Bill Macy

Born Wolf Garber and raised in a working-class Jewish family, Bill Macy didn’t get anything close to a break in the acting world until he was well into his late 30s. He bagged a role as Walter Matthau’s understudy in Once More, With Feeling on Broadway, and spent another 15 years as a character actor on stage – perhaps most notably in the original production of Oh, Calcutta, where he got his dick out. 

But national fame didn’t come until his 50s when he was cast as Walter Findlay, the husband of the titular Maude. One of the most groundbreaking sitcoms of all-time, Macy and Bea Arthur tackled issues such as alcoholism, spousal abuse and abortions – all in a prime time TV spot. He looked like he was going to make 100 for a while – he was still driving until weeks before his death – but unfortunately the grim reaper decided to turn Macy grey at 97.

Bill Macy
May 18, 1922 – October 17, 2019
Died aged 97 (five hits, 1 joker)