Five Fast Facts About Days of Our Lives Star James Reynolds

James Reynolds is beloved as Abe Carver on Days of Our Lives, a role he originated back in 1981. Though the iconic soap star left at points to pursue other jobs, he’s always returned to the popular show.

In fact, he won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series last year. From where he was born and raised to an honor that means so much, here are five fast facts to know about Days of Our Lives star James Reynolds.

In The Beginning 
Reynolds was born on August 10 in Oskaloosa, Kansas in 1946 and attended Oskaloosa High School. He enjoyed studying English and History, but he really loved playing sports and doing theater. He played football, basketball, and ran track while in high school.

Served His Country
After graduating high school, Reynolds decided to join the Marines. Following boot camp, he was stationed in Hawaii, where he became a reporter for the service newspaper. After being in Hawaii for some time, he was sent to Vietnam, where he served for a year and he reported on what was happening with a few different units.

Why He Returned To Acting
When he got back from Vietnam, Reynolds decided to go to college. He enrolled at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas and though he majored in pre-law and journalism, he started auditioning for plays because heard that was the best way to meet girls on campus! He ended up becoming very passionate about acting.

Great Honor 
Reynolds revealed that one of his biggest honors was being named to the Kansas Historical Society’s list of famous Kansans. Other people on the list include President Dwight Eisenhower, Amelia Earhart, and Langston Hughes.

Getting Personal
Reynolds has been married to Lissa Layng since December 21, 1986. Layng acted a bit and even guest-starred on an episode of DAYS back in 2006. They are also artistic directors at the Fremont Centre Theatre. The couple has a son together named Jed. Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for airtimes.