Los Angeles, California – Bill Hayes, the iconic actor and singer known for his role on NBC’s “Days of Our Lives,” has passed away at the age of 98, according to a representative from the show. Hayes, along with his real-life wife Susan Seaforth Hayes, portrayed the beloved first couple of daytime television on the long-running soap opera.
Before his soap opera fame, Hayes gained recognition as a regular on Sid Caesar’s popular variety program, “Your Show of Shows.” In 1955, he achieved success as a singer with the number one hit song in America, “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.”
Hayes also had a successful nightclub act with future “Brady Bunch” star Florence Henderson, performing as “The Singing Sweethearts” and appearing in live TV commercials.
In 1970, Hayes joined the cast of “Days of Our Lives” as the character Doug Williams, a con artist and lounge singer. Seaforth Hayes had already been on the show for 15 months, portraying the character Julie Olsen Banning Anderson Williams. The two actors married in 1974 and their characters also wed on the show in 1976.
Hayes and Seaforth Hayes became the only soap opera stars to grace the cover of Time magazine, appearing on the January 12, 1976 edition with the cover line “Soap Operas: Sex and Suffering in the Afternoon.”
After leaving “Days of Our Lives” in 1984 due to a dispute over storylines, Hayes and Seaforth Hayes returned to the show multiple times over the years, delighting viewers. They were even part of the show’s shift to the streaming service Peacock in September 2022.
Hayes’ career also included appearances on other television shows and in films, such as Otto Preminger’s “The Cardinal” (1963) and a CBS adaptation of Carol Burnett’s Broadway hit, “Once Upon a Mattress” (1964).
Hayes and Seaforth Hayes were honored with a lifetime achievement award at the 2018 Daytime Emmys.
Bill Hayes is survived by Susan Seaforth Hayes, their five children, 12 grandchildren, and 27 great-grandchildren.
Hayes’ legacy will be remembered both on and off the screen, as he left a lasting impact on the world of daytime television.