| Brad Vernon | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Life to Live character | |||||||||||||||
 Steve Fletcher as Brad Vernon | |||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by |
| ||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1976–1986 | ||||||||||||||
| First appearance | June 1976 | ||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | September 1986 | ||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||
| Created by | Gordon Russell | ||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Doris Quinlan | ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Brad Vernon is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live .
Actor Jameson Parker was cast on-the-spot by OLTL executive producer Doris Quinlan for the role of Brad following an encounter in a New York City elevator. [1] Parker originated the role onscreen in June 1976 and played it through 1978. Actor Steve Fletcher assumed the role regularly from July 1978 through September 1986. [2] [3] Ted LePlat temporarily substituted in the role in the early months of 1980 when Fletcher took ill. [4]
Nicknamed "The Cad", Brad is an ambivalent, abusive philanderer. Soap opera critics describe the character as a villainous antihero who appealed to viewer empathy by possessing redeeming qualities. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Brad (Parker) is introduced onscreen as a promising twentysomething tennis player in June 1976, [9] but a knee injury soon cuts his pro-athlete dreams short. Bitter and self-pitying, Brad becomes a womanizing Lothario to fill his time. [10] [11] He romances several young women concurrently, including his father's secretary Jenny Wolek (Katherine Glass). Jenny resists his advances, eventually falling for him until uncovering his affair with waitress Lana McClain (Jacklyn Zeman), which resulted in Lana becoming pregnant. [12]
One night during their romantic escapades, Brad gives a drunk Lana a glass of milk laced with sleeping pills, and she dies. [5] [13] Fearful he might be blamed for murdering her, Brad coaxes Jenny into providing him an alibi, but the police do not accept it. Brad and Jenny were married on January 3, 1978, preventing her from testifying against Brad in court. Nevertheless, Brad goes to jail for manslaughter. [14] When Jenny realizes she was used, she begins divorce proceedings. Brad (Fletcher onward) becomes distraught over learning his sister Sam (Julia Montgomery) suffered a serious accident, and Jenny puts their annulment on hold to console him. [15]
Jenny (Brynn Thayer onward) decides to continue with their marriage upon Brad's release from jail in October 1978, discovering herself pregnant by him months later in May. [16] Brad soon rapes Jenny's sister Karen Wolek (Judith Light) and pressures Karen into secrecy by telling her any upsetting news would cause Jenny to miscarry. [17] Ironically, with stress of Brad's constant womanizing exacerbated by finding out he raped her sister, Jenny blacks out, goes into premature labor, and unknowingly miscarries their child, Mary Vernon. [18]
Stillborn Mary is soon switched in 1979 in a scheme by Karen and con man ex-boyfriend Marco Dane (Gerald Anthony) with the live-born child of Karen's fellow ex-prostitute and friend Katrina Karr (Nancy Snyder), Kristine Karr. Jenny and Brad's divorce is finalized in April 1981, and in a heartwrenching move, Jenny's "Mary", born Kristine Karr, is eventually returned to Katrina after she raises the child for over two years. [19] [20]
After Jenny divorces him, Brad soon engages in a brief romance with auto mechanic Georgina Whitman (Ilene Kristen). When Jenny plans to marry Dr. Peter Janssen (Denny Albee), a jealous Brad objects to the marriage, as he pined after ex-wife Jenny again. Jenny rebuffs his advances. She goes ahead with the marriage in 1981, [21] [22] [23] but is widowed for a second time in 1982. Brad comforts her, proposing marriage to both Katrina and later Jenny, both of which never come to fruition. Brad soon opens and runs the eponymous Vernon Inn hotel for several years, marrying Connie O'Neill (Terry Donahue) and leaving Llanview in September 1986. [3] [24]
Upon returning to Llanview in 1988 for the funeral of her sister Didi, Connie (Elizabeth Keifer) and Brad tell Delilah and Rafe of their lives in France. [25]
The introduction of Jameson Parker was met with fanfare by fans enamored with the actor's good looks and easygoing portrayal. [7] When Brad physically abused Jenny (Glass) onscreen in 1978, a group of angry viewers left a note at the OLTL New York City studios threatening violence if Parker did not "leave Jenny alone". [26]
The onscreen October 1979 rape storyline of ex-hooker Karen (Light) by brother-in-law Brad (Fletcher) was highly controversial, garnering acclaim and criticism for OLTL and ABC Daytime for the frank nature of the story arc and moral implications of the sexual assault of a former prostitute. [27] [28] [29]
One Life to Live is an American soap opera that was broadcast from 1968 to 2013, on the ABC network from 1968 to 2012. The series starts with One Life to Live storylines (1968–1979). The plot continues in One Life to Live storylines (1980–1989). The plot in the next decade is outlined in One Life to Live storylines (1990–1999) and the story concludes in One Life to Live storylines (2000—2013).
One Life to Live is an American soap opera created by Agnes Nixon. During the 1980s, the show was broadcast on the ABC television network and episodes were an hour long.
Tony Lord is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live. The elder child of Victor Lord and brother to heroine Victoria Lord, actor George Reinholt originated the role in April 1975. The character was featured continually through 1979, from 1981 to 1983, and last appeared in episodes in 1987.
The Wolek family are fictional characters from the American soap opera One Life to Live present at its debut in 1968. The Woleks were created as a working-class reflection of the affluent Lord family, and storylines focused on the shared relations of the two families.
Daniel Wolek is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live. He is the only son of original characters Larry Wolek and Meredith Lord.
Jenny Wolek is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live. The distant cousin of original characters Larry, Anna, and Vince Wolek, Jenny debuted June 1975, appearing continually until May 1986.
Karen Wolek is a fictional character appearing on the American soap opera One Life to Live between May 1976 and February 1983. The role was most notably performed by Judith Light beginning on October 21, 1977. Karen ultimately departs for an off-screen life in Canada, coinciding with Light's departure from the series.
Larry Wolek is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live, played for 35 years by actor Michael Storm. Storm is the second longest running cast member of the ABC Daytime production after actress Erika Slezak, and he briefly crossed over in the role on premiere episodes of All My Children in 1970.
The Lord family are fictional characters from the American soap opera One Life to Live. They were introduced in the show's July 15, 1968 debut episode on ABC, and featured for the entirety of its run until the series ended on August 19, 2013.
Cathy Craig is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live. Introduced onscreen in January 1969, the character role is the first ongoing antagonist to lead heroine Victoria Lord and last appears in November 1978.
Jim Craig is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live played notably by actor Nat Polen from May 1969 until the actor and character's off-screen death in May 1981. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing actor Robert Milli originated the role from the pilot in July 1968 until 1969.
Sadie Gray is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live, played by Broadway actress and singer Lillian Hayman from 1968 to 1986. Sadie regularly sings at special functions and occasions during her appearance on the serial.
Anna Wolek is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live. Actress Doris Belack played the character from the show's first episode in 1968 until 1977. After Belack left the show, Kathleen Maguire played the character from 1977 until 1978. Phyllis Behar last played the role from 1978 until the character's final appearance in 1982.
Meredith Lord is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live.
Mark Toland is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live. He was portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones from February 1971 until the character's onscreen death in 1975.
Marco Dane is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live. The role was played by actor Gerald Anthony from its debut in 1977 through 1986, and from May 17, 1989, until 1990. Anthony crossed over in the role on sister soap opera General Hospital on September 2, 1992 as Marco, remaining in the role through December 24, 1993.
Richard Abbott is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated in January 1977 by actor Luke Reilly. The nephew of Victor Lord and first cousin to Victoria Lord, the role last appears in January 1987 portrayed by actor Jeffrey Byron.
Ed Hall is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live, played by Al Freeman Jr.
Eileen Riley Siegel is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live. The role was played by Patricia Roe from July 1968 until March 1972, and by Alice Hirson from March 1972 until the character's last appearance in May 1976.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help){{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)