‘Days of Our Lives’ Interview: Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth-Hayes Recall Doug and Julie Married In Front Of 16 Million Viewers – Only 16 Guests at Real Wedding!

“Days of Our Lives” stars Bill Hayes (Doug Williams) and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Olson Williams) have Bill Bell to thank for the 41 years they have been married. In a recent interview with Huff Post Canada the couple talked about how their on-screen chemistry led to a wedding seen by 16 million “DOOL” viewers.

Did you know that Doug and Julie weren’t meant to be long-term characters on “DOOL”? Bill explained that Julie and Doug were meant to be “throw away characters” – just a blip on the daytime drama’s map. But Bill Bell – the head writer at the time– saw something happening between Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth that brought magic to Doug and Julie. Bell tossed the storylines already planned and wrote a romance for the couple.

While Doug William and Julie Olson were falling in love on “Days of Our Lives” Hayes and Seaforth were falling in love in real life. Bill and Susan were married in 1974 and their off-screen wedding spilled over into Doug and Julie’s 1976 on-screen wedding.

Bill and Susan explained that “DOOL” writers decided to use the same vows and same ceremony Julie and Doug’s wedding as Susan and Bill had used for their 1974 wedding. “But instead of 16 people [in our living room], we got married in front of 16 million viewers. Live from Australia. Yeah it was a biggie,” the couple remembers.

Susan Seaforth-Hayes also remembered that Doug and Julie’s wedding “wasn’t interrupted by a murder, no motorcycle came through the stained glass window.” As Susan and Bill continued the interview they tenderly talked about their off-screen marriage, Seaforth-Hayes said, “I knew this was forever. And the enormity of forever, the responsibility and enormity of forever, and the great good luck was a big deal.”

Bill Hayes agreed, “We gotta good thing and appreciate it. And we’re grateful for it.” The couple began to tear up a little bit and Susan reached up and brushed her hand gently alongside Bill’s head. What advice do Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth-Hayes have for a successful and happy marriage? Susan believes courtesy, respect for the work – whatever the work is. Have a sense of humor and relax. “If you committed to a wedding you can relax a little bit,” Susan laughingly shared.

Doug and Julie Williams have a “Days of Our Lives” epic love story for the ages, one of the greatest ever told in the history of soap operas. Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth-Hayes also have an epic love story, but without so many ups-and-downs as their on-screen counterparts.

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