Bill Hayes, Daytime TV Legend and Longtime ‘Days of Our Lives’ Star, Dies at 98

Bill Hayes, a legend of daytime TV and longtime star of “Days of Our Lives,” died Friday at age 98.

One of the longest-running characters on the beloved soap opera, Hayes starred as Doug Williams since 1970 and continued playing him as the foundation of the Williams-Horton family throughout his life for over 50 years and 2,000 episodes, the last of which aired December 2023.

In 2018, Hayes and his costar and wife Susan Seaforth-Hayes were presented Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Daytime Emmy Awards for their decades-spanning work on the program.

“I have known Bill for most of my life and he embodied the heart and soul of ‘Days of our Lives,'” executive producer Ken Corday said in a statement, provided to TheWrap. “Although we are grieving and will miss him, Bill’s indelible legacy will live on in our hearts and the stories we tell, both on and off the screen.”

Born in 1925 in Harvey, Illinois, Hayes trained as a fighter pilot during World War II, after which he attended Depauw University where he studied English and Music. He went into entertainment during the early 1950s performing as a singer, including on a popular rendition of “the Ballad of Davy Crockett.”

In the 1960s he transitioned to an acting career, landing his most notable role in 1970 on “Days of Our Lives.”

Doug Williams was introduced as a lounge singer and con artist named Brent who changes his name before moving to Salem in hopes of conning a widow out of her inheritance, before settling down and falling in love. Notably, Doug Williams is the father of Hope Williams, who was involved in “Days”‘ blockbuster romantic plotline with Bo Brady in the 1980s.

He played the role from 1970-1984, then returned to “Days” in 1986, leaving again in 1987. But he returned in 1999 and continued to play Doug Williams on a recurring basis until his death.

Hayes was married twice. First to Mary Hobbs from 1947 to 1969, having five children together. In 1974 he married fellow “Days” star Susan Seaforth — now known as Susan Seaforth-Hayes — who played Julie, Doug’s eventual wife. The couple remained together until Hayes died just shy of their 50th wedding anniversary.

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