Bill Daily

William Edward Daily (August 30, 1927 – September 4, 2018) was an American actor and comedian known for his sitcom work as Major Roger Healey on I Dream of Jeannie and Howard Borden on The Bob Newhart Show.

Early life and early career William Edward Daily was born on August 30, 1927, in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of Fern Ellis and Raymonde Daily. Two weeks after his son was born, Daily's father left his home to buy a loaf of bread and never returned. In 1939, Daily and his family moved from Des Moines to Chicago, Illinois, where he spent the rest of his youth. then left home to become a professional musician, playing upright bass with jazz bands in numerous clubs across the Midwest.

Comedy career 1950s to early 1960s Following his time in the Army, Daily began performing stand-up comedy and gradually began playing some of the bigger clubs in the U.S. After graduating from the Goodman Theatre School, Daily worked for the NBC television station WMAQ in Chicago as an announcer and floor manager. He eventually became a staff director. During his days off, Daily drove to Cleveland to write, direct and perform on The Mike Douglas Show.

In 1988, Daily tried his hand again at starring roles, this time as another doctor on the sitcom Starting From Scratch. The show fared slightly better than Frye, but was canceled after one season. Daily's most notable post-Newhart role was another supporting character, that of Larry the psychiatrist on ALF (1986). Jack Riley appeared as an unnamed patient, clearly reprising Elliot Carlin from The Bob Newhart Show. ALF claimed to have learned all he knew about psychology from watching the earlier series.

Daily twice reprised his I Dream of Jeannie role of Roger Healey in two made-for-TV reunion movies: I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later (1985) and I Still Dream of Jeannie (1991). In 1990, Daily reunited with Bob Newhart as a new, overbearing neighbor in the Newhart episode "Good Neighbor Sam". Also in 1991, he reprised the role of Howard Borden in The Bob Newhart Show: The 19th Anniversary Special, broadcast on CBS in November of that year. In 1997, he was a guest star on Caroline in the City. In 1980, he married Vivian Sanchez, with whom he traveled on the road, performing Lover's Leap for two years. He and Sanchez later divorced. His manager and publicist was Patterson Lundquist.

Daily died of natural causes on September 4, 2018, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the age of 91. His death was announced by his family three days later and his ashes were scattered nearby.

Filmography Film and Television Year Title Role Notes 1964 Bewitched Mr. Johnson Episode: "A Vision of Sugar Plums" 1965 The Farmer's Daughter Manfred Episode: "Katy by Moonlight" 1965–1970 I Dream of Jeannie Captain / Major Roger Healey 131 episodes 1965 My Mother the Car Phil Durkin Episode: "The De-Fenders" 1965 The Farmer's Daughter Gallery Manager Episode: "Forever Is a Cast Iron Mess" 1969 In Name Only Peter Garrity TV movie 1971 The Barefoot Executive Navigator 1972 Love, American Style Larry Segment: "Love and the Single Sister" 1972 Getting Together McAdam Episode: "Broken-Hearted Melody" 1972 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Pete Peterson Episode: "His Two Right Arms" 1972–1978 The Bob Newhart Show Howard Borden 140 episodes 1972 Love, American Style Donald Baxter Segment: "Love and the Country Girl" 1978 Murder at the Mardi Gras Jack Murphy TV movie 1978 Flying High Bob Griffen 2 episodes 1979 $weepstake$ Fred Episode: "Lynn and Grover and Joey" 1979 Rendezvous Hotel Walter Grainger TV movie 1979 CHiPs Balford Episodes: "Roller Disco" (Parts 1 & 2) 1979 The Love Boat Paul Turner Segment: "Rent a Family" (Parts 1 & 2) 1980 Valentine Magic on Love Island Charles TV movie 1980 Alone at Last Larry Elliot TV pilot 1981 Aloha Paradise Curtis Shea 8 episodes 1982 The Powers of Matthew Star Frank Trenton Episode: "Daredevil" 1983 Trapper John, M.D. Mr. Stevens Episode: "The Spy Who Bugged Me" 1983 Small & Frye Dr. Hanratty 6 episodes 1985 Comedy Factory The Mayor Episode: "Honey, It's the Mayor" 1985 I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later Colonel Roger Healey TV movie 1987–1989 ALF Dr. Larry Dykstra 4 episodes 1988–1989 Starting from Scratch Dr. James Shepherd 22 episodes 1990 Newhart Sam Leary Episode: "Good Neighbor Sam" 1990 The Munsters Today Count Strimpkin Episode: "Thicker Than Water" 1991 I Still Dream of Jeannie Colonel Roger Healey TV movie 1991 The Bob Newhart Show: The 19th Anniversary Special Howard Borden TV special 1991 Alligator II: The Mutation Mayor Anderson Direct-to-video 1992–1993 Bob Vic Victor 2 episodes 1997 George and Leo The Pilot Episode: "The Cameo Show" 1997 The Naked Truth Doc Episode: "He Ain't Famous, He's My Brother" 1997 Caroline in the City Charlie's Father 2 episodes 2011 Horrorween Grandpa voice (final film role)