Bill Hayes (actor)
William "Bill" Foster Hayes III (born June 5, 1925) is an American actor and a Billboard Hot 100 #1 recording artist. 

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, sold over two million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. 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.

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

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.

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

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.

Personal life
Hayes graduated from DePauw University with majors in music and English and became a member of Lambda Chi Alpha.

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.

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)
Frasier (TV Series) (Frasier Has Spokane) – Sully (2002)
Matlock (TV Series) (The Reunion) – George Dutton (1988)
Cade's County (TV Series) (1972)
The Interns (TV Series) (The Price of Life) – Vern Anderson (1970)
The Wednesday Play – In Two Minds (1967)
Once Upon a Mattress (TV Special) – Minstrel (1964)
The Cardinal (Film) – Frank (1964)
True Story (TV Series) – Larry Foster (1961)
Here's Hollywood (TV Variety Series) – Himself-multiple appearances (1961)
Show of the Week-Music of the Thirties – Himself (1961)
Music for a Christmas Night – The Gift of Song (TV Music Special) – Himself (1960)
Bell Telephone Hour (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1960)
Voice of Firestone (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1959)
Oldsmobile Music Theater (TV Drama Series) – Host (1959)
Kiss Me Kate (TV Special) – Bill Calhoun/Lucentio (1958)
Little Women (TV Special-Musical) – John Brooke (1958)
Yeoman of the Guard (Hallmark Hall of Fame TV Special) – Colonel Fairfax (1957)
The Big Record (TV Variety Series) – Himself-multiple appearances (1957)
Club 60 (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1957)
Max Liebman Presents (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1956)
The Ernie Kovacs Show (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1956)
Rocket Revue (TV Variety Series) – Himself (1956)
Variety (TV Special) (1955)
Percy Faith Hour (TV Variety Series) (1955)
The Woolworth Hour (TV Variety Series) (1955)
General Foods 25th Anniversary Show: A Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein (1954)
Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town (TV Variety Series) (1953)
Stop, You're Killing Me (Film) – Chance Whitelaw (1952)

Awards and nominations
Daytime Emmy Award: Outstanding Actor, Daytime Drama Series (nomination) (1975 and 1976)
Soapy Awards:  Actor of the Year (1977)
Daytime TV Magazine Reader's Poll:  Best Actor (1973, 1976, 1977, and 1978)
Afternoon TV Magazine:  Best Actor (1974)
Photoplay Magazine Gold Medal Award:  Favorite Daytime Male Star (1977 and 1978)
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.