed their favorite thing about each other after all of these years.

"I think our relationship is based on mutual respect and I think she is smarter than me, better actor than me, and so I just hang on, you know, and try to get along," said Daniels, who posted a clip from the interview on Instagram.

With a laugh, Bartlett chimed in, "He doesn't mean that at all!"

Added Daniels with a smile, "I'm an actor! I'm making it up as I go along."

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