Susan Seaforth Hayes Reflects On Soap Operas And The Culture Of The 1960s

Daytime Soap Stop

Oct 6, 2025

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Daytime legend Susan Seaforth Hayes, best known for her decades-long run as Julie Williams on Days of Our Lives, recently opened up about how soaps have always been more than just entertainment. They’ve mirrored the times, even when audiences didn’t fully realize it.

Susan Seaforth Hayes Reflects On Soap Operas And The Culture Of The 1960s

Soaps as a Cultural Mirror

“You don’t think of these shows as representing the culture of the time,” Hayes explained, “but the ’60s were turbulent, and our people were phasing out suits and ties.” Indeed, just as the world around them was experiencing seismic cultural shifts—civil rights, political upheaval, and generational clashes- daytime dramas subtly evolved to reflect those changes.

Bill Hayes Brings a New Edge

When her husband, the late Bill Hayes, first joined Days in the 1970s as Doug Williams, he wasn’t the wholesome leading man he later became. “When my husband Bill Hayes came on the show, he was a new character who was not a good guy,” she recalled. That edge set him apart from the traditional soap heroes of the time.

A Mod Look for a Modern Era

Hayes remembers the era vividly: “Of course, he came in with a mod walker in those days. He sometimes supplied much of his own wardrobe—and he did. He looked different. He was different. The times were different.” Bill’s style—fresh, bold, and youthful—brought an authenticity that perfectly captured the shifting cultural landscape.

The Legacy of Change

Susan’s reflections remind fans that soaps are living time capsules. From fashion to attitudes to social dynamics, they’ve always reflected the world outside the studio doors. What started as a reflection of 1960s turbulence grew into decades of storytelling that made Doug and Julie the ultimate daytime supercouple.