James Reynolds (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Reynolds
Born	(1946-08-10) August 10, 1946 (age 78) Oskaloosa, Kansas, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1974–present
Spouse(s)	Laura Toffenetti ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1984)​ Lissa Layng ​ (m. 1985)​
Children	1

James Reynolds is an American actor who has been on TV for a long time. He was born on August 10, 1946. He is most famous for playing the character Abe Carver on the TV show Days of Our Lives. In 2018, he won a big award called the Daytime Emmy Award for his acting on the show.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up in Kansas

James Reynolds was born in Oskaloosa, Kansas. This was on August 10, 1946. When he was in Oskaloosa High School (Kansas), he was a very good football player. He was even named an All-State player.

Serving in the Marines

After finishing high school, James joined the Marines. He went through boot camp. Then, he worked as a reporter for the Marines' newspaper. He was first stationed in Hawaii. Later, he served in Vietnam for almost a year. He reported from the battlefield while also doing his combat duties.

Discovering Acting

When James returned to the States, he went to Washburn University in Topeka. He studied prelaw and journalism. He decided to try out for plays in the theater department. This is where he found his love for acting. He performed in many musicals and plays. He also joined local theater groups.

Acting Career

Playing Abe Carver

James Reynolds started playing the character Abe Carver in 1981. This was on the NBC show Days of Our Lives. He has played this role ever since. He has been a main actor on the show since 1981. He only took two short breaks in 1991 and 2003. Even then, he still appeared on the show sometimes. He is the only actor who has ever played Abe Carver. Before Days of Our Lives, he was in the CBS show Time Express in 1979.

Moving to Generations

After playing Abe Carver for nine years, James moved to a new show. This show was called Generations. He played a powerful businessman named Henry Marshall. He replaced another actor in this role. For his strong performance, he was nominated for an Emmy award. This was for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

Returning to Days of Our Lives

When Generations ended, James was asked to come back to Days of Our Lives. His character, Abe Carver, was promoted. He became the Chief of Police in Salem. Salem is the fictional town where Days of Our Lives takes place.

Personal Life

One of James Reynolds' proudest achievements is being on the Kansas Historical Society's list of famous Kansans. This list includes many important people. Some of them are President Dwight Eisenhower and Amelia Earhart.

James married Laura Toffenetti on September 30, 1978. They had a son named Jed on October 27, 1979. They separated after four years and divorced on July 19, 1984. James married his second wife, Lissa Layng, on December 21, 1985.

Film and TV Shows

James Reynolds has appeared in several movies and TV shows. Here are some of them:

• C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979)
• The Magic of Lassie (1978)
• Fun with Dick and Jane (1977)
• Mr. Majestyk (1974)
• Days of Our Lives (1981–1990; 1991–present)
• Inhumanoids (1986)
• Generations (1990–1991)

Awards and Nominations

James Reynolds has been recognized for his acting many times. He has won and been nominated for several awards.