Children: Drew
Buchanan (with Becky Lee Abbott; deceased), Matthew Rappaport (with Nora
Buchanan)
Mother: Olympia Buchanan (deceased)
Father: Asa Buchanan
Siblings: Clint Buchanan, Ben Davidson (half-brother)
Nephew: Cord Roberts, Kevin Buchanan (adoptive), Joey Buchanan (adoptive)
Niece: Jessica Buchanan (adoptive), Natalie Buchanan
Uncle: Pike Buchanan
Cousin: Austin Buchanan (deceased), Rafe Garretson
Sister-in-law: Viki Davidson
Significant Romantic Relationships: Pat Ashley, Delila Ralston (1st
wife/divorced), Becky Lee Abbott, Didi O'Neill (2nd wife/deceased), Sarah Gordon
(3rd wife/deceased), Cassie Carpenter (4th wife/annulled), Nora Buchanan (5th
wife/divorced), Lindsay Rappaport, Melanie MacIver, Gabrielle Medina
Bo Buchanan came to Llanview in 1979, following his brother Clint. After a brief
fling with his father Asa's mistress Mimi King, Bo began dating Pat Ashley. Asa
did not like Pat and attempted to use Mimi to break the two up. His efforts
proved unsuccessful, as the two lovers soon were engaged. During a trip to
Paris, Pat met a mysterious woman named Nicole Bonard who told Pat that "Bo was
not a true Buchanan." Before Pat could find out any further information, Nicole
disappeared. Unsure of the true facts, Pat kept the information to herself.
Nicole was, in fact, Bo's mother Olympia Buchanan. Asa had kidnapped her for
fear of revealing that Bo was not his biological son! Eventually Olympia escaped
Asa's imprisonment but was seriously injured. On her deathbed, Olympia uttered
to Bo: "Pat…your father." Confused, Bo asked Pat what it meant and Pat revealed
that Olympia claimed he wasn't a true Buchanan. Bo soon learned that he was
really Yancey Ralston's son. Disillusioned and angry at Asa for keeping the
secret and at all his despicable behavior, Bo denounced the Buchanan name.
Things were strained with Pat, and the two eventually split up.
Bo began to investigate the Ralston family to learn more about the family he
felt cheated out of knowing. He met Delila Ralston, his cousin, and the two were
instantly attracted. However, their biological ties prevented them from moving
on that attraction. Asa became interested in Delila and actively pursued her,
leaving a despondent Bo to start dating Becky Lee Abbott. Soon, a letter from a
distant Ralston relative led Asa to learn that Bo was, in fact, his own
biological son! Observing the closeness and obvious attraction of Delila and Bo,
and the fact that they were only apart because of believed biological ties, Asa
kept the secret. Believing they could never be together, Delila eventually gave
in to Asa's ardent pursuits and married him. Bo continued to see Becky Lee and
eventually slept with her, resulting in a pregnancy which Becky Lee kept hidden.
Asa, meanwhile, continued to grow jealous of Bo and Delila's closeness and faked
his death to test their loyalty! Soon after Bo learned that he was a biological
Buchanan. Asa revealed he was really alive, and Delila learned that he had known
Bo was his biological son for some time. Disgusted, Delila divorced Asa,
determined to have a future with Bo. She soon learned Becky Lee was pregnant,
and fearing Bo would leave her in order to care for Becky Lee, Delila married Bo
and faked a pregnancy. Delila's ruse was discovered, but she won Bo's sympathy
by revealing she was barren.
Asa soon learned Becky Lee was pregnant and was keeping the paternity of the
baby a secret because she did not want to interfere in Delila and Bo's marriage.
After her fiancée was killed, Becky Lee agreed to Asa's offer to take care of
her and married him! After a life threatening complication when her son Drew was
born, Bo learned that he had a child. Angry and fearful, Delilia had an affair
and eventually she and Bo divorced.
Bo befriended the working class O'Neill family but was forced to keep his
identity secret because the O'Neill's made their living off of a plant that
Clint was considering closing. Various circumstances led the O'Neills to hate
all the Buchanans, so Bo introduced himself to them as "Bill Brady." Wanting to
escape the complications of his own life, Bo (as Bill) went to live with the
O'Neills and worked in the plant with much of the family. He also began to fall
in love with young Didi O'Neill. Despite being engaged, Didi was falling in love
with "Bill" herself. Bo's true identity soon came out and Didi, hurt by the
deception, married her fiancée Mark Pemberton. Eventually Mark's malicious
nature sent her back to Bo and the two were engaged.
After Asa was believed kidnapped, Bo went to Venice to search for him and met
government agent Jinx Rollins. Didi was convinced the two were having an affair,
so she broke her engagement to Bo. An accident left Didi blinded, and eventually
she reconciled with Bo. The two married and left Llanview for an extended
honeymoon.
In 1988, while helping M.I.A. prisoners in Vietnam, Bo and Didi were kidnapped
by Elizabeth Saunders, an old enemy of Asa's. Elizabeth had an associate of
hers, Patrick London, undergo extensive plastic surgery to resemble Bo. She then
sent this faux "Bo" to Llanview, where he attempted to poison Asa and marry Tina
Lord, then steal her money. Soon discovered, Patrick took Didi on the run with
him and both were electrocuted after a botched rescue attempt. Didi died soon
after.
Widower Bo took a job as Executive Producer of the soap opera Fraternity Row and
met Sarah Gordon, a consultant with the show. Bo saved Sarah from a kidnapping
by psychotic Neil Delaney and the two began a relationship. Bo's cousin Austin
came to town and developed an obsession with Sarah. Determined to break Sarah
and his cousin up, he framed Bo for a car accident that killed Alicia Grande and
seriously injured Gabrielle Medina. Sarah managed to clear Bo by tricking Austin
into confessing, but he raped her in retaliation. After a reign of terror Austin
was killed, but Sarah discovered she was pregnant. Bo was supportive of Sarah as
she struggled with whether to terminate the pregnancy. She eventually miscarried
and after months of therapy, Sarah and Bo became engaged.
Sarah soon traveled to Mendorra to help her sister Megan's ex, Prince Raymond,
with his recent blindness. She was kidnapped by Raymond's brother Roland in an
effort to gain control of Mendorra. Sarah was forced to tell Bo that she didn't
love him anymore and was going to marry Raymond. Bo wouldn't accept this and
raced to Mendorra to find Sarah. He managed to sneak into the castle and took
Raymond's place in the Chapel-where he married Sarah! The two fled the palace
and made a daring escape by skiing down a mountain in their wedding clothes! The
two had another ceremony in Llanview to make their marriage entirely legal.
Bo planned a location shoot for Fraternity Row on Badderly Island, where he and
Sarah discovered many of the East Coast's major mob figures were meeting! Bo
managed to go undercover and disrupt a drug manufacturing operation which the
various mafiosos had planned. He returned to Llanview and was about to testify
against the mob figures when Sarah was kidnapped. Fearing for her safety, Bo did
not testify. Bo worked with Federal Anticrime Bureau agent Alex Olanov to try to
find Sarah. He managed to make contact with Sarah, only to have her tell Bo she
loved him. Then the plane she was in crashed! Bo was devastated.
Alex became interested in Bo, but he did not return the affection, still
mourning Sarah. Dorian Lord's daughter Cassie soon returned to Llanview and
began spending time with Bo. Cassie's energy and warmth energized Bo and the two
began dating. Soon they were in love. Alex was furious and schemed with Dorian
to break the two up. Alex took things a step further by attempting to drown
Cassie, but Bo managed to rescue her. Soon the two were engaged and planning
their wedding, but Bo began to receive small hints that Sarah was possibly
alive. Alex was revealed as the person behind these reminders, still determined
to keep Bo and Cassie apart.
Cassie and Bo were married but both were shocked when Sarah showed up after the
ceremony! She revealed that she had survived the plane crash but had been held
prisoner by the mobsters who captured her. Sarah revealed that Alex discovered
her whereabouts and rescued her. Torn, Bo did not know who to commit to.
Eventually he told Sarah that his life was with Cassie and the two planned to
divorce (as they were still legally married). Sarah became hooked on
tranquilizers and Bo attempted to help her through the addiction. Growing close,
Bo slept with Sarah, which caused Cassie to end their relationship.
Underworld kingpin Carlo Hesser was killed and Sarah was one of the prime
suspects. Bo worked to try to clear her, but Sarah was found guilty until the
real culprit, Charlotte Hesser, was revealed. Soon after Sarah and Bo's plans
for happiness were shattered when Sarah was killed by a hit and run driver.
A despondent Bo vowed to find her killer. Nora Gannon, the lawyer for Sarah's
estate, agreed to help Bo find the killer and the two slowly began to develop a
close relationship. Eventually they kissed and decided to take their
relationship to the next level. Nora, who was experiencing painful headaches and
memory lapses, began to have flashes of the night that Sarah was killed. Nora
soon believed that she was the driver that killed Sarah! She told Bo just as he
was about to propose. Bo was convinced that Nora was innocent and eventually
proved so. Nora accepted his proposal and the two were engaged. Bo supported
Nora after she lost her eyesight (which she regained) and rescued her from
escaped convict Todd Manning. In 1995 the two married. Around this time Bo was
also named the new Police Commissioner in Llanview.
Bo and Nora were heavily involved in Dorian's trial for Victor Lord's murder, as
well as the events that led to the revelation that Victor's daughter Viki killed
him. Bo also had to contend with a rogue cop in his ranks which led to a brief
resignation as Police Commissioner (he soon returned to the job). In 1996 Bo had
to go undercover in order to stop an attempted murder on Asa by the mysterious
kingpin "Poseidon." Bo's son Drew soon returned to town, although his
relationship with Bo was shaky at best.
Nora wanted to get pregnant, but her attempts failed. She began feeling
unattractive and her relationship with Bo suffered. Nora's assistant, Georgie
Phillips, became obsessed with Bo and declared her love for him. Bo politely
turned Georgie down but didn't tell Nora about Georgie's actions. Out for
revenge, Georgie doctored photographs that made it appear as if Bo and Georgie
were having an affair. Nora found the photos, and caught Georgie kissing an
unidentified man-whom she believed was Bo. Georgie was soon after murdered, and
Bo was eventually arrested, his marriage to Nora in shambles. Nora's daughter
Rachel eventually admitted to the crime and Bo was freed. Bo and Nora also
managed to patch up their relationship. Bo was devastated when his son Drew was
shot and killed by a bullet meant for Kevin Buchanan.
Nora told Bo that she wanted a child, so Bo took a test to check his sperm
count. Lindsay Rappaport (the ex-wife of Nora's old flame Sam) wanted Bo for
herself so she sabotaged the results, making it appear as if Bo's sperm count
was lower than normal. Desperate to have a baby, Nora slept with Sam Rappaport
in an attempt to get pregnant. She discovered she was pregnant, but both she and
Sam agreed to let Bo believe it was his child. Lindsay soon learned the truth,
leaving Bo devastated. Bo turned to Lindsay and the two eventually made love.
Bo asked Nora for a divorce. Soon after, Nora told Bo that she learned from his
doctor that his sperm test results were incorrect-it was possible for him to
father a baby. Bo and Sam underwent DNA tests to determine the true paternity of
Nora's son Matthew. Lindsay, fearful of losing Bo, secretly paid a lab
technician $500,000 to change the results. The results were read and Sam was
named the father. However, Lindsay never found out whether the technician
actually had to change the results, meaning Bo was possibly the father.
Nora and Bo divorced and Bo became more seriously involved with Lindsay. Bo came
across a surveillance tape of Lindsay talking with the DNA lab technician and,
backed into a corner, Lindsay confessed that she attempted to change the
results-but never succeeded. Bo forgave her and eventually asked Lindsay to
marry him. On their wedding day, Nora interrupted the ceremony and revealed that
Lindsay had changed Bo's original sperm count test. Disgusted with another
example of Lindsay's manipulations, Bo left her. Some time after Lindsay
admitted to Bo there was a possibility he could be Matthew's father. Bo
underwent another DNA test, which seemed to conclusively prove that Sam was
Matthew's real parent.
After being goaded into a fight by RJ Gannon, Bo was faced with the possibility
of his badge being taken away. Needing to escape, Bo took a long motorcycle ride
into the country where he met Melanie MacIver. The two shared an instant
connection and made love. He was shocked to learn that Colin MacIver, the man
suspected of kidnapping Nora, was her ex-husband. Adding a further complication
was the fact that Melanie was Lindsay's sister. As Melanie and Bo began a
relationship, Lindsay did everything in her power to keep them apart, including
faking insanity over the loss of Bo. A guilt ridden Melanie broke off with
things with Bo, but the two could not resist each other and eventually reunited.
Bo proposed to Melanie and she accepted. However, the murder of her ex-husband
Colin took up all of Bo's time, and their wedding date seemed to be set in
permanent limbo. With the case finally closed, Bo was not in a rush to get
married. In an effort to speed up the marriage, Melanie (at Lindsay's urging)
faked that she had Leukemia to guilt Bo into walking down the aisle. Her plan
worked, and Bo rapidly made plans to marry her. However, he soon discovered the
truth and broke up with Melanie, who left town.
After Asa faked his death and left ex-wife Gabrielle in the cold, Bo offered to
house his former mother-in-law with the implicit instructions that she get a job
and get on her own soon. Unexpectedly, the two found themselves falling in love.
Gabrielle felt threatened about Bo's close relationship with Nora, even though
Bo assured her it was she he loved. Following Sam Rappaport's death, Gabrielle
came upon a letter intended for Bo and Nora that revealed that Bo was actually
Matthew's biological father (the second DNA test was false due to a lab error).
After much deliberation, Gabrielle came clean with Bo, who forgave her for
keeping it from him for so long. Bo proposed and Gabrielle accepted. Sadly, she
was murdered by the Music Box Killer on New Year's Eve.
Bo remains a dedicated member of Llanview's Police department. As well, he is
basking in his new found paternity of Matthew.