Bill Macy, a Memorable Sitcom Foil on 'Maude,' Dies at 97
Source: New York Times
Bill Macy, an actor best known for his role as Walter Findlay, Bea Arthurs harried husband, on the popular 1970s sitcom Maude, died on Thursday night at his home in Los Angeles. He was 97. The death was confirmed by his wife, Samantha Harper Macy.
Mr. Macys acting career took off after he turned 40 and peaked with his role on Maude. He played Walter for the shows entire run, from 1972 to 1978. Maude pushed sitcom boundaries. Its lead character was an outspoken middle-aged feminist whose atypical household consisted of her husband, her daughter from an earlier marriage and the daughters son. The show, seen on CBS, addressed complex social issues like abortion, alcoholism and racial and sexual relations. Some episodes generated thousands of complaints. We took very serious things, Mr. Macy said in a phone interview for this obituary in 2010. We didnt lampoon them, we lived them.
Mr. Macys blue-collar background he grew up in Brooklyn and had driven a taxi made him a good fit for the character of Walter, the owner of a struggling appliance store who had some memorable clashes with Maude, an idealistic liberal firebrand. More often than not, Maude had the last word. Fans were sometimes taken aback by Walters subordinate position. People come up to you in the street and say, How can you take that stuff from her? Mr. Macy said.
The show began as a spinoff of the pioneering producer Norman Lears breakthrough hit series All in the Family, in which Ms. Arthur appeared occasionally as a cousin of Edith Bunkers who stood up to Ediths bigoted husband, Archie.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/18/arts/television/bill-macy-dead.html
Wow. Didn't realize he was 97 and still around! That was a great show - one of the few "spin offs" of a popular show that itself became successful.
R.I.P.
tymorial
(3,433 posts)God'll get you for that walter.
LenaBaby61
(6,974 posts)SAME HERE
I remember watching the abortion episode (Maude's Dilemma 1 & 2), and I remember our nun in middle-school telling us to NOT watch that show because it was sinful.
Well uh, I watched it , and am still watching it almost 50 years later.
As young as 10 years old, I was educated about all things relating to abortion(s) (Mom was an RN). So happy to have had a "progressive" Mom, as it's served me well all of my life.
Anyway ...
LenaBaby61
(6,974 posts)I met Bill Macy as a teen years ago @ Battle of the Network Superstars when I was 15 with a groups of my buddies (I'm 58 now). He gave me and my friends all autographs, and he spoke with us a bit too.
What a kind and funny man. So gracious, asking us all if we REALLY wanted "HIS" autograph? Only met him that brief time, but even as a young teen, I could tell he was a 'genuine' person,, as in good person.
RIP Mr. Macy ....
alphafemale
(18,497 posts)Last edited Sat Oct 19, 2019, 07:50 AM - Edit history (1)
Probably the only 3rd generation spin off.
Successful one anyway.
All in the Family also launched The Jeffersons
mucifer
(23,522 posts)spun off "Laverne and Shirley".
Tho I suppose the Happy Days spin off was just from one episode.
BumRushDaShow
(128,726 posts)(don't laugh) was the big fail - "Joanie Loves Chachi".
alphafemale
(18,497 posts)Would be hard to explain to kids today.
cstanleytech
(26,276 posts)mucifer
(23,522 posts)Those two actors were Jewish and my parents were Jewish and my parents looked like them. My mother was louder and more opinionated like Maude. My dad was quieter and sillier. Both my parents were liberals.
I liked that show.
It's sad about Bill Macy.
Warren_Pointe
(327 posts)with Art Carney and Lily Tomlin.
And who can forget him as Stan Fox in "The Jerk," he made a fortune selling shit like the 'Optigrab'.