Bill Hayes turns 96

Bill Hayes has been portraying Doug Williams on the NBC soap DAYS OF OUR LIVES since 1970 and continues today in spite of the fact that he will be 96 on June 5th. He had a successful music career that began in the late 1940s. His version of the song “The Ballad of Davy Crockett“ was one of three that were recorded and Hayes's version was at ther top of the Billboard charts in the spring of 1955.

. He was born William Foster Hayes III in 1925 and in the 1960s Bill Hayes began focusing on dramatic acting roles. In 1970 he originated the character of Doug Williams on DOOL which became his most popular and enduring role. The character initially was known as Brent Douglas, when he ended up in a Salem jail alongside Bill Horton. When he was released from prison he changed his name to Doug Williams. His first wife Addie gave birth to his daughter Hope Williams who became part of the super couple Bo and Hope Brady during the 1980s and beyond. After Addie died Doug married her older daughter Julie, his stepdaughter who is Hope's half sister.

Although onscreen Doug and Julie have had problems, separations, divorce and three marriages, in real-time Bill and Susan Seathford Hayes have been married since 1974. The couple have no children but Bill has five from his first marriage. During his long career Hayes has had roles on television programs like MATLOCK, THE INTERNS, FRAISER, TRUE STORY, HERE'S HOLLYWOOD, and the television special ONCE UPON A MATTRESS.He was also in the 1964 film THE CARDiNALS and many other television specials.

Initially, Doug did not believe Bo Brady was good enough for his "Princess". On the night of Hope's 18th birthday Doug found her at Bo's loft and was so angry he had a heart attack. As the years went by Doug and Bo grew on each other and became very close. Bill Hayes was nominated twice for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor, Daytime Drama Series in 1975 and 1976. He won the Soapy Award for Actor of the Year in 1977. In 2018 Bill Hayes received the Lifetime Emmy Award for his role on DOOL.

After a long hiatus, from DOOL Doug and Julie returned to Salem in 2008 for the holiday celebrations at Alice's and THE Salem University Hospital. They came back on December 24, 2009 for the Horton Family Christmas. and on New Year's Eve, Julie and Doug planned to celebrate at Chez Rouge with Maggie. On January 8, 2010 Doug discovers that Mickey Horton had died of a heart attack and along with Julie, Lucas, and the rest of the Horton clan comes to town to comfort Maggie. Doug and Julie returned again in June 2010 for the funeral services of Alice Horton.

Doug made an onscreen appearance during the annual Horton Tree Trimming on December 26, 2013 and again in 2014. He returned again in the spring of 2015 with Julie to visit Hope. Both Doug and Julie were on hand and highly involved with the show's 50th anniversary. They were in town to help Hope deal with the sudden death of Bo Brady from cancer. Doug also has enjoyed the honor of reading the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2 to the children at the hospital.

Over the decades Doug and Julie's roles in Salem have been constant although it has decreased as the couple has aged. During the past 5 years from 2015, through 2020, Doug and Julie have continued their annual tradition of the Horton Christmas tree trimming and added ornaments for Chase, Parker, Thomas Jack , Chad, Eli, Rafe, Charlotte, Mackenzie, Ben, Henry, and Lani. Congratulations to Bill Hayes for continuing his role as the beloved Doug Williams. Kudos to DAYS OF OUR LIVES for allowing him to continue to entertain his many fans.

Soap veteran Frances Reid died in 2010 at age 95 but she was retired by NBC exects years earlier because she could no longer remember her lines. Joseph Mascolo who portrayed beloved villain Stefano Dimera passed away at age 87 in 2016 less than a year after he was retired from Days because he too could no longer remember his lines. It is refreshing to know that the soap execs are willing to allow the cast to work as long as possible. John Aniston who portrays Victor Kiriakis is 88. There have been rumors that his famous daughter Jennifer wants him to retire from life in Salem. Let's hope Victor and Doug will be able to entertain their fans as long as they choose to.