| Asa Buchanan | |||||||||||||||||
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| Philip Carey as Asa Buchanan in the 2004 One Life to Live title opening | |||||||||||||||||
| One Life to Live | |||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Philip Carey | ||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1979–2008 | ||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | December 1979 | ||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | August 16, 2007 (off-screen death) December 29, 2008 |
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| Cause/reason | Appeared to Viki in Heaven | ||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Gordon Russell and Sam Hall | ||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||
| Aliases | Jeb Stuart | ||||||||||||||||
| Gender | Male | ||||||||||||||||
| Cause of death | Natural causes | ||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Founder of Buchanan Enterprises | ||||||||||||||||
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Asa Jeb Stuart Buchanan is a fictional character and patriarch of the Buchanan family on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. The Texan industrialist father of newly-arrived characters Clint and Bo Buchanan, Asa was originated in late 1979 by Philip Carey.[1] Carey portrays the nearly continuously for nearly three decades, through 2008.[2] Over the next three decades, Asa's ruthless business dealings and attempts to both protect and control his family members drive much of the drama in the series.
A contract player with the series continually for over 27 years, Carey turned down the show's offer to place him on recurring status in 2007,[3] and his final appearance as Asa was on April 26, 2007.[4] The character subsequently died offscreen in August 2007, coinciding with the series' 10,000th episode celebration, which brought back characters from the show's past to attend the funeral.[5][6] In November 2007, Carey briefly reprised the role for three episodes in Asa's videotaped will, airing November 9 to November 13, 2007. On July 16, 2008, Carey appeared as Asa's ghost,[7] and also returned on July 21, 2008 for the series' 40th anniversary, as character Viki Davidson visits Heaven.[8][9][10] Beginning in the same episode, Robert S. Woods appears as a young Asa in a storyline in which the characters Bo and Rex find themselves in 1968.[10] Carey returned on August 19, 2008 as Asa's ghost, who appears to Bo.[11] Brian Victor Johnson took over the role of the young Asa from August 22, 2008[12] to August 25, 2008[13] after Bo is transported back to 2008. Carey appeared yet again on December 29, 2008, in a videotaped message recorded by Asa before his death.[2]
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The patriarch of the Buchanan family, Asa is a self-made billionaire (having purchased his first oil well at age 22[14]) and former Chief Executive Officer of Buchanan Enterprises (casually called "B.E." by the family). Born on October 31, 1924 [15] and raised in Texas, Buchanan moves the headquarters of his company to Llanview, Pennsylvania in 1980 to stay close to his sons.[1] Thought dead by her sons, Asa's first wife Olympia had actually been banished to Europe by Asa after having an affair.[1] Living in Paris as Nicole Bonard, Olympia sees Bo but is snatched by Asa and held captive before she can reveal herself.[1] In June 1981 Asa marries the much-younger Samantha Vernon.[16] An escaped Olympia dons a costume and mask identical to Samantha's and reveals herself at the Buchanan Ball.[17][18]
In 1986, Tina Lord discovers that Asa has been leading a double life for years; on the tropical island of Malakeva, he is known as Jeb Stuart, and has been "married" to a woman named Pamela for a decade. Tina tells Pamela that her "husband" is not a sea captain, as she believes, but actually a millionaire with a family in Llanview. Noting that Asa and Pamela's marriage is not legal, Tina convinces Pamela to pretend she is dying to manipulate Asa into marrying her for real. He does on January 20, 1986, and Pamela springs from her "deathbed" and confronts her husband. Arriving in Llanview to live as "Mrs. Asa Buchanan," Pamela is at first a thorn in his side. As Asa realizes he wants her to be his wife in every sense of the word, she demands a divorce — and half of his fortune.[19][20] Their marriage ends in 1987.
In 1999, it is revealed that Asa's on-again off-again wife Renee Divine had conceived a son by Asa when they had been involved in their youth, and had put the boy up for adoption. Max Holden poses as the missing heir, but Asa and Renee's real son turns out to be Ben Davidson, adopted brother of Sam Rappaport and love interest of Asa's former daughter-in-law Viki Carpenter.
In October 2006, David Vickers finds out that Asa once had an affair with David's mother, Emma Bradley, but Asa denies it. Later, David's brother Dr. Spencer Truman claims to be Asa's son, but a DNA test proves otherwise. A conversation between Asa and his longtime butler Nigel Bartholomew-Smythe hints that there is more to the story.
On August 16, 2007, Asa dies in his sleep and is found by Nigel. Grandsons Cord Roberts, Kevin Buchanan and Joey Buchanan (as well as ex-wife Alex Olanov) return temporarily for his funeral.[5][21] On August 17, 2007 Nigel tells a returned Max Holden that Asa does indeed have another son: David Vickers. Max advises Nigel to wait to tell the rest of the family, and an eavesdropping Alex overhears. She begins a search for David herself.[6]
Asa's will is executed in November 2007 as a video is played featuring the Buchanan patriarch. He bequeaths his mansion to former daughter-in-law Nora Hanen, who has been living there with her and Bo's son Matthew since her house burned down; he also leaves his yacht, the Jeb Stuart, and his tropical island, St. Blaize's, to loyal servant Nigel. Asa also notes the existence of his other son, though not his identity, and finally states that he will not be splitting Buchanan Enterprises amongst his heirs and taking the chance that the company will be split up or partially sold. He instead challenges the family to run it as a cohesive team and, if the company's stock rises, be rewarded handsomely in a year. Alex appears, married to an in-the-dark David, and blackmails Nigel with the facts of David's parentage. Not wanting the Buchanans to discover that con man David is one of them, Nigel gives his inheritance to Alex in exchange for her silence. Meanwhile, Buchanan Enterprises up-and-comer Jared Banks — an admirer of Asa's who is already a favorite of widow Renee and circling Natalie Buchanan romantically — overhears Alex's news and pressures Nigel to pass him off as Asa's heir instead. Nigel does, and Jared feigns disinterest, armed with a lock of David's hair to prove his claim.
Asa is one of the most married male characters in daytime television, having been married 14 times to 10 different women (although three marriages were technically invalid).[22]