American Actor Bill Hayes, who spent more than 50 years starring in the serial opera ‘Days Of Our Lives’, died in Los Angeles at the age of 98.
Here are five points on the actor:
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Mr Hayes was born William Foster Hayes III in Harvey, Illinois on June 5, 1925. He was a violinist and singer in the school band at Thornton Township High School. Eventually, he began his career as a musician and had a hit with The Ballad of Davy Crockett, as per the BBC.
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He majored in English and music at DePauw University before joining the Navy Air Corps and serving for two years there, training to become a fighter pilot. He graduated in 1947, as per a report in the Hollywood Reporter.
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In February 1970, he was cast as a convict and lounge singer on NBC’s ‘Days Of Our Lives’, which became his most well-known role. He continued to play the role of Doug Williams on and off for fifty years, until last year.
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The actor married Seaforth Hayes, who played the character of Julie Williams on the show. They played an on-screen couple and then became a real-life couple in 1974. Mr Hayes and Seaforth Hayes were honoured with the Daytime Emmys Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2018.
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Mr Hayes has five children together from a prior marriage with Mary Hobbs.