Actor Jameson Parker was cast on-the-spot by OLTLexecutive producer Doris Quinlan for the role of Brad following an encounter in a New York City elevator. 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. Ted LePlat temporarily substituted in the role in the early months of 1980 when Fletcher took ill.
Characterization
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.
Storyline
1976–81
Brad is introduced onscreen as a promising twentysomething tennis player in June 1976, but a knee injury soon cuts his pro-athlete dreams short. Bitter and self-pitying, Brad becomes a womanizing Lothario to fill his time. He romances several young women concurrently, including his father's secretary Jenny Wolek. Jenny resists his advances, eventually falling for him until uncovering his affair with waitress Lana McClain, which resulted in Lana becoming pregnant. One night during their romantic escapades, Brad gives a drunk Lana a glass of milk laced with sleeping pills, and she dies. 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 marry January 3, 1978, preventing her from testifying against Brad in court. Nevertheless, Brad goes to jail for manslaughter. When Jenny realizes she was used, Jenny begins proceeding to end their marriage in July. Brad becomes distraught over learning his sister Sam suffered a serious accident, and Jenny puts their annulment on hold to console him. Jenny decides to continue with their marriage upon Brad's release from jail in October 1978, discovering herself pregnant by him months later in May. Brad soon rapes Jenny's sister Karen Wolek and pressures Karen into secrecy by telling her any upsetting news would cause Jenny to miscarry. 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. Stillborn Mary is soon switched in 1979 in a scheme by Karen and con man ex-boyfriend Marco Dane with the live-born child of Karen's fellow ex-prostitute and friend Katrina Karr, 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.
1981–86, 1988
After Jenny divorces him, Brad soon engages in a brief romance with auto mechanicGeorgina Whitman. When Jenny plans to remarry with Dr. Peter Janssen, and a jealous Brad objects to the marriage as he pinned after ex-wife Jenny again. Jenny rebuffs his advances. She continues with the marriage in 1981 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 eponymous Vernon Inn hotel for several years, marrying Connie O'Neill and leaving Llanview in September 1986. Upon returning to Llanview in 1988 for the funeral of her sister Didi, Connie and Brad tell Delilah and Rafe of their lives in France.
Reception
The introduction of Jameson Parker was met with fanfare by fans enamored with the actor's good looks and easygoing portrayal. When Brad physically abused Jenny onscreen in 1978, a group of angry viewers, unable to differentiate between the actor and character, left a note at the OLTLNew York City studios threatening violence if Parker did not "leave Jenny alone". The onscreen October 1979 rape storyline of ex-hooker Karen by brother-in-law Brad 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.
