Frank Parker portrays Shawn Brady, the founding father of the Brady clan, on NBC's "Days of our Lives."
Frank Parker
was born and raised in the small towns of Lansdown and Darby, outside of Philadelphia and lived in upstate New York with his grandparents from the age of four until six.
Frank Parker
's grandparents lived in the Adirondacks, a mountainous area, where Parker learned to appreciate the beauty of the wild outdoors.
Throughout his childhood and adolescence,
Frank Parker
attended eight different schools. Upon graduation from high school,
Frank Parker
worked in a box factory, taking on many different vocations in the plant. Wanting to further his education,
Frank Parker
auditioned for Carnegie Tech, where he majored in theatre arts.
After graduation,
Frank Parker
moved to Los Angeles and was unable to earn a living as an actor, so he supplemented his income by driving cabs and tending bar. Although he had a small role on "Gomer Pyle,"
Frank Parker
's big break came when he auditioned for "General Hospital" and he landed a role as an old Irishman. That role led to
Frank Parker
's role of patriarch Shawn Brady on "
Days of Our Lives."
Since the passing of his oldest daughter Candi,
Frank Parker
has lived with his other two daughters, Danielle and Lindsay, in West Los Angeles.
Frank Parker
's birthday is July 1.