Bill Hayes, the actor known for his appearances in 'Days of Our Lives,' has passed away at the age of 98. This was confirmed by a representative for the soap opera, originally titled 'Days of Our Lives,' to the media outlet People.
"I have known Bill most of my life, and he was the heart and soul of 'Days of Our Lives'. While we mourn and will miss him, Bill's incredible legacy will live on in our hearts and the stories we tell - both on and off the screen," said Ken Corday, executive producer of 'Days of Our Lives,' to the media.
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Episodes For those familiar with ''Days of Our Lives,' Bill Hayes was a well-known presence. He joined the series in 1970 and has since been on and off in the role of Doug Williams, and in 1979, he also appeared in several episodes as Doug Williams' half-brother, Byron Carmichael.
In total, Bill Hayes is credited with appearing in 2141 episodes of the TV series, remaining active until the end. According to IMDB, he appeared in four episodes in 2023.
As per IMDB, he ranks as the 18th most featured actor in ''Days of Our Lives,' with Deidre Hall topping the list by appearing in 5160 of the total 14,884 episodes.
Bill Hayes was married to Mary Hobbs from 1947 to 1969, with whom he had five children.
In 1974, he married his ''Days of Our Lives,' co-star Susan Seaforth Hayes, whom he also subsequently married in the series.
Killed on Screen, But Resurrected
According to The Hollywood Reporter, both he and Susan Seaforth Hayes left ''Days of Our Lives,' as regular characters in 1984 due to disagreements with the writers about the couple's storyline. In the series, their absence was explained by them going on a cruise. However, they have since returned to the screen in the dramatic soap opera multiple times.
Bill Hayes' character, like all others in 'Days of Our Lives,' has been through many ups and downs over the many episodes.
In 2004, for instance, his character was killed along with several others by the serial killer Marlena Evans, played by Deidre Hall. Later, however, it was revealed that he - and all the other victims - were actually alive and residing on a tropical island.
It also turned out that Marlena Evans was not a serial killer at all, and viewers were instead told that another character had kidnapped the many people and convinced Evans that she was killing her friends and family members.
Besides 'Days of Our Lives' he has also appeared in minor roles in TV series such as 'The Cardinal,' 'Matlock,' and 'Frasier'.
