Bringing dead characters back to life has been easy peasy for Days of our Lives’ own Dr. Wilheim Rolf, and while actor William Utay has stepped away from that role he originated, he still has a reason to celebrate.
Happy Birthday, William Utay
And that’s because he was born on September 7, 1947, in Dallas, Texas, which means that this fan-favorite turns 76 years old today! Though he is probably best known for playing daytime’s answer to the diabolical Doctor Frankenstein, Utay is certainly no stranger to film aficionados and primetime viewers.
His first acting role was a cameo in the 1982 series Filthy Rich — an affectionate parody of the soap opera genre as a whole. For the next few decades, William Utay appeared in multiple nighttime programs, including Highway to Heaven, Hunter, Knight Rider, The Twilight Zone, L.A. Law, Seinfeld, E.R., and Married…With Children.
The actor’s film credits include small roles in Scorpion, Harlem Nights, The Runestone, and Species, and more substantial parts in pictures like Walker, Two Idiots In Hollywood, and Cobb.
Between 1984 and 1992, Utay starred in 34 episodes of the NBC sitcom Night Court. In his first 26 appearances, Utay played Phil Sanders, a former stockbroker turned homeless alcoholic. For his next eight outings, Utay portrayed Will Sanders, Phil’s evil twin.
William Utay made his Days of our Lives debut in September 1997, and he would remain in a recurring compacity until 2003 — at which point Rolf was presumed dead. He returned for a one-year stint beginning in 2007, and he has remained a recurring guest since 2017 until the character returned with a new actor in the role.
Soap Hub would like to wish William Utay a very happy birthday and many more.
Days of our Lives airs weekdays on Peacock+ in the U.S. and The W Network or Global TV App in Canada. For more about what’s coming up in Salem, check out all the latest DAYS spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.
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