Days of our Lives' Susan Seaforth Hayes has reached a major milestone moment: she has been playing the role of Julie Williams for an incredible 50 years.
The soap opera aired a special episode today to mark the golden anniversary of the actress, who took on her now legendary role in 1968. At that time, she was known just as Susan Seaforth -- the Hayes part of her last name was added after she married her on-screen DAYS love, Bill Hayes (Doug Williams), in 1974.
Some of Seaforth Hayes's most memorable moments on the NBC soap opera include Julie's romance with Doug, which has spurred not one but two love songs ("The Look of Love" and "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"); a heartbreaking storyline that involved Julie being raped by Larry Atwood (Fred Bier) and later being accused of his murder; Julie being left horribly disfigured after Maggie's (Suzanne Rogers) oven exploded; and Julie suffering the tragic death of Doug, only to (thankfully) later find out the death was all a hoax put into action by the DiMera clan.
As for whether or not Seaforth Hayes plans to throw in the towel now that she's portrayed her DAYS character for a full half century, she says not a chance.
"I'm not tired of doing it!" she tells Soaps in Depth. "I'm still pleading with the producers at the moment, 'Please, can I do more?' Because it's so fulfilling for the audience that has been with the show from the beginning, but mostly because it is so fulfilling for me. I am still in love with my husband, with acting, and with the show."
In addition to DAYS, Seaforth Hayes has numerous roles in films and television series on her résumé. Her non-daytime credits include Cheyenne, National Velvet, The Fugitive, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and My Three Sons. She has also appeared on General Hospital as Dorothy Bradley in 1964 and has made numerous appearances as Joanna Manning on The Young and the Restless (where her mother, Elizabeth Harrower, worked as a writer). She joined DAYS in 1968 and has earned four Daytime Emmy Award nominations in the Outstanding Lead Actress category for her work as Julie.
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