(Born on June 5th, 1925 in Harvey, Illinois, USA – Died: January 12, 2024) was an American actor and singer. Mr. Hayes was a singer on the Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca variety show Your Show of Shows in the early 1950s. During the Davy Crockett craze in 1955, three recorded versions of the Ballad of Davy Crockett were in the top 30. Hayes’ version was the most popular, and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. He also starred on Broadway in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Me and Juliet (1953). He had other small hits in the 1950s including The Berry Tree and covers of High Noon and Wringle, Wrangle. Wringle Wrangle was his only other Hot 100 hit, reaching #33 in 1957. His singing career also found its way to his storyline on Days of our Lives; in the story, Doug was introduced as a convict who was also a lounge singer. His role as Doug WIlliams in the show began in 1972. His last episode was broadcast December 22, 2023.

For the Blue Christmas songwriter, see Billy Hayes
For the US country songwriter in Nashville, TN, see Bill Hayes