The actor was best known for playing Bea Arthur’s long-suffering husband, Walter Findlay.
Actor Bill Macy, who played Bea Arthur’s long-suffering husband, Walter Findlay, on Maude, died Thursday evening, producer and friend Matt Beckoff revealed. He was 97 years old.
“My buddy Bill Macy passed away at 7:13 p.m. tonight,” Beckoff posted to Facebook on Thursday. “He was a spitfire right up to the end. What an honor to book him for Gilbert Gottfried II Frank Santopadre and Dara Kravitz Gottfried podcast. It really was the cherry on top. He LOVED being on that show. My condolences to his beautiful wife Samantha Harper Macy.”
Born May 18, 1922, Macy worked as a cab driver before pursuing acting. Most active throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, Macy made over 70 appearances in film and television, including Steve Martin's The Jerk, My Favorite Year and Maude.
On the CBS sitcom, the actor played Arthur’s husband and appliance store owner with the two characters often bickering throughout the series. A spinoff of All in the Family, the show ran for six seasons from 1972 to 1978.
In later years, Macy made occasional appearances on Seinfeld as a resident of the Florida retirement community where Jerry’s parents lived.
Macy is survived by his wife, Samantha Harper.
RELATED CONTENT:
