Bill Hayes, a longtime star of the NBC soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” died Friday at age 98.
Hayes had played the character of Doug Williams on the daytime series since 1970, five years after the show's debut. He met his real-life wife, actress Susan Seaforth, on the series, which is set in the fictional town of Salem, Illinois.
Hayes and Seaforth married in 1974. Two years later, their characters on the show married. That same year, the couple also appeared on the cover of Time magazine in a cover story about the popularity of daytime soaps.
“I've known Bill most of my life and he embodied the heart and soul of 'Days of our Lives,'” said executive producer Ken Corday. “While we will mourn and miss him, Bill’s indelible legacy will live on in our hearts and the stories we tell, both on and off screen.”
Hayes' character was one of the longest-running characters in the soap, which is now produced by Sony Pictures TV. As the series' protagonists, the couple faced numerous trials, including Doug's deranged ex-wife, an exploding oven, and numerous serial killers.
Hayes received two Daytime Emmy nominations in 1975 and 1976 for his work on the series. Hayes and Seaforth-Hayes received lifetime achievement awards at the 2018 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Hayes' career began in the early days of network television in 1949, when he appeared on Olsen & Johnson's “Fireball Fun-for-All” and later appeared on Sid Caesar's “Your Show of Shows.”
Born in Harvey, Illinois, singer and dancer Hayes made his Broadway debut in the 1953 Rodgers & Hammerstein tuner “Me and Juliet,” according to SoapCentral.com. According to SoapCentral, he also did national tours with stage musicals such as “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Student Prince,” “Anything Goes,” “Camelot” and “The Pajama Game.”
In 1956, Hayes had a pop hit with his rendition of “The Ballad of Davy Crockett,” the song made famous by actor Fess Parker, who played Crockett in the Disney-produced series that aired daytime from 1954 to 1955 became.
By 1970, Hayes was a divorced father of five children. The role of a formerly incarcerated con artist turned nightclub singer in Days proved to be just right.
In 1984, the couple left “Days” after their characters’ airtime dwindled. Seaforth Hayes eventually returned to the show without Hayes in 1990. Hayes performed sporadically in Salem and was on stage throughout the remainder of the 1990s. Hayes also earned a doctorate in education from West Virginia University.
In 2003, Hayes and Seaforth Hayes returned to the series, although both characters were believed to be dead by viewers.
Michael Maloney contributed to this report.