William Daniels

A multi-award-winning veteran of both stage and television, William Daniels mastered the art of the withering comment and the verbal dressing-down in such acclaimed series as "St. Elsewhere" (NBC, 1982-88) and "Boy Meets World" (ABC, 1993-2000), as well as in numerous television movies, Broadway plays and feature films. A child performer with his siblings in the early 1940s, he segued smoothly into adult roles; first on stage in "1776" and later in its feature adaptation, which led to a string of turns as John Adams. "St. Elsewhere" defined Daniels' screen persona - erudite, cutting, but vulnerable beneath the iron-plated surface - and he essayed variations on the role for the next 20 years. His status as a geek object of affection was solidified when he lent his voice to KITT, the talking car and best friend to David Hasselhoff on the 1980s TV staple, "Knight Rider" (NBC, 1982-86) Daniels also served briefly as the president of the Screen Actors Guild, which added another level of respect for his lengthy and esteemed career.