Days of Our Lives fans were given a heartfelt farewell to Bill Hayes, the cherished actor who portrayed Doug Williams, in the final episode featuring his character. Hayes, who passed away in January at the age of 98, shared his last scene with his real-life wife, Susan Seaforth Hayes, who plays Doug’s on-screen wife, Julie Williams.
In this poignant episode, Doug and Julie reflect on their enduring love story, reminiscing about their journey together. Julie recalls the first time she saw Doug, expressing how she felt lost and captivated by him. She speaks of the trials and missed connections they faced, ultimately celebrating the love they found and the passionate moments they shared.
“All the trials we had, all those misconnections. And then I finally won the gold ring … All your passionate kisses,” Julie says to Doug.
Doug responds with heartfelt emotion, “I became a new man. I had to change to deserve you.”
Julie adds, “Oh, you brought out the best in me. You never let anyone in this family down, ever. You showed me the whole world. Every continent. We saw the beauty of the earth.”
The scene concludes with a tender kiss, marking the end of an era for Days of Our Lives. The show commemorated this moment on Instagram, stating, “Today marks the end of an era as we watch Bill Hayes’ final episode on #daysofourlives. His incredible talent and presence graced our screens for over five decades, bringing joy, drama, and unforgettable moments to Salem. Thank you, Bill, for all the memories and the remarkable legacy you created. We miss you!”
Bill Hayes began his role on Days of Our Lives in 1970, and he and Susan were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Daytime Emmys in 2018. Executive Producer Ken Corday expressed his deep admiration for Hayes, saying, “I have known Bill for most of my life and he embodied the heart and soul of Days of our Lives. 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.”
Susan Seaforth Hayes also shared her thoughts on Bill’s passing, expressing gratitude to fans for their support. “To all of you who honored my Billy with a word of remembrance, a sense of personal loss, or even a tear — I thank you,” she wrote on Instagram. “You touched my heart by seeing in him the goodness and joy I experienced every moment of our wonderful marriage. May we all embrace life with the gusto of Bill Hayes — and enrich it with grace and love.”
Bill Hayes’ final scenes were filmed just weeks before his passing in December 2023. Despite losing his vision, he delivered a performance that resonated deeply with fans. Susan revealed in an interview how she had a hand in crafting the dialogue for their final scene, making it more personal and meaningful. “There were two pages about us, and they were written with care, but they were rather generic,” she recalled. “I thought since Bill’s health had deteriorated rather rapidly, that it might be the final episode for the two of us together. So, I asked permission if I could manipulate the words a bit, and perhaps add or subtract. Very graciously, our producers allowed me to do that.”
Susan continued, “Bill’s first law of a happy relationship was you kiss each other first thing in the morning and you kiss each other last thing at night, and we always did.”
The show plans to honor Bill Hayes further in upcoming episodes, particularly during Doug’s memorial episodes in December. Susan mentioned, “It’s going to be handled beautifully from the scripts that I have seen and for the shows that I have done. It’s going to be handled with more gentility and love than I have ever seen displayed since we lost Francis Reid (ex-Alice) and MacDonald Carey (ex-Tom).”
Reflecting on Bill’s final moments, Susan shared a touching story about his passing. “We were all on our way to the store, and I went over to the bedside and said, ‘We’re just gonna be away for a few minutes, darling, but we’ll be right back.’ We all piled into the car, and we got to the store, and we got a telephone call from Bill’s son. He said, ‘Come right now. Come now.’ That was the one day when we couldn’t park easily, and I’m running and running to get to the car to get back. My daughter is holding my hand saying, ‘Breathe, Susan. Breathe.’ We came through the door and he was gone. We were all around him saying goodbye, kissing him, loving him. People asked, ‘Do you suppose he waited until you were ready to leave the house to say goodbye so you wouldn’t be there? So he was free to go?’ Maybe that was true. I would’ve wanted to be holding his hand at that moment, but I’ve been holding it for more than 50 years. He knew how much he was loved. So, I think it was a beautiful passing.”
Susan expressed her gratitude for still being part of Days of Our Lives and working with the cast, which has helped her cope with the loss of her longtime partner. The final scene between Doug and Julie, filled with love and nostalgia, left a lasting impact on fans, reminding them of the incredible legacy Bill Hayes left behind.
Source: Deadline, Us Weekly
