Bill Hayes, who was best known for his portrayal of Doug Williams on the long-running soap opera series Days Of Our Lives, has passed away at the age of 98.

The news about the late performer’s passing was confirmed in a statement to TVLine on Friday.

The actor’s — who celebrated his 98th birthday on the set of the show — official cause of death has not been revealed.

The statement regarding Hayes’ passing began by illustrating the impact that the performer had on the show.

‘One of the longest running characters on Days Of Our Lives, Bill originated the role of Doug Williams in 1970 and portrayed him continuously throughout his life,’ it read.

Bill Hayes, who was best known for his portrayal of Doug Williams on the long-running soap opera series Days Of Our Lives, has passed away at the age of 98; seen in 2015

The performer’s connection with his longtime wife and co-star, Susan Seaforth Hayes, was also illustrated in the statement, and they were described as having served as ‘the foundation of the Williams-Horton family.’

The show’s executive producer, Ken Corday, went on to speak about how Hayes, who first portrayed Williams in 1970 and went on to intermittently reprise his role over the next five decades, would be sorely missed by his loved ones. 

‘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,’ he said.

The late performer, whose birth name was William Foster Hayes III, was born in Harvey, Illinois, on June 5, 1925.

The actor enlisted in the Navy Air Corps in 1943 while attending DePauw University and trained as a fighter pilot for over two years, although World War II ended shortly before he was set to ship out to service.

Hayes went on to receive Bachelor of Arts degrees in both music and English, and he went on to earn a doctoral degree from West Virginia University in 1998.

The performer’s first marriage was to Mary Hobbs, which lasted from 1947 to 1969, and the couple welcomed a total of five children during their union.

The late actor went on to meet Seaforth Hayes, who plays Julie Olson Williams on Days Of Our Lives, on the set of the soap opera, and they tied the knot in 1974.

The actor’s official cause of death – who celebrated his 98th birthday on the set of the show – has not been revealed; seen with wife Susan Seaforth Hayes

The late performer, whose birth name was William Foster Hayes III, was born in Harvey, Illinois, on June 5, 1925; seen in 2018

The late actor went on to meet Seaforth Hayes, who plays Julie Olson Williams on Days Of Our Lives, on the set of the soap opera, and they tied the knot in 1974

Hayes portrayed Williams consistently from 1970 until 1984, and again from 1986 until 1987, after which he made recurrent appearances as the character over the next few decades; seen with Seaforth Hayes in 2018

He received two separate nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series over the length of his career; seen in 2015

Hayes portrayed Williams consistently from 1970 until 1984, and again from 1986 until 1987, after which he made recurrent appearances as the character over the next few decades. 

He received two separate nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series over the length of his career.

The late performer also had a musical career, and he recorded a version of The Ballad of Davy Crockett that became wildly popular upon its release in 1955.

A documentary centered on Hayes’ life, entitled World by the Tail, was made available to the public in 2017.