Bill Macy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Macy
Macy in Maude (1973)
Born	Wolf Martin Garber (1922-05-18)May 18, 1922 Revere, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	October 17, 2019(2019-10-17) (aged 97) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1958–2011
Spouse(s)	Samantha Harper ​ (m. 1975)​

Bill Macy (born Wolf Martin Garber on May 18, 1922) was an American actor. He was well-known for his work in television, movies, and on stage. Many people remember him best for playing Walter Findlay in the popular TV show Maude from 1972 to 1978. He passed away on October 17, 2019, at 97 years old.

Bill Macy's Early Life

Bill Macy was born in Revere, Massachusetts. His birth name was Wolf Martin Garber. His parents were Mollie and Michael Garber. He grew up in the East Flatbush area of Brooklyn, New York.

After finishing Samuel J. Tilden High School, he joined the United States Army. He served from 1942 to 1946. During his time in the Army, he was stationed in places like the Philippines, Japan, and New Guinea. Before becoming an actor, he worked as a taxi driver for ten years.

In 1958, he got his first big acting chance. He was the understudy for Walter Matthau in a Broadway play called Once More, with Feeling. In 1966, he even played a taxi driver on a TV soap opera called The Edge of Night.

Bill Macy was also part of the first cast of the Off-Broadway show Oh! Calcutta!. He performed in this show from 1969 to 1971. Later, he appeared in the movie version of the musical in 1972.

Bill Macy on Television

A famous TV producer named Norman Lear noticed Bill Macy's acting skills. Lear brought him to Hollywood. Macy first had a small role as a police officer in All in the Family.

Then, he got a big role in the 1970s TV show Maude. He played Walter Findlay, the husband of the main character, Maude. The show starred Bea Arthur and ran for six seasons, from 1972 to 1978.

People often recognized him on the street. They would call him "Mr. Maude." They would even try to comfort him for having such a "difficult" wife on the show. Macy would tell them that characters like Walter and Maude really existed in real life.

In 1975, Bill Macy and his wife, Samantha Harper Macy, appeared on the game show Tattletales.

Macy also made guest appearances on many other TV shows:

• In 1986, he was on L.A. Law.
• He appeared in the TV movie Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam (1987).
• He sometimes appeared on Seinfeld. He played a resident in the Florida retirement community where Jerry Seinfeld's parents lived.
• He was a patient on Chicago Hope.
• He played an aging gambler on the series Las Vegas.
• His last TV role was in 2010. It was an episode of Jada Pinkett Smith's series Hawthorne.

Bill Macy's Movies

Bill Macy had several memorable movie roles:

• In 1967, he was the jury foreman in The Producers. He had a famous line: "We find the defendants incredibly guilty."
• In 1979, he played the co-inventor of the "Opti-Grab" in the Steve Martin comedy The Jerk.
• In 1982, he was the head television writer in My Favourite Year.

Other movies he appeared in include:

• Death at Love House (1976)
• The Late Show (1977)
• Serial (1980)
• Movers & Shakers (1985)
• Bad Medicine (1985)
• Tales from the Darkside (1985)
• Sibling Rivalry (1990)
• The Doctor (1991)
• Me Myself & I (1992)
• Analyze This (1999)
• Surviving Christmas (2004)
• The Holiday (2006)
• Mr. Woodcock (2007)

Bill Macy's Personal Life

Bill Macy met his wife, Samantha Harper, in 1969. They met while working on the set of Oh! Calcutta!. They got married in 1975.

Bill Macy passed away on October 17, 2019. He was 97 years old.

Bill Macy Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Bill Macy para niños