‘Maude’, Soap Alum Bill Macy Dead at 97

Former Edge of Night and television actor was a spitfire until the end.

Actor Bill Macy, who played a cab driver on The Edge of Night in 1966, passed away on Thursday October 17 at the age of 97. His manager, Matt Beckoff, made the announcement and said, “My buddy Bill Macy passed away at 7:13pm tonight. He was a spitfire right up to the end.” He also shared photos of them together which Soaps.com readers can view in the post below.

Bill Macy, who was born in Revere, Massachusetts as Wolf Martin Garber in 1922, is survived by his wife of over four decades, Samantha Harper Macy, whom he married on May 4, 1975. The actor was previously married to Judith Janus.

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Macy was best known and recognized for his role of Walter on the hit 1970s television sitcom, Maude. Walter was the husband of Bea Arthur’s Maude, and the pair was known to have been best friends offscreen as well. His Edge of Night appearance was his first credited role and his only in daytime. The actor had dozens of television credits on popular hit series through the decades such as All In The Family, Hanging In, The Love Boat, L.A. Law, Nothing In Common, The Facts of Life, Murder, She Wrote, NYPD Blue, and How I Met Your Mother. His movie credits include Steve Martin’s The Jerk, Analyze This, The Holiday and My Favorite Year. Though Macy hadn’t acted since 2010, his manager mentioned he had recently been on the Dara Kravitz Gottfried Podcast, and said, “He LOVED being on that show.”

Soaps.com extends condolences to the family, friends, and former colleagues of Bill Macy at this sad time. Please feel free to remember other past daytime actors we have lost this year by browsing the gallery below.