Asa Buchanan | |||||||||||||||
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One Life to Live character | |||||||||||||||
Portrayed by | Philip Carey | ||||||||||||||
Duration | 1979–2008 | ||||||||||||||
First appearance | December 1979 | ||||||||||||||
Last appearance | December 28, 2008 | ||||||||||||||
Created by | |||||||||||||||
Introduced by | Joseph Stuart | ||||||||||||||
Book appearances | Patrick's Notebook | ||||||||||||||
Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||
Profile | |||||||||||||||
Other names | Jeb Stuart | ||||||||||||||
Occupation | Founder and CEO of Buchanan Enterprises | ||||||||||||||
Residence | Buchanan Mansion 21 Riverside Drive Llanview, Pennsylvania |
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Family | Buchanan |
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Siblings |
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Spouse | See article |
Children | |
Grandchildren | |
Grandparents |
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Nieces and nephews |
Asa Buchanan is a fictional character and patriarch of the Buchanan family on the American serial drama 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. Carey portrayed the role continually for nearly three decades, through to his final pre-taped appearance in 2008. Throughout those years, Asa's ruthless business dealings and attempts to both protect and control his family members drive much of the drama in the series.
Actor Philip Carey portrayed patriarch Asa as a contract player for over 27 years from the character's on-screen inception in December 1979, after which he turned down the show's offer to play the character in a supporting capacity in 2007; he made his final regular appearance as Asa on the episode first-run April 26, 2007. 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. 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, and also returned on July 21, 2008, for the series' 40th anniversary, as character Viki Davidson visits Heaven. 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. Carey returned on August 19, 2008 as Asa's ghost, who appears to Bo. Brian Victor Johnson took over the role of the young Asa from August 22, 2008 to August 25, 2008 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.
The patriarch of the Buchanan family, Asa is a self-made billionaire (having purchased his first oil well at age 22) and Chief Executive Officer of Buchanan Enterprises (casually called "B.E." by the family). Born on October 31, 1924, and raised in Texas, Buchanan moves the headquarters of his company to Llanview, Pennsylvania, in 1980 to stay close to his sons. Thought dead by her sons, Asa's first wife Olympia had actually been banished to Europe by Asa after having an affair with Yancy Ralston. Living in Paris as her twin sister Nicole Bonard, Olympia (Taina Elg) surreptitiously arrives in Llanview and attempts to shoot Asa as he marries Samantha Vernon (Julia Montgomery) but is snatched by Asa's nephew Rafe Garretson (Ken Meekler) before she can reveal herself. An escaped Olympia dons a costume and mask identical to Samantha's and reveals herself at the Buchanan Ball. Olympia later falls over a balcony at a lavish costume party, and, on her deathbed, she tells Bo that Asa was not his father.