Bill Hayes (born 5 June 1925)is an American actor and a Billboard Hot 100 #1 recording artist.
He was born William Foster Hayes III and raised in the Midwest, his father was a bookseller (for 41 years). He got his talent from his dad who enjoyed singing and acting in the local community theatre. Bill entered WWII as a naval airman, then studied at De Pauw University, where he met and married first wife Mary. They went on to have five children. He later received his master's degree at Northwestern. 
Despite a wife and family to support, he left the show on his own volition for the chance to star in a new Broadway musical. "Me and Juliet" opened with moderate success in 1953 and lasted over a year, touring with the show in its aftermath. Bill also happened to record "The Ballad of Davey Crockett." It was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks, sold over two million copies and was
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awarded a gold disc. 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. A nightclub and TV-variety fixture in the late 1950s, he later managed to flex his vocal chords in such musicals as "Bye Bye Birdie" (national tour), "Brigadoon,""The Pajama Game" and "George M!"
The 1960s were a slow, difficult time for Bill professionally and personally, which culminated in the breakup of his marriage. Luck and talent played a part when he was hired to join the cast of Days of Our Lives (1965) playing the role of Doug Williams. The character was originally a louse and con artist, but grew
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more reputable after his character fell in love with feisty troublemaker Julie Olson, played by Susan Seaforth. Their seesaw romantic relationship became one of daytime's top story lines of the 1970s. Off-screen the couple also ignited sparks and, despite their major age difference (she is 18 years his junior), they married on October 12, 1974.
more reputable after his character fell in love with feisty troublemaker Julie Olson, played by Susan Seaforth. Their seesaw romantic relationship became one of daytime's top story lines of the 1970s. Off-screen the couple also ignited sparks and, despite their major age difference (she is 18 years his junior), they married on October 12, 1974.His character's partnership with Seaforth's character, Julie, is widely believed to be the first super-coupling on the American daytime serials. 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 1984, after 14 years and two daytime Emmy nominations, he and Susan left the show due to their dwindling status. While Susan went on to join the cast of The
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Young and the Restless (1973) the following year, Bill refocused on his singing by performing on the cabaret circuit and recording a few albums.
Young and the Restless (1973) the following year, Bill refocused on his singing by performing on the cabaret circuit and recording a few albums. The couple returned on and off to their soap opera alma mater over the years, but in 1999 they became part of the regular cast again with a stronger story line, only to have his character killed off in the spring of 2004 by Dr. Marlena Evans (This was done to reduce the show's budget). In an elaborate plot hatched by head writer James E. Reilly, Doug Williams turned up alive on a tropical island and went home to his wife. 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.
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.
Bill is still performing on stage, more recently playing Beauregard in "Mame" and with his wife in productions of "A Christmas Carol,""Love Letters" and "Same Time, Another Year," which is a sequel to "Same Time, Next Year. Despite his age – Bill Hayes is 95 years old – he doesn’t consider himself retired or even in retirement mode. Both he and Seaforth Hayes take advantage of every opportunity to portray the Days of our Lives beloved couple, Doug and Julie.
(Edited from IMDb, Wikipedia & soaps.sheknows.com)