Abe Carver

Abe Carver
Days of our Lives character
Portrayed by James Reynolds
Duration 1981–
First appearance October 29, 1981
Created by Pat Falken Smith
Introduced by
Classification Present; regular
Profile
Other names Abe
Occupation Mayor of Salem
Former Salem police commissioner
Former Chief of Police
Former Police officer
Residence Salem, Illinois

Abraham Washington Carver is a fictional character on the long-running American soap opera Days of Our Lives. Actor James Reynolds[1] has played the character since he originated it on the series in 1981, and is currently the fifth longest serving actor on the show. The role is one of the longest-running African American characters in American soap operas. The character was created by head writer Pat Falken Smith. Abe is the widowed husband of Lexie Carver, daughter of international crime lord, Stefano DiMera. He is the father of Brandon Walker, Theo Carver and Lani Price.[2]

Character history

Abe grows up in Salem with his brothers, Theo and Jonah and his sister, Karen. His passion for justice starts young, but amplifies after Theo is killed by a crooked police officer. Abe joins the Salem Police Department determined to rid the city of filth, including international crime lord, Stefano DiMera.

Abe is the police officer who investigates Anna Brady's claim that she was sold into white slavery. She reports the existence of her secret Swiss bank account to her husband, Roman Brady.

He has a relationship with a woman named Nikki Wade, but this is cut short after he stands her up at a débutante ball in favor of heading up a drug bust. He was also in two short-lived relationships with Dr. Valerie Grant and singer Tamara Price, with whom he fathered a daughter Lani Price. Before Abe's promotion to police chief, he meets and marries Alexandra (Lexie) Brooks. Just after their marriage, Lexie searches through Aremid's files for her adoption records. She finds out that her aunt Frankie Brooks (Celeste Perrault) is actually her mother and that her father is Stefano DiMera. Conflict has risen many times in Abe and Lexie's marriage due to the presence of Stefano in their life.

His next major storyline involves the Aremid wedding of Peter Blake and Jennifer Deveraux. Abe is caught up in the investigation of Tony DiMera's murder. Abe and Lexi go to Paris to find Marlena Evans when Stefano kidnapped her. They end up finding and saving Marlena and catching Stefano but are unable to prosecute him, because only Stefano has a drug that can save Roman's life. Abe, Lexi, and John Black help break Stefano out of jail and later he is pardoned for his crimes after returning to Salem with the drug Roman needed.

Later, Abe and Lexie adopt baby Isaac, thinking he is the child of DiMera henchman Wilhelm Rolf. Isaac is actually the son of Bo Brady and Hope Brady who was switched at birth by Stefano. Abe is later appalled to learn that Lexie knew of the switch, but hides the truth from him. Abe files for divorce but after Lexie helps Hope, Brady and her son Zack, Lexie and Abe reconcile.

Shortly after, Brandon Walker comes to Salem with a deep hatred of Abe. Lexie sleeps with Brandon in a weak moment and becomes pregnant, unsure if Abe or Brandon is the father. Its revealed Abe is the father and Lexie and Abe reconcile for good. Brandon's presence causes issues for Abe until it is revealed that Brandon is Abe's illegitimate son with Fay Walker. After some time, Abe and Brandon embrace each other as family, and have since had a good relationship.

Abe is shot dead on the day of Theo's christening. He is the first victim of the 2003 Salem serial killer. Months later he turns up on a remote tropical island, (melaswen/newsalem) which is a complete replica of Salem. Although his "ghost" started appearing to Celeste and Lexie while he was supposedly dead, (this was not explained). He works together with Roman and the others and got off the island. Abe is reunited with Lexie and Theo but goes blind and learns he is impotent. His anger shines through and he becomes paranoid that Lexie is cheating. Eventually Abe's eyesight is restored but an anonymous note leads him to a motel where he finds Lexie having sex with his protege Salem Police officer Tek Kramer. Their marriage is in turmoil for a while until Abe uses Lexie in the investigation of her half-brother EJ DiMera, then Abe falls back in love with her. They stay together until Lexie disappeared on December 29, 2006.

His eyesight starts deteriorate again and he recently undergoes a second retina transplant. At the same time, Lexie is found in the tunnels under Doug's Place and the DiMera mansion, where Andre DiMera has kept her all these months against her will. The transplant successful, Abe has return to work as the Commissioner of the Salem Police Department. In fall of 2010 Abe returned full-time to the screen. He began investigating the murders of the people of Salem, because he didn't want anyone going through what he already had. However the tables may turn on him when Stefano decided that he was going to frame Abe for the murders. In June 2012, Lexie, who had cancer, died peacefully in Abe's arms.

Cultural impact

James Reynolds' portrayal of Abe Carver since 1981 has made Abe the longest-running African American character in American soap opera history.[3] Having logged more hours on television than most actors, Reynolds is also a humanitarian[4] and his work on Days of our Lives helps continue his work. For his role as Abe Carver, James Reynolds earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2004, and won the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in 2018.

Abe was a minority character of tremendous integrity who was not working for somebody else. He was in charge—and that meant a lot to the African American audience. It had real impact.

— James Reynolds[3]

References

  1. ↑ "James Reynolds - Days Of Our Lives - Soap Opera Digest and Weekly". Soapoperadigest.com. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  2. ↑ "Days of our Lives - Bios - James Reynolds as Abe Carver". Nbc.com. Archived from the original on 2010-06-18. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  3. 1 2 "The Killer Strikes (TV Guide, October 4–10, 2003)". TV Guide.
  4. ↑ Detroit news interview with James Reynolds December 6, 2007.
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