Morgantown memories of soap star Bill Hayes

Jan. 16—Bill Hayes, the "Days of Our Lives " soap opera star who died last week at the age of 98, had a bit of the hills and hollows of West Virginia threading through his Hollywood-Broadway DNA.

He and his wife, Susan Seaforth Hayes, who was also his television spouse on "Days, " made several jaunts to Morgantown over the years, appearing in numerous productions staged by West Virginia Public Theatre.

Part of it was being loyal to a buddy, Ron Iannone said Tuesday, as he remembered the actor.

They became friends when Iannone, who founded the local acting troupe, was interning as a screenwriter of the soap that Bill Hayes had starred on as Doug Williams since 1970.

Susan Seaforth Hayes played Julie Olsen Williams, the socialite who was wedded to Doug more than once on-camera, as soap opera plot twists and story arcs go.

Iannone said he'll always remember how Bill Hayes interacted with fans in Morgantown.

"Soap opera fans are like rock 'n' roll fans, " he said, chuckling.

Fans, who, say, might position themselves at the restroom door a certain soap star may have entered while dining in a local restaurant, Iannone said.

"Oh, yeah, " he said. "They were right there. That was Doug, from 'Days of Our Lives.'"

Hayes' response, Iannone said, wasn't play-acting.

"He would shake hands and give hugs and sign autographs, " Iannone said.

"He was patient and kind. He'd say to me, 'Ron, the fans are everything, and Doug and Julie are important to them. I'm not gonna be rude. They're why I have a career.'"

From the little screen to the big stage It was a career going back to 1949 and the kinescope of days of television — where Hayes made his first appearances on camera as a cast member of "Your Show of Shows, " the landmark Sid Caeser vehicle that employed Carl Reiner, Neil Simon and Mel Brooks as writers.

"Your Shows of Shows " was said to be the inspiration of "The Dick Van Dyke Show, " a Reiner creation that followed later and would have a contributing verse in Hayes' swan song on "Days " decades later.

He parlayed his TV experience to Broadway, where he trod the boards as a leading man to Shirley Jones, Florence Henderson and other luminaries in "Me and Juliet " and "Bye, Bye Birdie."

Hayes was also a recording star.

His rendition of "The Ballad of Davy Crockett, " from the Disney show starring Fess Parker as the intrepid outdoorsman topped the Billboard charts in 1955.

He never stopped working. He was a divorced dad with custody of his young children when he took the "Days " gig in 1970, Iannone said.

"Bill didn't want to do a soap opera at first, " he said, "but he knew it was going to be a steady paycheck."

Take me home When Iannone sought Bill and Susan for roles in productions of his then-fledgling company, that friendship wasn't the only steady constant.

Hayes, Iannone said, wanted to explore his West Virginia roots. He was born and raised in Illinois, but his mother had relatives in Upshur County and Buckhannon.

"It was important for him to learn about that branch of his family, " Iannone said.

Hayes, Iannone said, would even go on to earn a doctorate in education from WVU.

He and Susan were West Virginia Public Theatre mainstays since that first appearance in 1986, when they performed in "I do, I do."

An interview with radio entertainer Larry Nelson on the former WMQC was a required stop.

Nelson grew up a show business kid, the son of ventriloquist Jimmy Nelson, who was part of Milton Berle's madcap staple of players on the "Texaco Star Theater."

"I loved having Bill on, " Nelson said.

"He was genuine. He had all these great stories about live TV. Some of that environment I remembered, even though I was a little kid at the time. And he really was a fan of my dad."

Hayes' last appearance on "Days of Our Lives " was in December. In the episodes leading up to that, he brought it back around to his small-screen beginnings.

Dick Van Dyke, then 97, was enlisted for a reoccurring role and he and Hayes danced a soft-shoe, making for a poignant moment.

Mom (on the line)

Iannone's favorite moment and memory of Hayes, meanwhile, involved a fun, little fib at the Morgantown Airport.

The actor had flown in solo. Susan Seaforth Hayes wasn't able to accompany her husband this time because of her production schedule on "Days, " Iannone said.

"So we're there, and this employee comes up and says, 'Mr. Hayes, I have a very important phone call for you.'"

The actor, thinking something might be wrong, walked briskly behind that employee on the way to his work station.

When they got there, Iannone said, the employee was sheepish.

"He said, 'I'm sorry. I didn't tell you the truth. It's actually my mother on the line. She loves the show. Could you say hello to her ?'"

Hayes, Iannone remembered, laughed.

"Give me that phone."