"He’s been on the show since [1970]. And he’s enjoyed every minute of it," his wife, Susan Seaforth Hayes said.
Bill Hayes marked his 98th birthday on the sets of the Peacock soap opera on Wednesday, June 7 in the presence of his costars. The veteran actor shared a video on his Instagram that gave a glimpse of the celebration. A chocolate cake featuring an image of the actor from his younger days with candles of 9 and 8 was the feature of the night. Hayes can be seen celebrating his birthday with his wife, Susan Seaforth Hayes as he holds her hand and admires the cake.
Adorning a grey-striped suit and red shirt, The Days of Our Lives star looked adorable as he shared the moment with his wife. The actor who played the lead role of Doug Williams in the show for over fifty years was joined for the occasion by fellow actors on the set of the show, per PEOPLE. “So Billy had his 98th birthday on Monday. He’s been on the show since 1960..." Susan said in the video, before Bill corrected his wife, noting he began starring in the series in 1970. “1970,” continued Susan. “And he’s enjoyed every minute of it. He was the first performer to sing on daytime television,” she added.
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The video ended with the words, “Here’s to more years in Salem… and more birthdays, too!” The post was captioned, "Thank you to our cast and crew for celebrating Billy’s 98th Birthday on set today. And the double chocolate cake was delicious! 🎂❤️,” by the actor.
People bombarded the comment section of the post with wishes for the actor. Mary Beth Evans, who plays Kayla Brady, wrote, “Love you!!!! Happy happy birthday!!!” Evans, 62, also referred to Bill as “remarkable” in a post on her own Instagram. “Your talent, love of life, and infectious happiness are inspirations to many, especially me!” she wrote alongside a picture of the pair together.
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Meanwhile, Nadia Bjorlin, who plays Chloe Lane, said, “Happy Birthday Bill! You’re a legend and I just adore you and Susan!” Bill previously celebrated his 50th anniversary on the show in 2020. Before that, two years earlier in 2018, he received the Daytime Emmy's Lifetime Achievement Award for his portrayal of Doug.
Days of Our Lives initially premiered on NBC in 1965 and continued its run on the network until September 2022. After that, the show moved to the streaming platform Peacock.
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In July 1970, four years after Bill and Susan's characters shared their first kiss on the soap, the actors tied the knot in real life in October 1974. Following that, their characters on Days of Our Lives got married on October 1, 1976, marking their on-screen wedding.
References:
https://people.com/days-of-our-lives-bill-hayes-celebrates-98th-birthday-on-soap-set-7509656
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by David Livingston
