Why did Wesley Eure leave Days of Our Lives? Details explored

Wesley Eure joined Days of Our Lives in 1974 as Mike Horton, a legacy character and central figure in the Horton family. He portrayed the role for seven years, navigating Mike’s complicated relationships and emotional arcs while simultaneously working on the children’s series Land of the Lost.

During his time on Days, Eure became a recognizable face in daytime television and was a frequent guest on game shows like Password Plus.

However, behind the scenes, his experience was seemingly different. In 1981, Eure was unexpectedly fired from the show—a decision he later claimed was directly tied to his s*xuality and growing visibility as a gay man.

---

When did Wesley Eure leave Days of Our Lives?

Wesley Eure was let go from Days of Our Lives in 1981 after playing Mike Horton for seven years. At the time, he believed his contract wasn't being renewed. However, years later, he learned the real reason: he was allegedly fired for being gay.

Eure had been openly out in his personal life and among coworkers, believing the Days set was a safe space. During his run on the show, he was dating actor Richard Chamberlain and made no effort to hide who he was. But despite being part of one of the most popular families in Salem, producers quietly pushed him out as rumors about his s*xuality grew louder.

He later discovered the truth through makeup artists and friends connected to the production, who told him that people in power felt he was becoming “too visible” in the gay community.

Eure reportedly received the call about his firing while his mother was in the hospital battling cancer. He recalled how she asked him to be honest with her—and thanked him for not shutting her out. The moment stuck with him. The way it ended, he said, was cold and deeply personal.

---

What did Wesley Eure play in Days of Our Lives?

Wesley Eure’s portrayal of Mike Horton on Days of Our Lives spanned from 1974 to 1981, covering some of the most intense and formative years of the character’s life. Mike was the biological son of Bill and Laura Horton, but he grew up believing Mickey Horton was his father.

That secret blew up in dramatic fashion when Mike learned the truth, turning against both Bill and Laura. Eure’s early years in the role heavily explored Mike’s emotional fallout from that revelation and his strained dynamic with both father figures.

He moved out, roomed with Trish Clayton, and found himself entangled in multiple high-stakes situations, including taking the fall for killing Trish’s abusive stepfather and struggling with doubts about his s*xuality. In one storyline, Mike confessed he couldn’t sleep with Trish, then later had a complicated encounter with Linda Patterson to “prove” he wasn’t gay. That arc mirrored issues Wesley himself was facing offscreen.

Eure’s Mike was also part of a tragic romance with Margo Anderson, who died of leukemia in 1980. The storyline showed Mike trying to stay afloat as mounting debt and emotional strain pushed him into dangerous territory—like borrowing money from a loan shark.

That led to him nearly running drugs and fearing for Margo’s safety. Even amid the chaos, the writers kept Mike grounded in complex emotional layers, particularly around guilt, duty, and identity.

Throughout Days of Our Lives, Mike’s character arc under Eure saw him gradually evolve from a rebellious teen to a man striving to do the right thing, even if he messed up along the way. He wasn’t perfect—he lied, made bad calls, and sometimes hurt people he loved—but he always circled back to trying to make things right.

By the time Eure exited the show, Mike was preparing to become a doctor, a move that lined up with his slow but steady path toward healing and purpose.

Eure’s time as Mike on Days of Our Lives laid the foundation for every future version of the character. The complicated family legacy, his ongoing search for belonging, his struggle with masculinity and expectations, and his connection to Salem’s core families were all shaped during those years.

---

Interested viewers can catch new episodes of Days of Our Lives on Peacock.