BILL HAYES MAKES FINAL APPEARANCE ON DAYS OF OUR LIVES ALONGSIDE HIS ON-AND-OFF-SCREEN WIFE SUSAN SEAFORTH... SIX MONTHS AFTER HIS DEATH AT AGE 98

Bill Hayes made his final appearance on Days of Our Lives, six months after his death at 98.

The late actor, who portrayed Doug Williams on NBC's long-running soap opera for 53 years, shared his last scene with his on-and-off-screen wife, Susan Seaforth Hayes. 

As he graced fans' television screens one last time, his and Susan's characters, Doug and Julie Williams, reflected on their love story.

After the couple's characters learn their daughter Abigail might still be alive, Julie turns to her spouse and says: 'Chad and Abby never really did have much time together, and you and I had years and years. Did I ever tell you how much I love you?'

'First time I set eyes on you, I was lost. Then, all the trials we had, all those missed connections. And then I finally won the gold ring. And all your songs were for me. All your passionate kisses were mine,' she gushed. 

Doug proceeds to look back on how he became a 'new man' to be worthy and deserving of Julie's love.

'Oh, you brought out the best in me. And we’ve been a good team — good partners, I think,' Julie replied. 'You’re a wonderful father. You know, for a guy who grew up in an orphanage, you’re quite a family man. You never let anyone in this family down, not ever.' 

She goes on to praise him for showing her 'the whole world' and 'every continent' before looking back on their 'little adventures.' 

Julie, then, marveled at how after seeing 'all the beauty of the earth' together that their 'love outlasted time.' 

Doug goes on to deliver his last line, 'Now you better give me another kiss.' 

'My pleasure,' Julie responds, before giving him a smooch. 

A number of social media users took to X to share their reaction to the episode. 

'Bill Hayes will always be remembered as a kind and gentle soul,' one tweeted. 

Another wrote: 'Today is bittersweet for fans of the legendary Bill Hayes.' 

'Can’t imagine what Susan & his family are feeling as his last appearance as #DougWilliams on #Days airs. Bill will live on in the hearts of all the many people that love him. #BillandSusanHayes a beautiful love story,' a third tweeted. 

Others dubbed Doug and Julie 'the OG Supercouple.'

A fifth admitted that they were 'not ready for this' and may 'never be ready for this' episode. 

'I never met Bill Hayes, nor his loving wife Susan, but I grew up watching them, and it's like watching some extended part of your family,' another admitted. 

In real life, Bill and Susan wed in 1974. 

Over his lifetime, Bill starred in over 2,000 episodes of Days Of Our Lives. 

In January, Susan, 81, shared a heartfelt tribute to her late husband on Instagram. 

'To all of you who honored my Billy with a word of remembrance, a sense of personal loss, or even a tear — I thank you,' she wrote. 'You touched my heart by seeing in him the goodness and joy I experienced every moment of our wonderful marriage. May we all embrace life with the gusto of Bill Hayes — and enrich it with grace and love.'

The news about the late performer's passing was confirmed in a statement to TVLine. 

'One of the longest running characters on Days Of Our Lives, Bill originated the role of Doug Williams in 1970 and portrayed him continuously throughout his life,' it read. 

The performer's connection with his longtime wife and co-star, Susan Seaforth Hayes, was also illustrated in the statement, and they were described as having served as 'the foundation of the Williams-Horton family.'

The show's executive producer, Ken Corday, went on to speak about how Hayes, who first portrayed Williams in 1970 and went on to intermittently reprise his role over the next five decades, would be sorely missed by his loved ones. 

'I have known Bill for most of my life and he embodied the heart and soul of Days of our Lives. Although we are grieving and will miss him, Bill's indelible legacy will live on in our hearts and the stories we tell, both on and off the screen,' he said.

The late performer, whose birth name was William Foster Hayes III, was born in Harvey, Illinois, on June 5, 1925.

The actor enlisted in the Navy Air Corps in 1943 while attending DePauw University and trained as a fighter pilot for over two years, although World War II ended shortly before he was set to ship out to service.

Hayes went on to receive Bachelor of Arts degrees in both music and English, and he went on to earn a doctoral degree from West Virginia University in 1998.

The performer's first marriage was to Mary Hobbs, which lasted from 1947 to 1969, and the couple welcomed a total of five children during their union.

The late actor went on to meet Seaforth Hayes, who plays Julie Olson Williams on Days Of Our Lives, on the set of the soap opera, and they tied the knot in 1974.

Hayes portrayed Williams consistently from 1970 until 1984, and again from 1986 until 1987, after which he made recurrent appearances as the character over the next few decades. 

He received two separate nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series over the length of his career.

The late performer also had a musical career, and he recorded a version of The Ballad of Davy Crockett that became wildly popular upon its release in 1955.

A documentary centered on Hayes' life, entitled World by the Tail, was made available to the public in 2017. 

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2024-07-11T19:15:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd