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Soap Opera Icon Bill Hayes Dies at Age 98

Bill Hayes, as well as his wife and co-star Susan Seaforth Hayes, were considered the first couple of daytime television and the only soap stars to appear on the cover of Time.

Days of Our Lives star Bill Hayes, who alongside his wife and co-star Susan Seaforth Hayes were considered the first couple of daytime television, died Friday in Los Angeles, a rep told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 98. Hayes found fame on the variety program Your Show of Shows, before landing a No.1 hit in 1955 with the song “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.” He also had a nightclub act with The Brady Bunch star Florence Henderson. However, it was playing Doug Williams on Days of our Lives, a role he originated in 1970, where he found his largest fan base. He married Seaforth Hayes in 1974, two years before their characters on the show also tied the knot. They received a lifetime achievement award at the Daytime Emmys in April 2018.