James Reynolds

This month Days of Our Lives will place a spotlight on autism when it’s revealed that Salem police Commissioner Abe Caver (James Reynolds) and wife Dr. Lexie Carver (Renee Jones), will find out that their son has the illness.  This storyline has a great amount of sentiment for head writer Dena Higley especially since she too had a son that was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, just like little Theo Carver.  Days have paired with group Autism Speaks, the country’s foremost autism advocacy group in order to give an authentic and  accurate depiction as well as relaying information of families dealing with the disorder.

"We're telling the profound and life-altering story of a child with autism from his parents' point of view," said head writer Higley. "Their pain, their struggle -- and ultimately, their ability to find life-affirming hope in the midst of learning how to live day to day with this disability. This is a personal story for me...as my husband and I have walked in the shoes Abe and Lexie are now about to walk in."

 Background on Autism

Autism is a brain disorder that hampers a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and i a person afflicted by it has extreme behavioral challenges. Autism is  diagnosed in one in 150 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls. The diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis. There is no cure for autism.

"This storyline realistically portrays the emotional trauma that every family faces when a child is diagnosed with autism, yet it also opens a window for viewers to see the hope and achievements that are possible as a family pulls together," said Alison Singer, Executive Vice President of Communications and Awareness for Autism Speaks. "We are honored to work with 'Days of our Lives' and applaud the show's commitment to shine a bright spotlight on the autism crisis and its effects on the whole family." 

With all the crazy storylines that has been on DAYS since its inception I have to commend them with taking the time to build up a fantastic storyline in order to bring awareness to this growing crisis.

Wanna see your favorite past and present Salemites sweat it out on the B-Ball court for a worthy cause? Here's your chance.

Our pal Brandon Beemer (ex-Shawn, Days/Owen, The Bold and the Beautiful) sent out a bulletin to his My Space friends confirming his appearance at the James Reynolds 19th Annual Days of Our Lives Celebrity Basketball Game held at 7:30 pm, tomorrow, May 30, 2008 at South Pasadena High School’s Main Gym at 1401 Diamond Avenue in South Pasadena, CA . The event is to benefit the South Pasadena High School Boys Basketball Program.

Playing this year will be: Bryan Dattilo (Lucas), Kyle Brandt (ex-Philip Kiriakis), Mary Beth Evans (Kayla), Alison Sweeney (Sami), Kyle Lowder (ex-Brady), Arianne Zucker (Nicole), Martha Madison (ex-Belle), Rachel Melvin (Chelsea), Shelley Henning (Stephanie), Rashann Orange (ex-TEK), Jay Kenneth Johnson (Philip), Patrika Darbo (ex-Nancy), Stephen Nichols (Steve), Blake Berris (Nick), James Reynolds (Abe), Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe) and Brandon Beemer (ex-Shawn).

Beemer encourages fans to get their early. Doors will open at 7 pm. There will be a raffle and a silent auction. General Admission tickets are $15 for all attendees. VIP tickets are $165. They include backstage access at the game, a team jersey, a photo with the teams, a gift basket and special seating. Only 40 VIP tickets will be sold.

For more information, call 323-993-3376 or email DaysGame2008@gmail.com

It has been almost 23 years since we saw Steve and Bo go head to head. Now, in Salem, Steve and Bo are brother-like-buddies. In 1985, caught up in the midst of all the drama surrounding bad girl Britta, Steve had his eye ripped out of his socket by Bo in a fight. In this video, we see Hope being introduced to Steve "Patch" Johnson for the very first time with Bo telling Hope that Steven Earl was bad news and she must stay away from him at all cost. The pier scene between the sexy Bo we all knew and loved together with a trim Patch Johnson is a highlight in this clip. Watch for a baby like Abe Carver and Grandma Alice Horton. I must say that Bo's mullet (pronounced mul-lay) needs to make a comeback, anyone else agree?

Days of Our Lives' star James Reynolds (Abe Carver) recently did a two part interview with Cindy Elavasky at the Tulsa World.

We've posted an excerpt below but you'll want to check out both parts of the interview since they appear to be on different parts of the website.

Soaps have changed in many ways, of course. Technically, the quality has changed and just the look of the end product. We go through cycles where we concentrate on the young people, then we don’t. We go through realistic stories, then we’ll go to science fiction and science fantasy. We’ve gone from longer scenes to shorter, MTV-type scenes. We go through huge swings, but in time, the swing comes back – the swing is continuous.

"Huge swings." Boy is he right about that one. Days of Our Lives has been on a roller coaster. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of the interview.

One of Days of Our Lives longest married couples Abe and Lexie Carver are taking a decidely realistic step for soaps-especially Days-by opting to go into couples therapy. Kudos to Days scribe Dena Higley for dusting off the talented James Reynold and Renee Jones and giving them something to do besides play BFF to everyone else in Salem.

While I am loving Tamara Braun as the fantastically-kookie Ava, Days fans know the show really didn't have to look outside itself to find a perfectly suitable bad girl. Lexie's turn to her DiMera darkside a few year's back was one of the best storylines in recent Days history.

After years of having been a boring talk-to, Jones ignted the screeen as Lexie schemed and connived to keep her precious Isaac away from his bio parents Bo and Hope, who happened to be her best friends. Lexie's stunts would have even impressed her adopted sister Kristen Blake. And then there was her classic rivalry with Sami. Let's hope this therapy storyline will bring some of the pop and sizzle back into Abe and Lexie's storyline. It wouldn't hurt to bring back Mama Celeste either. Tanya Boyd and James Reynolds oozed with chemistry when Celeste helped Abe, make that Abraham, care for Theo while Lex was missing in action. How about a putting this talented trio into a  triangle?