On Days of our Lives, Julie may soon have to play family peacemaker. Jennifer has been leading the charge to take Chad’s kids away from him because of his association with Cat. Julie seems to have a slightly differing viewpoint and may be the one to help everyone work through the issue. Meanwhile, Susan Seaforth Hayes has been reflecting on a very different kind of showdown — the day she, the late Bill Hayes, and Dick Van Dyke tried to pull off a musical number that almost fell apart before they even hit the mark.
Key Takeaways
- Julie may become the voice of reason in Chad and Jennifer’s fight.
- Susan Seaforth Hayes recalls the chaotic “Tea for Two” rehearsal with Dick Van Dyke.
- No rehearsal time, no pianist, and a guitarist playing the wrong tempo.
- Van Dyke struggled with an inaccurate script as Susan coached him through it.
- The number somehow worked — now a favorite memory as Van Dyke turns 100.
The Rehearsal That Nearly Collapsed
Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie) told Michael Fairman TV that working with Dick Van Dyke (Timothy) was “a big event,” describing how the legend joined DAYS because he’d always wanted to try a soap. “We were told, ‘You’re going to get to do scenes with Dick Van Dyke, and you’re going to get to dance,’” she said, laughing at the memory. And then came the twist: “We were told it was impossible to rehearse in advance. We weren’t insured for him to come to our house.”
So she and her late husband Bill Hayes ended up hiring a choreographer. Bill, in a wheelchair at the time, worked through the staging in their living room while the choreographer — sidelined by an ankle injury — talked them through steps he couldn’t demonstrate. The song had to be public domain, so they settled on “Tea for Two,” built the routine themselves, and hoped muscle memory wouldn’t betray them when cameras rolled.
On taping day, things got even stranger. No pianist. No proper accompaniment. Just a lone guitarist playing the wrong tempo as Bill whispered reminders under his breath. Van Dyke’s script was inaccurate, he struggled with the lines, and Susan found herself reassuring him: “There are days that are more difficult than other days…do not take it personally.” And despite the chaos — one take, one pickup — it somehow worked. “It looked pretty good in the end,” she said.
A Legacy Moment Before a Milestone Birthday
For Hayes, the number became one of those odd, warm, career stories that will live longer than the footage itself. She explained that Van Dyke made it work by improvising steps that didn’t match anything they rehearsed, but matched everything he was: messy, human, and unforgettable.
As she reflected on the milestone, she noted she still has a long list of people she’d love to work with. But nothing quite matches the thrill of the day Van Dyke walked onto the DAYS set. It wasn’t polished, it wasn’t neat, but it was theirs, and she still cherishes the memories.
And now, as the world prepares to celebrate his 100th birthday, Hayes’ behind-the-scenes story feels like exactly the right tribute — a moment where legends collided, chaos reigned, and something beautiful slipped through anyway.
