The soap opera world has lost a legend.
Bill Hayes, who played Doug Williams on Days of Our Lives on and off for five decades, has died. He was 98.
The actor passed away Jan. 12, a rep for the show said in a statement to E! News. “It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of our beloved Bill Hayes,” the message said. “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. He and his wife, Susan Seaforth-Hayes, remained the foundation of the Williams-Horton family spanning more than 50 years.”
Days of Our Lives Executive Producer Ken Corday also paid tribute to Hayes. “I have known Bill for most of my life and he embodied the heart and soul of Days of our Lives,” he was quoted as saying. “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.”
Bill was born William Foster Hayes III in Harvey, Ill. in 1925. He began his onscreen career in the late ’40s when he starred on Olsen & Johnson’s Fireball Fun-for-All.