Parker Stevenson: The teen heartthrob then and now

Teen idol

If you were a teen or young adult during the 1970's you will remember Parker Stevenson. He was born Richard Stevenson Parker Jr. in Philadelphia Pennsylvania to Richard Stevenson Parker Sr. and Sarah Meade Parker on June 4, 1952. He graduated with a degree in architecture from Princeton and his stage name is a variation on his professional name. The actor's claim to fame came when he portrayed Frank Hardy from 1977-1979 in the ABC TV series The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, co-starring Shaun Cassiday, and Pamela Sue Martin.

The television show was based on the popular books that told the tales of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew separately. In the television series, the episodes alternated and sometimes all three sleuths worked together. Nancy's role began to become smaller and in season three the title was renamed to just The Hardy Boys.

Although Parker was 25 when he began portraying Frank Hardy there were teenage girls who fell in love with him. The youthful-looking actor graced the covers of a number of teen magazines and he and Cassidy were both considered to be heartthrobs. There were many young girls were crushing on them and the duo was often paired on magazine covers together.

Parker Stevenson the 1970s and 1980s

Stevenson's mother was a Broadway actress and was in a number of television commercials. When Parker was five years old she took him to a filming session, which resulted in him making two small television appearances, He began his career in the 1972 film A Separate Peace and appeared in the television series Gunsmoke and the film Our Time/Death of her Innocence in 1974 and The Streets of San Franciso and the movie Lifeguard in 1976.In 1981 he was in the TV film This House Possessed, Stoker Ace, The Love Boat twice, and Shooting Stars in 1983, and Stitches in 1985.

During the mid to latter part of the 1980s he had roles in Falcon Crest, Hotel, Murder She Wrote, Matlock, That Secret Sunday and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In 1986 the actor portrayed Billy Hazzard in the television miniseries North ad South Book II which is where he met his future wife Kirsty Alley.

Parker Stevenson 19902 and early 2000s

Stevenson and Kirstie Alley were married on December 22, 1983, and divorced in 1997. The press hounded this couple relentlessly and spread rumors that both were gay and only together to hide their sexuality. Two children were born to the famous couple: a son, William True in 1992 and a daughter, Lillie Price in 1994. On September 29, 2018, Stevenson married celebrity chef Lisa Schoen.

The actor is also known for playing lifeguard Craig Pomeroy a main character on the television series Baywatch in season 1 from September 1989-April 1990 on NBC. The show went into syndication from 1991-2001 and Stephenson returned to direct the Season 3 episode Stakeout at Surfrider Beach. During seasons 8 and 9 as Pomeroy, he was a recurring character. During the 1990s and early 2000s he had roles in a number of television shows and movies including Burke's Law, Legion, Batman Beyond, Melrose Place, Trapped, Judging Amy and Terror Park.

Later years

Parker has continued to work steadily through the decades and in 2015 Stevenson portrayed Don Dupree in the TV movie A Christmas Reunion. That same year he had a role in WIn Lose or Love. In 2016 he appeared in The Perfect Daughter and was in one episode of the television show Bull. In 2017 he starred in My Christmas Prince and his last known role was as Louis Fromond in Greenhouse Academy from 2017-2020.