Ben Davidson (One Life to Live)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ben Davidson is a fictional character
on the ABC
soap opera
One Life to Live
, portrayed by actor Mark Derwin
from February 1999 to August 2002, and briefly in February 2004 and July 2008. Ben is best remembered as the sixth husband of town heroine Victoria Lord
, who carried the name "Victoria Lord Davidson" for nine years.
in 1999 with a tumultuous past, and takes a job as a bartender at Crossroads. It is here that he meets Viki Lord Carpenter. The two become closer, and when Ben's past with the mob catches up with him and he is shot; Viki comes to his rescue.They marry on November 13, 2000.
Ben has a long-standing feud with Asa Buchanan
, who he would later learn is his father. Asa has a heart attack during one of these confrontations and Ben is content to let him die, until Max Holden
convinces him to save Asa's life. Eventually, after many battles, Asa learns to accept Ben as his son and they are able to get along with one another. Ben's mother Renee Divine Buchanan is initially hurt by Ben's lies, but becomes close to Ben.
In 2002, Ben is pushed out of a second story window at Llanfair by Viki's alter ego, Niki Smith (Viki had been suffering from a recurrence of her dissociative identity disorder
). Viki's daughter Natalie Buchanan
is initially blamed for pushing him, until Ben's amnesia clears and he remembers that Niki had pushed him. He recovers from the fall; however, shortly after he is accidentally shot by Antonio Vega
, who is trying to save Viki from Allison Perkins
(who had kidnapped her). The incident leaves Ben comatose. Over time, Viki decides to move on with her life, and begins dating Pennsylvania Governor Harrison Brooks. After a falling out with Brooks, Viki realizes that Ben is the only true love of her life.
In 2004, Viki spends Valentine's Day next to Ben's bed. Viki is ecstatic whenever Ben briefly awakes. Ben tells Viki that he loves her, and after the two share favorite memories, Viki is heartbroken whenever Ben falls back into his coma. Shortly after, Viki learns of the declining condition of her heart, and she will die without a transplant. After Viki is hospitalized, the search for a compatible heart begins. A heart is found, but is contaminated by Llanview Hospital Chief of Staff, Dr. Long, who is selling organs on the black market. However, Ben's condition declines, and he dies in May 2004. Though reluctant at first, Viki accepts Ben's heart.
In July 2008, Viki is involved in a car accident with Dorian Lord and dies; she visits Heaven, where she is reunited with deceased loved ones, including Ben. After Ben advises Viki to give love another chance and forgive Charlie Banks
, Viki decides to return to her loved ones. Dorian revives Viki with a shot of adrenaline, and Viki later makes a complete recovery in the hospital.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
, portrayed by actor Mark Derwin
Mark Derwin
Mark Derwin is an American television and soap opera actor. Derwin is known for his role as George Juergens on The Secret Life of the American Teenager.-Biography:...
from February 1999 to August 2002, and briefly in February 2004 and July 2008. Ben is best remembered as the sixth husband of town heroine Victoria Lord
Victoria Lord
Victoria "Viki" Lord is the principal fictional character and matriarch of the Lord family on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live...
, who carried the name "Victoria Lord Davidson" for nine years.
Character biography
Ben arrives in LlanviewLlanview, Pennsylvania
Llanview, Pennsylvania is the fictional setting for the long-running American soap opera One Life to Live. The city exists in the same fictional universe as cities from other existing or defunct ABC daytime dramas, including Pine Valley from All My Children, Port Charles from General Hospital, and...
in 1999 with a tumultuous past, and takes a job as a bartender at Crossroads. It is here that he meets Viki Lord Carpenter. The two become closer, and when Ben's past with the mob catches up with him and he is shot; Viki comes to his rescue.They marry on November 13, 2000.
Ben has a long-standing feud with Asa Buchanan
Asa Buchanan
Asa Buchanan is a fictional character and patriarch of the Buchanan family on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. The Texan industrialist father of newly-arrived characters Clint and Bo Buchanan, Asa was originated in 1980 by Philip Carey. Carey portrays the nearly continuously for nearly three...
, who he would later learn is his father. Asa has a heart attack during one of these confrontations and Ben is content to let him die, until Max Holden
Max Holden (One Life to Live)
Max Holden is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. He was most popularly portrayed by James DePaiva.-Storylines:Max Holden came to Llanview in 1987 and as soon as he got there, he became involved in a love triangle with two women, Tina Lord Roberts and Gabrielle Medina....
convinces him to save Asa's life. Eventually, after many battles, Asa learns to accept Ben as his son and they are able to get along with one another. Ben's mother Renee Divine Buchanan is initially hurt by Ben's lies, but becomes close to Ben.
In 2002, Ben is pushed out of a second story window at Llanfair by Viki's alter ego, Niki Smith (Viki had been suffering from a recurrence of her dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis and describes a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities , each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment....
). Viki's daughter Natalie Buchanan
Natalie Buchanan
Natalie Buchanan Banks is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, One Life to Live and daughter of former supercouple Victoria Lord and Clint Buchanan...
is initially blamed for pushing him, until Ben's amnesia clears and he remembers that Niki had pushed him. He recovers from the fall; however, shortly after he is accidentally shot by Antonio Vega
Antonio Vega
Antonio Vega is a fictional character on the long-running American soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated on July 10, 1995 by Kamar de los Reyes, who left in August 1997 and made an appearance in 1998. De los Reyes returned in February 2000 and portrayed the character until March 25,...
, who is trying to save Viki from Allison Perkins
Allison Perkins
Allison Perkins is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live.Barbara Garrick originated the role from 1986 to 1987, returning from August 15, 2001 to August 27, 2002 and then making brief appearances from October 24 to October 28, 2002 and January 10 to January 31, 2003....
(who had kidnapped her). The incident leaves Ben comatose. Over time, Viki decides to move on with her life, and begins dating Pennsylvania Governor Harrison Brooks. After a falling out with Brooks, Viki realizes that Ben is the only true love of her life.
In 2004, Viki spends Valentine's Day next to Ben's bed. Viki is ecstatic whenever Ben briefly awakes. Ben tells Viki that he loves her, and after the two share favorite memories, Viki is heartbroken whenever Ben falls back into his coma. Shortly after, Viki learns of the declining condition of her heart, and she will die without a transplant. After Viki is hospitalized, the search for a compatible heart begins. A heart is found, but is contaminated by Llanview Hospital Chief of Staff, Dr. Long, who is selling organs on the black market. However, Ben's condition declines, and he dies in May 2004. Though reluctant at first, Viki accepts Ben's heart.
In July 2008, Viki is involved in a car accident with Dorian Lord and dies; she visits Heaven, where she is reunited with deceased loved ones, including Ben. After Ben advises Viki to give love another chance and forgive Charlie Banks
Charlie Banks (One Life to Live)
Charles "Charlie" Banks is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. He was portrayed by Brian Kerwin from October 25, 2007 to May 11, 2011.-Character history:...
, Viki decides to return to her loved ones. Dorian revives Viki with a shot of adrenaline, and Viki later makes a complete recovery in the hospital.