Bell died Friday from complications of Alzheimer's disease at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center, said Raul Rojas, publicist for Bell's TV production company.
Bell's career as a TV soap writer spanned more than four decades and earned him nine Emmy awards — three for his writing on "The Young and the Restless," and the rest for producing or writing "Days of Our Lives."
But Bell's soaps didn't just win awards, they won a following with daytime TV viewers, particularly fans hooked on the lives and loves of the residents in the fictional Genoa City portrayed on "The Young and the Restless." The CBS show has long held the No. 1 spot against other daytime soaps.
"Bill Bell is one of the true pioneers of daytime television ... He is without peer in his ability to create the most compelling, endearing stories and characters, and keep them fascinating for years on end," CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves said in a statement Saturday.
"We are incredibly saddened by his passing for the daytime community has lost a true legend and the CBS family has lost a friend," Moonves said.
The Chicago native got his start in 1956 as a writer on the soap "Guiding Light." A year later, he left to write for another soap, "As the World Turns."
In 1966, Bell become head writer on "Days of Our Lives," helping to turn the flagging series into one of the top audience draws four years later.
In 1973, Bell teamed up with his wife, Lee Phillip Bell, and created "The Young and the Restless." The hourlong show was among the first serials in the 1970s to exploit America's burgeoning youth obsession.
"Bill Bell was a supremely gifted writer, a fearless and farseeing producer, a tireless champion of our industry and a gentleman," Melody Thomas Scott, a veteran actress on "The Young and the Restless," said in a statement.
In the late 1990s, Bell surrendered the head writer's role at the show but took over as executive producer.
Bell and his wife also teamed up in 1987 to create another daytime stalwart: "The Bold and the Beautiful," which also offered viewers plenty of attractive characters wrestling with romantic challenges.
"Bill Bell understood that daytime drama was not just about lavish weddings and extravagant remotes, but about the smaller, day-to-day moments between family, friends and community," said Rhonda Friedman, the show's supervising producer.
Throughout his career, Bell's writing and production work is credited with contributing to 15,000 episodes of TV daytime drama.
His three children also followed him into the business.
One son, Bill, is president of Bell's TV production company. Another, Bradley, is head writer and executive producer on "The Bold and The Beautiful." Daughter Lauralee is an actress on "Restless."
In addition to his children and wife of 50 years, Bell is survived by eight grandchildren.
Bell began his career in television in 1956 writing for Guiding Light before co-creating Our Private World and Another World. He was also a writer on As the World Turns from 1957-1966 and later became the head writer of Days of Our Lives in 1966. In 1973, while Bell was still the head writer on Days of Our Lives, he and his wife, Lee Phillip Bell, created The Young and the Restless. The series has been the Number One daytime program week after week for more than 16 years and has received numerous Emmy Awards, including six for Outstanding Drama Series, most recently in 2004, three as a writer for The Young and the Restless, five as the show’s producer and one as a writer for Days of Our Lives. Bell received the Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS).. In 1987, the Bells co-created the hit CBS daytime drama, The Bold and the Beautiful.
"Bill Bell is one of the true pioneers of daytime television, and his genius helped make CBS number one in this daypart for over 16 years," said Leslie Moonves, Co-President and Co-Chief Operating Officer, Viacom and Chairman, CBS. "He is without peer in his ability to create the most compelling, endearing stories and characters, and keep them fascinating for years on end. That is his legacy, and the millions of viewers who have followed his shows are a testament to that rare gift. We are incredibly saddened by his passing, for the daytime community has lost a true legend and the CBS family has lost a friend. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife, Lee Phillip Bell, his children, Bill, Jr., Bradley and Lauralee, and the entire Bell family."
"Bill Bell’s talent, imagination and heart created a vast array of characters who have captivated audiences for generations," said Barbara Bloom, Senior Vice President of Daytime Programs, CBS. "He was an unequaled visionary whose passion and devotion to the daypart helped to elevate dramatic serial storytelling to an art form. The legacy he leaves continues to unfold across televisions world wide. We join The Young and Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful families in mourning their founder, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his beloved wife Lee, and their children, Bill Jr., Bradley and Lauralee, who have been kind enough to share him with us."
In 1992, CBS dedicated Studio 43 at CBS Television City in Los Angeles to both William J. Bell and to The Young and the Restless. The dedication, in conjunction with the 5,000th episode, marked the first time in the history of CBS that a studio had been dedicated to an individual and a series.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Lee Phillip Bell, who was his colleague, co-collaborator and co-creator of both CBS soaps. Lee’s pioneering work as an investigative reporter for the CBS Chicago station provided Bill with many of the contemporary social issues which became the trademark of the two dramas which the couple co-created.
He is also survived by his three children son Bill, the president of Bell Dramatic Serial Company and Bell-Phillip Television Productions, Inc., son Bradley, head writer and executive producer of The Bold and the Beautiful and daughter Lauralee, one of the leading actresses on The Young and the Restless, as well as his grandchildren Liam, Sabrina, Chasen, Caroline, Charlotte and Oliver Bell, and Christian and Samantha Martin.
Funeral services will be arranged at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Beverly Hills, Calif. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.
Kay Alden, Head Writer
"I worked with Bill every day for well over 25 years," shares Kay Alden, Headwriter. "In total, our association endured for 31 years. He gave me an opportunity when I had little more to offer than a great love and respect for the daytime serial genre. Under his wing, I became a writer. He was the best of mentors. But far more significantly, he was my friend. He and Lee gave me the chance which enabled me to have the life I enjoy today, with my husband and my three children. He watched over me and offered a helping hand all along the way, until the day when he put the show in my hands. There was no greater show of confidence he could have demonstrated. The emptiness I feel at his passing is matched only by the gratitude and joy I feel that I was privileged to be his protégé. I will always, always remember Bill, love him, and treasure the years I had with him."
John F. Smith, Co-Executive Producer/Head Writer
"None of us can truly describe the impact this man has had on our lives," shared John F. Smith, Co-Executive Producer/Head Writer. "He provided jobs, security, careers for so many families. He provided hope and dreams and smiles and tears for people all over the world. Bill was my mentor - not just for my career but for so many aspects of my life. I look back over the three decades in which I was blessed with his presence and I can honestly say he gave me the foundation I live by: that the only moment available to any of us - our characters included - is the present; that to dig inside of the present moment will provide the very best for our viewers and the very best for ourselves as well. Bill will be missed but his heart lives on in anyone who has ever watched an episode of one of this shows."
Edward Scott, Y&R Supervising Producer
"Bill Bell was daytime television's most wonderful storyteller -- the Charles Dickens of daytime drama...a great mentor and a wonderful guy," said Edward Scott, Y&R Supervising Producer. "Every single Monday through Friday for 40 years, one, sometimes two Bill Bell episodes aired on network television. His equal will never come this way again. I was lucky to have spent 25 years at his side as his executive producer. He was our industry's greatest champion and fiercest defender and not a day goes by that I don't recall his advice, his constructive criticism and his wisdom. I am proud to carry forward the passion and inspiration that is the Bill Bell legacy to the next generation."
Eric Braeden (Victor Newman)
"He was a giant in the business," said Eric Braeden, (Victor). "His two shows, The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful, have an audience of approximately between four and five million viewers a day all over the world for more than 30 years. He created the character Victor Newman which became the role of a lifetime for me. For that I will be forever indebted to him. I will miss him. We will all miss him terribly."
Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor)
"Bill Bell saved my life; and made it possible for my three children and me to have the wonderful life that we have," expressed Jeanne Cooper (Katherine). "His contribution to the dignity of daytime will most probably never be matched again. I rejoice in his next journey."
Jerry Douglas (John Abbott)
"One of the great joys of playing John Abbott is that he was designed in the image of Bill Bell, a man of great integrity, great strength and great love for his family," said Jerry Douglas (John). "Many people felt we even looked alike. It has been a privilege and an honor to have portrayed the character of John Abbott for this brilliant man all of these years."
Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman)
"Bill Bell was a supremely gifted writer, a fearless and farseeing producer, a tireless champion of our industry, and a gentleman," shared Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki). "He gave me the most incredible gift that any actress could ever wish to receive -- a complex, multifaceted character, 'Nikki Newman,' that has endured over 25 years and still remains compelling and challenging today, both to me, and to our audiences. Bill and his lovely wife Lee were also true friends to Edward and I, sharing our hopes and disappointments, our highs and lows over these many years. Together, they gave me everything in my life that I have today; through Bill and Lee and the show I met my husband Edward, we now have our three wonderful children and enjoy a great life. My thoughts and prayers are with Lee and the three children, Bill, Jr., Brad and Lauralee and their families during this sad time."