James Reynolds (born August 10, 1950 in Oskaloosa, Kansas) plays Abe Carver on the soap opera Days of Our Lives. He was a regular from 1981 to 2003, and has returned since his "death" in 2004.
After serving as stalwart police Commander Abe Carver on Days of Our Lives for nine years, Reynolds moved to the new series, Generations, in 1991 to play powerful business tycoon Henry Marshall, replacing actor Taurean Blacque in the role.
He was rewarded for his powerful portrayal with an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
With the subsequent demise of that series, Reynolds was invited to return to Days where he was promoted in rank to Commander and named the top law enforcement official in Salem, the fictional community home to Days of Our Lives.
Reynolds has subsequently established Abe Carver as the longest running African-American character in TV history, and Reynolds is the only African-American actor to portray a single character for so long.
One of Reynolds' greatest honors is being named to the Kansas Historical Society's list of famous Kansans, a list that includes such notables as President Dwight Eisenhower, Amelia Earhart, Langston Hughes, Barry Sanders, and many others.
Deeply committed to his charitable work, Reynolds has been involved in more than 300 fund raising events in the last 10 years. He annually hosts a "Bowl-a-thon" in Los Angeles to benefit the National Asthma Center and a celebrity basketball game in South Pasadena for the city's schools.
James is listed in Who's Who in Entertainment, Who's Who Among African-Americans, Who's Who in Business, and Who's Who International.
Reynolds is an active sportsman, enjoying basketball and racquetball on his days off. He, wife Lissa Reynolds and son Jed make their home in suburban Los Angeles. Jed is a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
