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As Dick Van Dyke Turns 100, ‘Days of our Lives’ Susan Seaforth Hayes Shares the Behind the Scenes Story of Their Song and Dance (Exclusive)

By Michael Fairman

Published

10 months ago

on

Photo: JPI

This week, Dick Van Dyke turns 100-years old on December 13. In honor of the incredible milestone and his lifetime, the documentary, Dick Van Dyke 100th Celebration plays in theaters nationwide during his birthday weekend from December 13-14.

Days of our Lives fans know that back in the summer of 2024, the legendary TV icon took home the gold at the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards, in the Outstanding Guest Performer in a Daytime Drama Series category for his performance as John Black’s (the late Drake Hogestyn) father, Timothy Robicheaux.

During Van Dyke’s run on DAYS in 2023, two other legends, Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Doug and Julie Williams) shared scenes with him, and a particular song and dance. In a recent interview now on the Michael Fairman Channel, Seaforth Hayes, who was reflecting on the soap opera’s 60th anniversary last month in November, picked working with Van Dyke as the person she was most excited to work with came onto the show.

Photo: JPI

However, as Susan detailed, with the amount of time, she, and her late husband Bill Hayes, and Dick Van Dyke, had to work out the musical number to “Tea for Two,” it wasn’t all smooth sailing. But, the true pro’s that Susan, Bill and Dick were, they somehow pulled it off!

“Dick Van Dyke was a huge event (for our show). He was a fan of Drake Hogestyn”, recalled Susan. “They had worked out together in the gym in Malibu and were friends. Dick was always saying how much he wanted to work on soap. Billy and I were told, ‘You’re going to get to do scenes with Dick Van Dyke, and you’re going to get to dance.’ They thought the two men should be dancing. Billy was confined to a wheelchair pretty much at that point, so the dance would be rather special. We were told that it was impossible to rehearse in advance. So, when we asked if Mr. Van Dyke could come to our house, they said said, ‘no’ we’re not insured for that.”‘

THE REHEARSAL

Figuring how to rehearse without Van Dyke, Susan and Bill improvised, “So, the song that we performed had to be public domain, so they chose Tea for Two,” continued Susan. “They told us they weren’t hiring a choreographer, so Bill and I hired our own choreographer. Dick could not come and rehearse with us, so we rehearsed in the living room. So, I worked with my assistant and Bill, and we staged the material. We get to the day we are taping it, and we go, ‘Where’s the pianist?’ They inform us there is no pianist, but they have a guitarist.”

When it was time to tape the song and dance, Susan explained what went down behind the scenes, “So we’re up that day. Dick comes in with his beautiful wife, Arlene Silver. Dick had four scenes with me prior to the number. He had been given a script, which was inaccurate for the day that we were actually shooting it. He was doing a wonderful performance, but struggling with the lines. I took the initiative to say, ‘Mr. Van Dyke, we are so thrilled that you are doing the show. It is an honor. You’re doing great. But please understand, there are days that are more difficult than other days. This may be one of them. Do not take it personally.’ This is me talking to Dick Van Dyke!”

Next, Susan recalled, “So the the guitarist looks at the antiquity of the cast and begins to play, Tea for two and two for Tea. Billy is saying that’s the wrong tempo. So, I said, okay, ‘Bill is going to set the tempo. Is that okay with everybody?’ No responses. So, we do the number. I am not a dancer, certainly not a tap dancer, certainly not on the level to be even in the same county with Dick Van Dyke!”

“He’s selling it. He’s doing some sort of steps that had nothing to do with what we had planned to rehearse. I’m doing some sort of movement off to one side, and then it ends”, recalls Hayes. We did one pickup, so it was basically one take. It was a milestone for the show. It was obviously an unforgettable day for me and Billy. And the funny thing was, it looked pretty good (in the end)!”

Looking back on her own iconic television career, the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award winner shared there are some people on her bucket list to work with, but all in all, she loves the cast she is a part of right now on the Peacock streaming soap opera. “I’d like to work with Tom Hanks. I’d like to meet Martin Scorsese. There’s a lot I’d like to do, but mostly I like doing the show that I do, and that we have the cast that we have, and I think we’re pretty good. But it was fantastic to work with Dick Van Dyke.”

So, did you love when Dick Van Dyke visited Days of our Lives? Did you enjoy the singing and dancing number with Bill and Susan and Dick that they clearly pulled off given all the constrains they had? What do you think about Dick Van Dyke turning 100? Share your thoughts and congrats via the comment section. and in case you missed it, check out our chat with Susan below, followed by the trailer for Van Dyke’s 100th birthday retrospective in theatres this coming weekend.

 

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Days Of Our Lives

DAYS OF OUR LIVES Preview: Kristen Locates an Alive Sophia, How Much Does Rita Know About the Birth of Dominic Marino?

Published

3 days ago

on

October 2, 2026

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Days of our Lives Preview

Next week, expected surprises and schemes on Days of our Lives. In official spoilers for episodes streaming on Peacock from October 5-9, it looks like Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) has hunted down a very much alive Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd), while Marlena (Deidre Hall) admits a deeply concerning confession to her daughter Belle (Martha Madison), and more.

As previously reported, Tajh Bellow (ex-TJ Ashford, General Hospital) is stepping in for one day for Tyler Joseph Andrews in the role of Theo Carver and will share scenes with Gabi (Cherie Jimenez), where Theo finally agrees to go along with Gabi’s plan, after she offered him a job.

Meanwhile, Gabi may have her hands full with Philip (John-Paul Lavoisier) whose big win in Monte Carlo may have sparked his gambling addiction … all over again, but Philip reveals her has a plan.

Kristen and Sophia Diner

Photo: Corday Productions

Sydney (Sydney Malekeh) is in for a shock when Dante (Franco LoPresti) arrives in Salem. Why is he in Salem? Is he part of the unraveling of the Dominic Marino mystery, since we know he seemed like he was talking to the man in Monte Carlo?

Will Marlena ever figure out what Rita (Maggie Carney) is hiding about the mystery of Dominic, and if Marlena is truly his birth mother or did something more suspicious go on and how deeply involved is Rita in this whole story?

EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) finally demands answers of his own from Rita after overhearing on today’s Cliffhanger Friday her conversation with Marlena. Will Rita cop to anything?

Then as noted, while everyone thinks Sophia took her own life, after Kristen “murdered” her, Kristen is infuriated to find she is somehow alive working as waitress in a diner in Kentucky. Will Kristen try to kill Sophia yet again?

Take a look at some of the additional spoilers for next week’s action on DAYS below.

Monday, October 5

Joy worries about her future.
Alex surprises Stephanie.
Chanel supports Johnny through a difficult decision.

Tuesday, October 6

Rachel gives Brady cause for concern.
Roman surprises Kate.

Wednesday, October 7

Leo’s good day takes an unexpected turn.
Brady is forced to make a difficult call.

Thursday, October 8

Paulina refuses to give up on Lani.
Chanel asks Johnny for a promise.

Friday, October 9

Stephanie and Alex steal a private moment.
Steve gets troubling news from Johnny.

So, what do you think will happen when Kristen finds that the woman she thought she murdered and framed (making it looking like a suicide) is alive and well and working in a diner far away from Salem? Was Rita more involved with Stefano DiMera than we even know? Who is the birth mother of Dominic? Is it really Marlena or did someone else carrying her child? And what of Dante? Why is he back in Salem? To get at Philip, or something else? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

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‘General Hospital’ Alum Tajh Bellow Fills In for ‘Days of our Lives’ Tyler Joseph Andrews in the Role of Theo Carver

Published

4 days ago

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October 1, 2026

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Tajh Bellow

After an earlier post on Thursday, October 1 about General Hospital alumni Tajh Bellow’s (ex-TJ Ashford) upcoming project from Issa Rae’s HOOPAE Digital, comes word that Bellow is temporarily stepping into the role of Days of our Lives Theo Carver to fill in for Tyler Joseph Andrews on the Peacock streaming soap opera.

According to TV Insider, Bellow will be making a one-day appearance next week on the October 6 episode of DAYS as Andrews was unable to make the tape date that was shot 10 months ago on a day last December. Andrews (pictured below) took over the role of Theo in September of 2025.

In Bellow’s upcoming episode as Theo, he will share scenes with Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez).  A DAYS spokesperson tells the outlet that Bellow “stepped seamlessly into the role, and the cast and crew were grateful for his professionalism and commitment, albeit for only one episode.”

Tyler Joseph Andrews and Cherie Jimenez

Photo: JPI

TAJH WILL BE SEEN IN MULTIPLE PROJECTS IN OCTOBER

As General Hospital fans know, Tajh played the role of TJ Ashford from 2018 to his last appearance in December of 2024. Along the way, he received two Daytime Emmy nominations for his performances as TJ, the last being in 2025 in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.

In addition, bellow along with Y&R alum Loren Lott will be seen starting on October 14 in the new Love Island spoof series, The Compatibility Experiment. The show will drop exclusively on TikTok and the PineDrama platform.

The Compatibility Experiment gives a satirical look at reality dating shows, think Love Island! The story centers around Kelvin (Bellow) and Camila (Lott), whose relationship is put to the test when they join a reality show to try to win a the million dollar prize.

So, what do you think of Tajh stepping in for Tyler Joseph Andrews as Theo on DAYS? Perhaps, the soap opera liked his work that he might be considered for another role in the future bringing Bellow back to the soaps? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.

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Days Of Our Lives

REPORT: ‘Days of our Lives’ Puts Four Actors On Contract

Published

5 days ago

on

September 30, 2026

By

Days of our Lives cast

Four cast members are officially on contract at Days of our Lives, according to the soap opera’s closing credits on Peacock and longtime Days expert and historian Jason 47.

Lauren Koslow (Kate), Sydney Malakeh (Sydney), Sal Stowers (Lani) and Jacob Martinez (Javi) are the names that appear in the closing credits in the contracted cast members section. Days of our Lives fans also note that the series tapes ten months in advance of streaming episodes.

As Days of our Lives fans know, Lauren Koslow has played Kate Roberts since 1996, and recently filled-in for Jess Walton in the role of Jill Abbott on The Young and the Restless when Walton was unable to travel from Oregon to Los Angeles during the specific tape dates. But now, Koslow has been re-upped to contract status as of the September 8 episode.

Photo: JPI

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED

Sydney Malakeh is the newest member of the contract players when she debuted on contract status on the September 10th episode. Days fans first met Sami (Alison Sweeney) and EJ’s (Dan Feuerriegel) daughter in scenes in Monte Carlo around a gambling table.

As for Sal Stowers, the actress had been on contract from 2015-2022, then on recurring status with the soap, and would make appearances and limited runs since 2023. Soap fans first saw Sal as Cassandra Foster on Prospect Park’s revival of All My Children in 2013. Sal’s first new contracted episode was noted to be September 16.

Jacob Martinez, debuted on June 30 of this year as the successor to Al Calderon in the role of Javi Hernandez, and has now been bumped up to series regular as of the September 10 episode.

Photo: JPI

CREDITS

According to the referenced posting from Days of our Lives expert and historian Jason 47, he shared, “It took me four weeks to realize, but the same week that Sydney Malakeh (Sydney) debuted (9/7-9/11), “Days” also put Lauren Koslow (Kate), Jacob Richard Martinez (Javi) and Sal Stowers (Lani) on contract.”

Jason47 added, “This confirms the “errors” of Lani being listed in the credits the week of 9/7 but not appearing, and Kate and Javi appearing in the credits the week of 9/14 but not appearing. It also now makes sense why Javi and Sydney are being listed before Rafe and Philip in the credits.”

He also shared, “For the record, Lauren Koslow’s first date back on contract was 9/8, Jacob Richard Martinez was upped to contract on 9/10, Sydney Malakeh debuted on contract 9/10 and Sal Stowers’ first date back on contract was 9/16. The records will be fixed on the website in the coming days.”

So, glad to hear Lauren, Sydney, Sal and Jacob appear to be on contract with Days of our Lives (as of these episode airings)? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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