RON HARPER

Husband to Clarissa and father of Tyler, Thomas, Matt, and Wally, Baxter McCandless was presumed dead in a mysterious plane crash six years before Capitol debuted.

In March 1985, Thomas treated a paralyzed patient who called himself Jarrett Morgan. At first, everyone speculated that Morgan was post-plastic surgery crimelord Victor Markham, whose attache had been carried by Baxter McCandless the day he died. Curiously, Clarissa found herself inexplicably attracted to this mysterious stranger, even though she was happily engaged to Senator Mark Denning.

Coincidence? Not! Jarrett Morgan was actually the presumed dead Baxter McCandless, who hadn't died in the crash at all and spent the ensuing years holed up in a compound on the Caribbean island Columbe. Naturally, Clarissa learned the truth just as she was about to stroll down the aisle with Mark, causing quel heartache for everyone.

Things got even more complicated in 1986 when Jarrett's old pal Victor Markham showed up then promptly got murdered by Octopus, a vast criminal organization that sponsored terrorism around the globe. Baxter spent much of the year trying to prove his innocence to distrustful friends and family, who thought he might be a traitor responsible for several assassinations.

Baxter's loyalties were confirmed in January 1987 when he exposed the real leader of Octopus...his wife's fiancee, stalwart Senator Mark Denning! After that little confusion was cleared up, he searched for son Matt -really Prince Marim Mamoud- heir to the throne of Baracq, a war-torn Middle Eastern nation. Baxter found Matt, reconciled with Clarissa, and faded into TV history, mercifully sparing Capitol viewers more migraines from far too serpentine stories.

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