Deceased

Salem Presence

1970 to 1984; 1986 to 1987; 1993; 1996; 1999 to 2023

Byron Carmichael

1979

Bill Hayes, the multi-talented performer best known to daytime fans for his role as Doug Williams on Days of our Lives, died Friday, January 12, at the age of 98.

Born William Foster Hayes III on June 5, 1925, in Harvey, Illinois, Hayes served in the Navy Air Corps before completing his degree in music and English at DePauw University in 1947. His showbiz career launched when Hayes decided to audition for a musical in Chicago.

Hayes began his career at NBC on radio as host of NBC-Radio Monitor for a year. He was a national spokesman for Oldsmobile for four years and burst onto the early national television scene in Olsen & Johnson's madcap series Fireball Fun-For-All. From there, he was tapped by producer Max Liebman to be a featured singer on Your Show of Shows starring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. In the 90s, Bill starred on TVs Matlock, Hooperman, and Cop Rock. His major films credits include the Warner Brothers farce/musical Stop! You're Killing Me and Otto Preminger's The Cardinal, and in the award-winning film Wrestling with God. In addition to these highlights, his career was interspersed with variety performances with Kate Smith, Ed Sullivan, Perry Como, Milton Berle, Ernie Kovacs, Jo Stafford, Jack Paar, Bing Crosby, and the Bell Telephone Hour.

For more on the life of Bill Hayes, continue reading here.

Frasier (TV series)
Neil 'Sully' Sullivan
2002

Matlock
George Dutton
1988

Hooperman
1988

Cade's County
Jack Forbes
1972

Days of our Lives
Doug Williams
1970 to 1984; 1986 to 1987; 1993; 1996; 1999 to Present [recurring]

The Wednesday Play
Man in rehearsal room
1967

Once Upon a Mattress
Minstrel
1964

True Story
Larry Foster
1961

Kiss, Me Kate
Bill Calhoun/"Lucentio"
1958

Little Women
1958

The United States Steel Hour
Spike Hunter
1958

The Yeomen of the Guard
Col. Fairfax
1957

Your Show of Shows
1950-1953

Armstrong Circle Theatre
1952 Childstar
Hockey Announcer
2004

9 Dead Gay Guys
Dirty Old Irish Tramp
2002

China: The Panda Adventure
Narrator
2001

8 Seconds
Additional Assistant Camera
1994

Wrestling with God
Thomas Campbell
1990

George!
Dog Trainer
1972

The Cardinal
Frank Fermoyle
1963

Stop, You're Killing Me
Chancellor 'Chance' Whitelaw
1952 Daytime Emmy Awards Nominee, Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series (1975, 1976) DATE OF BIRTH: June 5th, 1925

PLACE OF BIRTH: Harvey, Illinois

MARITAL STATUS: Married; Susan Seaforth-Hayes [Oct 12th, 1974 to Present]

MARITAL STATUS: Divorced; Mary Hobbs [Feb 1947 to 1969]

CHILDREN: Five children with Mary Hobbs

News Archives

News Archive: The super sweet reason Bill Hayes would want a doppelganger [Apr 15, 2016]

News Archive: WATCH: DAYS' Bill Hayes releases free documentary about his magical life [May 19, 2017]

News Archive: NATAS to honor DAYS' Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes with Lifetime Achievement Awards [Feb 1, 2018]

News Archive: DAYS' Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth-Hayes working on second novel [Dec 13, 2018]

News Archive: Days of our Lives' Bill and Susan Hayes say they're still working, full speed ahead [Sep 12, 2019]

News Archive: Days of our Lives celebrates Bill Hayes' 50th anniversary with emotional storyline [Feb 3, 2020]

News Archive: Susan Seaforth Hayes chats Doug's devastating dementia storyline on Days of our Lives [Sep 10, 2021]

News Archive: Days of our Lives' Bill and Susan Hayes launch Secrets of Soap Opera Lovers website [Nov 10, 2021]

News Archive: Days of our Lives' Bill Hayes marks 52 years as Doug Williams [Feb 9, 2022]

News Archive: Bill Hayes, Days of our Lives' Doug Williams, has died at age 98 [Jan 14, 2024]

News Archive: IN MEMORIAM: Bill Hayes remembered as warm, generous, delightful, and a "true gentleman" [Jan 14, 2024]

News Archive: Days of our Lives' Susan Seaforth Hayes marks an important date with a tribute to Bill Hayes [Mar 13, 2024]

News Archive: Days of our Lives star Susan Hayes welcomes a precious new family member [Apr 2, 2024]

News Archive: Days of our Lives confirms details for heartwarming Bill Hayes memorial filled with old faves [Apr 8, 2024]

News Archive: Days of our Lives comings and goings: All the Salem returns for Doug Williams' funeral [Apr 11, 2024]

News Archive: Bill Hayes's last episode as Days of our Lives' Doug airs this week [Jul 6, 2024]

News Archive: Susan Seaforth Hayes previews Bill Hayes's last Days of our Lives moments as Doug [Jul 11, 2024]