Bill Hayes (actor)

William Foster Hayes III (born June 5, 1925) is an American actor and a Billboard #1 recording artist, as his song “The Ballad of Davy Crockett“ hit the top of the charts in the spring of 1955.

Bill Hayes
Hayes in 2010
Born
William Foster Hayes, III

(1925-06-05) June 5, 1925
Harvey, Illinois, United States
OccupationActor, singer
Years active1948–present
Spouse(s)
Mary Hobbs
​
​
(m. 1947; div. 1969)​

​
​
(m. 1974)​
Children5

Following a successful career as a musician which began in the late 1940s, he began to focus on dramatic acting parts in the late 1960s, which led him to be cast in a role that gained him additional fame to a younger generation. This new chapter in his career began in 1970 when he originated the character of Doug Williams on NBC's Days of Our Lives, which he continues to play regularly to date on the serial.

Career

Hayes was a singer on the Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca variety show Your Show of Shows in the early 1950s. During the Davy Crockett craze in 1955, three recorded versions of the Ballad of Davy Crockett were in the top 30. Hayes' version was the most popular: It was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks,[1] sold over two million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[2] He also starred on Broadway in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Me and Juliet (1953). He had other small hits in the 1950s including "The Berry Tree" and covers of "High Noon" and "Wringle, Wrangle"; the latter was his only other Hot 100 hit, reaching #33 in 1957.[1]

On Days of Our Lives, Hayes was introduced as a convict who was also a lounge singer.[3]

The character of Doug returned in 1986 and 1987 as well as 1993 and 1996. Most recently, he has been on the show since 1999. His character was killed off in the spring of 2004 by Dr. Marlena Evans. In an elaborate plot hatched by head writer James E. Reilly, Doug turned up alive on a tropical island and went home to his wife.[4]

In 2017, World by the Tail, a documentary about Bill Hayes's life, was released and made available for his fans to watch online.[5]

On June 27, 2017, while present in the show's audience, Hayes was featured in an impromptu interview on a web special for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; in his heyday, he had been a guest on the Johnny Carson-hosted version of the show.[6]

Personal life

Hayes graduated from DePauw University with majors in music and English and became a member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Hayes earned a master's degree in music from Northwestern University[7] and a Ph.D. in education from West Virginia University.[8]

Hayes was previously married to Mary Hobbs from 1947 to 1969; they had five children. He has been married to Days of our Lives co-star Susan Seaforth Hayes since 1974.[9]

Their relationship was so popular that they were featured on the cover of Time in 1976, the only soap opera stars to hold that distinction to date. In 2005, the couple published their joint autobiography, Like Sands Through the Hourglass. The couple also supports the West Texas Rehab Center, hosting the annual telethon in Abilene, Texas.

Roles
  • Days of our Lives (Doug Williams: 1970 -1984; 1986–1987; 1993; 1994; 1996; 1999–present (recurring)
  • Miracle at Gate 213 (TV Film) – Louis Darling (2013)[10]
  • Frasier (TV Series) (Frasier Has Spokane) – Sully (2002)
  • Matlock (TV Series) (The Reunion) – George Dutton (1988)[11]
  • Password Plus – Himself (1979)
  • Cade's County (TV Series) (1972)[12]
  • The Interns (TV Series) (The Price of Life) – Vern Anderson (1970)[12][13]
  • The Wednesday Play – In Two Minds (1967)
  • Once Upon a Mattress (TV Special) – Minstrel (1964)[14]
  • The Cardinal (Film) – Frank (1964)
  • True Story (TV Series) – Larry Foster (1961)
  • Here's Hollywood (TV Variety Series) – Himself-multiple appearances (1961)[15]
  • Show of the Week-Music of the Thirties – Himself (1961)[16]
  • Music for a Christmas Night – The Gift of Song (TV Music Special) – Himself (1960)[17]
  • Bell Telephone Hour (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1960)
  • Voice of Firestone (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1959)[18]
  • Oldsmobile Music Theater (TV Drama Series) – Host (1959)[19]
  • Kiss Me Kate (TV Special) – Bill Calhoun/Lucentio (1958)[20]
  • Little Women (TV Special-Musical) – John Brooke (1958)[21]
  • Yeoman of the Guard (Hallmark Hall of Fame TV Special) – Colonel Fairfax (1957)[22]
  • The Big Record (TV Variety Series) – Himself-multiple appearances (1957)[23][24][25]
  • Club 60 (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1957)[26]
  • Max Liebman Presents (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1956)[27]
  • The Ernie Kovacs Show (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1956)[28]
  • Rocket Revue (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1956)[29]
  • Variety (TV Special) (1955)[30]
  • Percy Faith Hour (TV Variety Series) (1955)[31]
  • The Woolworth Hour (TV Variety Series) (1955)[32]
  • General Foods 25th Anniversary Show: A Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein (1954)[33]
  • Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town (TV Variety Series) (1953)[34]
  • Stop, You're Killing Me (Film) – Chance Whitelaw (1952)[35]

Awards and nominations
  • Daytime Emmy Award: Outstanding Actor, Daytime Drama Series (nomination) (1975[36] and 1976[37])
  • Soapy Awards: Actor of the Year (1977)[38]
  • Daytime TV Magazine Reader's Poll: Best Actor (1973,[39] 1976,[40] 1977,[41] and 1978[42])
  • Afternoon TV Magazine: Best Actor (1974)[43]
  • Photoplay Magazine Gold Medal Award: Favorite Daytime Male Star (1977[44] and 1978[45])

In 2016, the Bill Hayes Prize in Musical Theater was created by the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

On April 29, 2018, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 45th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.[46]

See also

References
  1. Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles, 12th edn, 2009.
  2. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 74. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  3. Cushman, Dustin. "Remembering Doug Williams' 5 Most Memorable Days of our Lives Moments on Bill Hayes' 95th Birthday". soaps.sheknows.com. SheKnows Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  4. "Who's Who in Salem: Douglas Williams". soapcentral.com. SoapCentral.com. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  5. "World by the Tail – The Bill Hayes story". Retrieved 2017-06-28.
  6. "Jimmy Honors 92-Year-Old Audience Member Who Was a Guest on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show". YouTube.com. June 27, 2017.
  7. Cushman, Dustin. "Remembering Doug Williams' 5 Most Memorable Days of our Lives Moments on Bill Hayes' 95th Birthday". soaps.sheknows.com. SheKnows Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  8. "BILL HAYES '47 OF TV'S DAYS OF OUR LIVES REFLECTS ON DEPAUW AND LIFE AS AN ENTERTAINER IN MEMOIR". depauw.edu. DePauw University. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  9. "Susan Seaforth Hayes bio". web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 2009-10-08.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. "Miracle at Gate 213 (TV Movie 2013) – Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  11. "Matlock – The Reunion (TV Episode 1988)". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  12. "1 Feb 1973, Page 12 – The Cincinnati Enquirer". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  13. "The Interns – The Price of Life (TV Episode 1970)". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  14. "30 May 1964, Page 23 – The Burlington Free Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  15. "8 Sep 1961, Page 41 – The Pittsburgh Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  16. "5 Nov 1961, Page 87 – The Pittsburgh Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  17. "25 Dec 1960, Page 16 – The Pittsburgh Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  18. "22 Feb 1959, Page 126 – The Pittsburgh Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  19. "16 Apr 1959, Page 55 – The Pittsburgh Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  20. "20 Nov 1958, Page 20 – The Courier-Journal". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  21. "16 Oct 1958, Page 39 – The Los Angeles Times". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  22. "6 Apr 1957, Page 5 – The Pantagraph". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  23. "3 Nov 1957, Page 147 – The Los Angeles Times". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  24. "7 Dec 1957, Page 34 – Daily Independent Journal". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  25. "11 Dec 1957, Page 38 – Daily Independent Journal". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  26. "13 Jun 1957, Page 51 – The Pittsburgh Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  27. "26 Feb 1956, Page 113 – The Pittsburgh Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  28. "3 Sep 1956, Page 33 – The Pittsburgh Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  29. "8 Nov 1956, Page 63 – The Pittsburgh Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  30. "30 Jan 1955, Page 81 – The Courier-Journal". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  31. "26 Jun 1955, Page 115 – The Indianapolis Star". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  32. "31 Dec 1955, Page 2 – The Mason City Globe-Gazette". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  33. General Foods 25th Anniversary Show: A Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein(1954) at IMDb
  34. "3 Aug 1953, Page 28 – Tucson Daily Citizen". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  35. "30 Nov 1952, Page 29 – The Brooklyn Daily Eagle". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  36. "18 Apr 1975, Page 106 – The Los Angeles Times". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  37. "2 May 1976, Page 132 – The Odessa American". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  38. "30 Oct 1977, Page 80 – The Lawton Constitution". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  39. "2 Jun 1973, Page 19 – The Ogden Standard-Examiner". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  40. "4 Jul 1976, Page 341 – Independent Press-Telegram". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  41. "24 May 1977, Page 25 – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  42. "A Celebration of the Super 70s 1970–1980". The Best of Daytime TV, No. 4. Sterling's Magazines, Inc. p. 3. 1979.
  43. "12 Jul 1974, Page 24 - The Daily Standard". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  44. "19 Jun 1977, Page 12 – The Waxahachie Daily Light". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  45. "19 Nov 1978, Page 196 – Asbury Park Press". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  46. Yahr, Emily (2018-04-30). "You probably missed the Daytime Emmy Awards, but here are 6 moments you'll wish you saw". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
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