Bill Geddie: 5 Things About ‘The View’ Co-Creator Dead At 68

Bill Geddie was not only an Emmy Award-winning television producer, but a husband and father. Learn about him here.

• Bill Geddie died at the age of 68 in July 2023
• Bill was best known for co-creating ‘The View’ with Barbara Walters
• Bill was also a loving husband and father, leaving behind his wife of four decades and two adult children

Bill Geddie, who co-founded The View in 1997 with Barbara Walters, died at the age of 68 on July 21, 2023. “He was a big deal in TV, but at home he was an even ‘bigger than life’ husband and dad,” his family told The Hollywood Reporter (THR), confirming the news. “He had a genuine love for television and entertainment. He would try everything and did it well — screenwriting, recording podcasts, playing guitar and writing songs and loved a wide range of music from country to jazz.” He died due to a heart-related issue, per THR.

Bill racked up 13 Daytime and six Primetime Emmy nominations during his successful career, winning four. He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. However, he was much more than just an impactful television creator. Learn five things about Bill below.

Bill Began His TV Career As A Janitor

Bill’s first news station job after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 1977 was cleaning the floors, per The Hollywood Reporter. The San Antonio native worked at KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City, where he learned how to run a newscast. He eventually began working as a cameraman, which led to a producer role in San Francisco. He then headed to the Big Apple to work at Good Morning America.

Bill worked until 2019. He executive produced Tamron Hall in 2019, Megyn Kelly‘s celebrity-interview special in 2016, and the Barbara Walters: Her Story special in 2014, per IMDb. He left The View in 2014. He also wrote the 1996 sci-fi film, Unforgettable.

Bill Was A Father

Bill left behind two daughters: Allison and Lauren. “My father was the greatest man I knew,” his daughter, Allison, said in a statement to PEOPLE. “He was an upbeat guy who was always cracking a joke. When he had an opinion everyone wanted to hear it and they trusted what he had to say. Everything he touched turned to gold. He was kind, supportive, and had impeccable integrity. We are devastated by this loss but are so grateful that we got this incredible man in our lives for as long as we did.”

Bill shared his daughters with his wife, Barbara.

Bill Loved The Beatles

Bill was a huge fan of The Beatles, his family revealed in statements to PEOPLE and THR. “He never thought he would have the opportunity to meet one of his personal heroes Paul McCartney in person, but his dream came true,” his family gushed. “The question wasn’t who did he meet, but rather who didn’t he meet?”

In addition to loving one of rock music’s greatest acts of all time, Bill had an affinity for golf, peppermint ice cream, and more, according to his family. “The small things made him happy too. He enjoyed a great game of golf, his peppermint ice cream, and relaxing with a Bombay gin on the rocks with jalapeno & garlic stuffed olives,” they noted.

Bill Admitted ‘The View’ Was A Bad Idea

After Barbara Walters died in Dec. 2022, Bill opened up about the rocky beginnings of The View and even admitted he now agrees the show was probably a bad idea at first. “I loved Live [with Regis and Kelly]. I was a huge Regis Philbin fan. I would say to her all the time, ‘We should do a daytime show’ because I’m with Barbara Walters, right? She could do anything. So I said, ‘Let’s do a daytime show,’ and she never showed any real interest,” he recalled to THR. “Then one day we were waiting for a long lighting session and she says to me, ‘You know my conversations with my daughter are so interesting. We come at the world from a different point of view. So do you think there’s a show in that?’”

Bill said he originally pitched a show called Everybody’s a Critic. The execs at ABC loved the idea but hated the title. Now Bill was onto something. And despite the generally positive feedback, Bill remembered that ABC News president Roone Arledge thought the show was “a terrible idea” and could negatively impact Barbara’s career. “He was right. But we forged ahead,” he added. Clearly, the gamble paid off.

Bill Was Remembered As A Talented Friend And Mentor

Following his death, several current View hosts remembered Bill as a bright, unifying person. “We are saddened by the sudden death of Bill Geddie,” Joy Behar tweeted. “As a producer, he kept us together and was very loyal to his staff. Bill loved comedy and plenty of laughs not to mention a good cigar. I’m forever grateful to him and Barbara for the opportunity to be on the View.”

Sunny Hostin also shared a tweet honoring the late producer. “Bill was the 1st person to believe that I could be a national talk show host,” Sunny penned in her touching tweet. “He told me after an audition for The View ‘you were sitting there watching the show instead of being on the show. Lean in like I know you can.'”

The Views‘ official Twitter account also mourned Bill. “It’s with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of ‘The View’ co-creator and one of television’s most well-respected producers, Bill Geddie,” the show wrote. “He was a pioneer in television and greatly beloved by ‘The View’ family, creating the show with Barbara Walters and serving as its executive producer for 17 years. ‘The View’ wouldn’t exist without Bill Geddie,” the statement continued. “Our love goes out to his wife Barbara and their two daughters, Allison and Lauren.”