Over the past few weeks, it seems like every time one turns around there is another celebrity dying.
This week, may we draw your attention to two nonagenarians, or people in their 90s, still doing their thing. It just so happens they are both appearing on the same television program.
“Days of Our Lives” has been running since Nov. 8, 1965. Several of the actors have been with the show a number of years.
Susan Seaforth Hayes has played Julie Olson Williams since 1968, but the character has appeared on the show since the first episode. Bill Hayes has played Doug Williams since 1970; the two actors have been married in real life since 1976. Susan’s mother, Elizabeth Harrower, was a writer on the show for many years. Bill had a long career on Broadway as well as in films and early television and had the No. 1 record of 1955, “The Ballad of Davy Crockett,” before he ever started appearing as Doug.
Suzanne Rogers has portrayed Maggie Simmons Horton Kiriakis since 1973, except for a period in 2003 when she was presumed dead (long story). Recently, an episode was dedicated to her 50th anniversary on the show. Viewers were treated to scenes of farm girl Maggie taking care of a man she thought to be Marty Hansen.
It was actually Mickey Horton, who was struggling with amnesia (another long story).
Another longtime performer on the show is Deidre Hall, who has played Dr. Marlena Evans Black since 1976. While she is a respected doctor, her character has probably gone through the most radical transformations over the years and she has certainly been involved in nearly all the outlandish plots the show has had to offer. She’s been presumed dead too from 1987-1991 (again, a very long story, but she was appearing on other TV shows during those years).
Over the past few years, “Days of Our Lives” has had some really entertaining guest stars and some have stayed on the cast. An example of the latter is Jackee Harry, known for her role as Sondra on the sitcom “227,” starring as Paulina Price Carver on the show.
For her first couple of years, she lived in apartment 227, and her mother on “Days of Our Lives” was played by Marla Gibbs — her former co-star from “227.”
This fall, “Days” has had another wonderful entertainer join the cast and his appearances have just been delightful thus far.
Dick Van Dyke has been appearing on stage and screen for nearly 70 years. He is one of the finest dancers, singers, actors and comedians to have ever emerged from the entertainment industry.
Van Dyke showed up on “Days” as a mystery man who couldn’t remember his name. Honestly, with as much amnesia as there is on this show, he fit right in with the other citizens of Salem.
But he happened to be in the hospital the same time as Bill Hayes’ character Doug, another ninety-something-year-old performer. Those two along with Susan Seaforth Hayes’ Julie had such an entertaining set of scenes singing and dancing together.
Delightfully old school, it was wonderful to see a modern series giving veterans like these the opportunity to do what it does best.
So who did the mystery man turn out to be?
After a few weeks on the job, Black Patch — that’s John and Steve’s detective agency — uncovered the true identity of Van Dyke’s character. After all the twists and turns of John Black’s identity over the years: a Vietnam veteran who chose the name off The Wall; Stefano DiMera’s pawn; then Roman Brady, then a jewel thief then a priest, and no telling what all else was tried.
We never really knew who he was at all except he was a mystery.
Dick Van Dyke’s character was revealed to be Timothy Robicheaux, the true father of John Black. After 40 years on the show, through all the wild and crazy storylines they have put us through, this may be the most satisfying conclusion to the mystery of John Black’s identity that “Days of Our Lives” could ever have accomplished. And despite what may seem like an odd choice for the part, the scenes in which Van Dyke and Drake Hogestyn embraced one another as father and son were some of the best the show has offered in years.
Bill Hayes and Dick Van Dyke are giving it their all on “Days of Our Lives” at ages 98 and 97, respectively, and it’s just amazing to see it happen in real time with two of the classiest pros in the business.
Michael Bird is a music teacher with Tallassee City Schools.
