Days of our Lives star Susan Seaforth Hayes has took to social media to pay tribute to her friend Denise Alexander after the actresses death was announced over the weekend.
Taking to Instagram, Hayes posted a rare photo of Alexander, and both Hayes and her husband Bill Hayes from the set of Days of our Lives.
The actress captioned the photo, “Denise Alexander was a friend to treasure and an actress to applaud. She was well established on Days when I joined the cast as Julie #4 (a replacement for 4 previous actresses). She watched Billy and I fall madly in love and, being a romantic lady herself, cheered us on.
Such happy memories of her years in Salem and her great success on General Hospital. We both began as child actors, both had strong mothers and both were raised as Christian Scientists in our early years. I was grateful for her wisdom, taste, humor, and goodness every time I saw her. It was never enough. And my love for her will never be over. ❤️#DeniseAlexander”
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Alexander was born in New York City on November 11, 1939. She made her professional television debut in 1949 on The Ford Theater Hour. Her father, Alec Alexander, was an agent who worked with talent such as Frank Gorshin and Sal Mineo.
Alexander’s feature film debut would come in 1956 when she would appear in Don Siegal’s film Crime in the Streets.
Alexander made her soap opera in the role of Lois Adams on The Clear Horizon in 1960, however the role that catapulted her into stardom was that of Susan Hunter Martin on Days of Our Lives. She portrayed Susan for 7 years, when she made the transition to General Hospital to play the iconic role of Dr. Lesley Williams. Alexander portrayed this role on and off for nearly 50 years, with the character initially being killed off in 1984, only to be resurrected in 1996. Alexanders last appearance on the soap aired in 2021.
Prior to playing Dr. Lesley Williams, Alexander had made an appearance in General Hospital’s unaired 1962 pilot episode, as well as making an appearance in the short-term role of Lorna Hill in 1965.
For the role of Williams, Alexander was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in 1976.
Over the years Alexander performed in other soaps including: Another World, Sunset Beach, Port Charles, and web series The Inn and Pretty The Series
Alexander is survived by a stepdaughter, Elizabeth Colla, from her marriage to Days of Our Lives star Richard A. Colla.