- William H. Macy was forced to use that rather formal moniker when he became an actor because Bill Macy already "owned" the name with the professional unions.
- Took on many entertainment jobs (poetry-reading, movie bits, comedy-record gigs) before hitting it big on TV as Bea Arthur's stressed and often troubled heavy-drinking husband on the popular feminist sitcom Maude (1972). Arthur was only 5 days older than Macy and the two were good friends off-screen.
- He can be seen in a brief, non-credited role as the father of Christian Bale's character in "American Hustle," during flashback scenes of Bale's childhood.
- Appeared in his birthday suit at age 47 in the controversial Broadway "nudie" musical, "Oh! Calcutta!" (1969).
- Worked as a cab driver for a decade before becoming an actor.
- Was raised in Brooklyn and attended Samuel J. Tilden High School.
- The son of Mollie (Friedopfer) and Michael Garber, his paternal grandparents were Lithuanian Jewish immigrants and his maternal grandparents were Austrian Jews. He was born in Revere, Massachusetts.
- Upon his death, he was cremated and his ashes returned to his wife.
- He was a lifelong liberal Democrat.
- Macy performed on the P.D.Q. Bach album The Stoned Guest in 1970 alongside classical composer and musical parodist Peter Schickele and actor Will Jordan.
- He married actress Samantha Harper in 1975 and appeared alongside her on the TV game show Tattletales, they had no children.
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