The Dashing Doug Williams Thread

[DisneyBoy]

Since Bill Hayes recently celebrated his 98th (!) birthday, it seems only appropriate to honor one of Salem's true legends (and by extension, his wife and on-screen partner, Susan). Doug is a classic piece of the Days of our Lives puzzle that has stood the test of time. And he sings too!

Forgive the probably only vague chronology. There's quite a few decades to cover!

 

Edited June 18, 2023 by DisneyBoy

[FrankOFoley]

Thank you to Bill for all the wonderful stories and thank you to DisneyBoy for posting this montage.

[CanaryFan98]

He's a treasure thank you for posting those pics.

[WendyCR72]

I always thought it sort of clever/funny how ex-con Doug got his "new" name from his birth name. (Perhaps deciding on a new name for a new life?) Per all the soap historical sites, Doug's real name was Brent Douglas. So, he turned his last name into his first name!

[DisneyBoy]

Back in the day, did he get to sing a lot on the show? Did they cough up the cash for hit tunes on a regular basis?

[CanaryFan98]

3 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Back in the day, did he get to sing a lot on the show? Did they cough up the cash for hit tunes on a regular basis?

Yes he sang on the show most of it was before my time.

[DisneyBoy]

Same. I was just curious what he managed to cover.

[Soapy Goddess]

5 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Same. I was just curious what he managed to cover.

Mostly show tunes. Nothing popular of the era.  

[DisneyBoy]

I wonder if Doug will remain mostly seated from now on. It seems that way...not that it's unthinkable at his age.

It so impresses me how these veterans of the industry continue to show up in wheelchairs or seated, whatever the case, to do what they love doing and be there for viewers and their castmates.

[DanaMB]

6 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

I wonder if Doug will remain mostly seated from now on. It seems that way...not that it's unthinkable at his age.

Like John Aniston. 

[oceanblue]

He sang a lot at Doug's Place.  Usually stuff I've never heard of, but he made it work.  The big song was "the most beautiful girl in the world" which I fully expected to hear again in some of the Doug and Julie scenes meant to be touching.  He'd sing it to her all the time.  

[DisneyBoy]

Not to be a massive downer, but I'm starting to wonder how many more times we'll see Doug. Holidays are coming up...but he's been scarce since DVD's guest spot.

I don't look forward to the pain SSH will experience, I can tell you that 🙁 She's in a rough spot.

[CanaryFan98]

15 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Not to be a massive downer, but I'm starting to wonder how many more times we'll see Doug. Holidays are coming up...but he's been scarce since DVD's guest spot.

I don't look forward to the pain SSH will experience, I can tell you that 🙁 She's in a rough spot.

On Twitter he congratulated her on her 55th anniversary(which was on Monday).

 

 

https://twitter.com/DaysHayes/status/1734271999932014903

 

Also KA posted this on her IG

https://twitter.com/annaaliciajelic/status/1734514704700055974

[methodwriter85]

Man, I hope he makes his centennial. I still can't get over Betty White going just a few days shy of hers.

[oceanblue]

Great Pics.  In their joint bio he calls KA his bonus daughter.

[WendyCR72]

16 minutes ago, oceanblue said:

Great Pics.  In their joint bio he calls KA his bonus daughter.

Awww, that's sweet!

[CanaryFan98]

I've been catching up on Doug clips and here are a couple

 

(1) Daily Days Of Our Lives on X: "Bill Hayes returns as Doug. (January 1993) #RememberingBillHayes #days #DaysofourLives https://t.co/5F5UjM1Yxf" / X (twitter.com)

 

Jane on X: "Doug with Addie after the birth of Hope. Doug chose Hope’s name, January 1974. #RememberingBillHayes #BillHayes #Days #ClassicDays https://t.co/b927og3YkN" / X (twitter.com)

[CanaryFan98]

The last scene Doug/Julie will have will probably make me ugly cry

 

Hall ♟️ Monitor on X: "Bill & Susan's final scene from Jason47 😍😭 #Days https://t.co/bx8OFVsgf9" / X (twitter.com)

[DisneyBoy]

We'll all be choking up, I suspect.

If they have any brains at all, they'll get KA back and insert scenes of Hope being around, so even though she shares no scenes with Doug, she'll seemingly get some more time with her Dad.

[oceanblue]

It will be horrible storytelling if Hope, Bo, Shawn, Belle and Claire are all off screen when Doug dies.  

[CanaryFan98]

14 hours ago, oceanblue said:

It will be horrible storytelling if Hope, Bo, Shawn, Belle and Claire are all off screen when Doug dies.  

Yet it's sadly on brand with this show especially if Ron is writing it(although I can't blame him for the trash budget of this show).

[DisneyBoy]

 

I highly recommend watching this admittedly difficult interview, where Susan tearfully explains Bill's last day on set, and what's to come.

Amazing of her to open up like this, on her birthday no less.

Those last words between them? Susan rewrote them.

Also, Bill was pretty much blind at the time.

❤

Edited July 12 by DisneyBoy

[CanaryFan98]

On 1/27/2024 at 11:04 AM, CanaryFan98 said:

Yet it's sadly on brand with this show especially if Ron is writing it(although I can't blame him for the trash budget of this show).

I forgot this thread but based on spoilers it looks like we're getting more people than we thought.