Susan Hayes

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Susan Hayes
Salem Presence
1968 to 1987; 1990 to 1994; 1996; 1999 to January 24, 2012
At A Glance

Susan Hayes, professional actress by trade, is an historian by desire. Her degree from Los Angeles City College is in history, and the stack of books at her deskside reflects an intense interest in the American West and diverse Native American cultures. Had she not been so talented an actress, she probably would be teaching today, or writing history books.

But it seems that Susan was destined to spend her life on stage and in front of the cameras. Her initial theatrical experience was at the age of four, playing Trouble to Dorothy Kirsten's Madame Butterfly for the Metropolitan Opera company. As a pre-teen, she toured with Billie Burke in Mother was a Bachelor, and as a teenager, she developed her crafts in the exciting world of television with appearances on: Matinee Theatre, Lassie, Eve Arden, Wyatt Earp, Loretta Young, Danny Thomas; and films: Five Pennies, Angel in My Pocket, Billy, and California.

Susan plugged away at her college studies, interspersing classes with film, TV, and stage work. She plumbed emotional depths on TV's Dragnet, FBI, Death Valley Days, Bonanza, Hallmark, My 3 Sons, Fugitive, Hawaiian Eye, 77 Sunset Strip, Man from UNCLE, Wagon Train, Perry Mason, Emergency, Adam 12, and Ironside. But when she discovered the exciting/demanding world of soaps Susan was forced to curtail her academic work. Young Married, General Hospital, The Young and the Restless, and Days of our Lives put a serious dent in her classroom attendance record. This was not without its rewards, however, as the sudsy genre produced for her four Emmy nominations, several Best Actress Awards, a Time magazine cover, many years of Top-Ten Lists in fan-mags, and even a husband, when in 1974 Susan married her Days of our Live co-star Bill Hayes.

In recent years, though Susan lectured at Los Angeles Valley College and Boston University, her time still was primarily devoted to stage, TV and film. In 1997, Susan co-starred in the premiere of Bernard Slade's new play Same Time Another Year. In the spring of 1999, she created the take-charge role of District Attorney Steel on NBC's Sunset Beach and in the fall of 1999, she returned once again to add her personal spice to the character of Julie on Days of our Lives. History will just have to wait while Susan does her thing.

Acting Portfolio: TELEVISION
The Bold and the Beautiful
Joanna Manning
2003

Sunset Beach
Patricia Steele
1999

The Young and the Restless
Joanna Manning
1984 to December 11, 1986; December 2005; December 2006; August 17 and 18, 2010

Days of our Lives
Julie Olson Williams
1968 to 1987; 1990 to 1994; 1996; 1999 to January 24, 2012

General Hospital
Dorothy Bradley
1963

For a complete listing of Ms. Hays' television appearances, click here.
Acting Portfolio: FILM
Gunfight at Comanche Creek
Janie
1963

Billie
Jean Matthews
1963

If He Hollers, Let Him Go!
Sally Blair
1968

Angel in My Pocket
Mrs. Grant
1969

Wrestling With God
Jane Campbell
1990

Dream Machine
Margo Chamberlain
1991

Knight to F4
Mrs. Schneider
2009
Acting Portfolio: THEATER
Madame Butterfly 
Trouble

Mother was a Bachelor

Same Time Another Year
1997
Awards & Acclaim
Daytime Emmys Nomination, Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series (1978, 1979)
Daytime Emmys Nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series (2020)

Daytime Emmys Pre-Nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actress (2018; for Days of our Lives)
Vital Statistics
FULL NAME: Susan Seaforth
DATE OF BIRTH: July 11, 1943

PLACE OF BIRTH: Oakland, California, USA
MARITAL STATUS: Married to Bill Hayes since October 12, 1974
RELATIVES: Elizabeth Harrower (mother)

News Archives
Related Information

MAKING HEADLINES: SOAP OPERA NEWS, UPDATES, AND HEADLINES

THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
DAYS OF OUR LIVES
GENERAL HOSPITAL
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
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