The Bradys

Days of our Lives: Brady Family Who’s Who

The Brady family was introduced in 1981 when Roman Brady, one of Salem’s finest appeared on the scene to protect Dr Marlena Evans from a psychopath making threatening phone calls and sending her threatening notes.

The Brady family expanded during the early 80’s to include parents Shawn and Caroline, and three siblings for Roman – Kayla, Bo and Kimberly.

Although, a little more blue collar than the upper middle class Horton’s, the Brady’s quickly established themselves as upright citizens of Salem and quickly became fan favorites, as each of the Brady siblings became one half of a Days of our Lives supercouple.

Caroline Brady

The matriarch of the Brady family, Caroline married Shawn Brady in 1948, and they remained married until his death in February, 2008 in a plane accident. Shawn and Caroline raised 4 children, Roman, Bo, Kimberly and Kayla, but Bo’s biological father is actually Victor Kiriakis, the product of an affair Caroline had with Victor, while married to Shawn.

Read more…


Shawn Brady Sr.

Shawn Brady, was the patriarch of the Brady family and biological father of three of Caroline’s children, though he raised Bo, the product of an affair Caroline had with victor Kiriakis, as his own. The Irishman died returning from a trip to Ireland where he was reunited with a Colleen his presumed dead sister. Shawn gave up his oxygen mask on a sabotaged plane so that other members of his family might live.

Read more…

Roman Brady

Assigned to protect Dr Marlena Evans from the Salem Strangler, the oldest Brady sibling soon fell for married his ‘Doc’, but not before his presumed dead wife, Anna Fredericks turned up in Salem with their six year old daughter, Carrie.

A cop with the Salem PD, Roman has made investigating the misdeeds of the DiMera family a lifelong career. The DiMera’s in return framed him as a serial killer (Salem Slasher), ‘killed him’ and held him hostage for five years while he was replaced in his family by an imposter(John Black).

When Roman escaped, he found himself fighting for Marlena’s affections only to realize that he had lost her to John long before he’d returned. Roman stepped out of the race for Marlena’s heart and has since been involved mostly in short liaisons, with Billie Reed and Nicole Walker, until he married Kate Roberts.

That marriage didn’t last as Roman was ‘killed’ on their wedding night. In reality Roman became a resident of Melaswen, as did Marlena. When they thought John and Kate had moved on without them, Roman and Marlena succumbed to old passions. Rescued and back in Salem Roman learned Marlena was pregnant, but she lost the baby.

Since then, Roman has focused on his career, and with the antics of Salem’s residents, that more than enough to keep him busy.

Read more…

Marlena Evans Brady Black

Marlena became a Brady when she married oldest son, Roman Brady in 1983. Despite cheating on Roman, and conceiving Belle with John Black while still married to Roman, Marlena was mostly held in high regard my all the Brady’s. Her children with Roman, twins Eric and Sami are Brady’s.

Marlena remained married to John Black, on and off for her tenure in Salem. In 2008, her position as an honorary Brady was cemented in reality when it was discovered that John Black was actually a Brady—the love child of Santo DiMera and Colleen Brady, though at the time John seemed more interested in his DiMera heritage.

Anna Fredericks Brady

Roman’s pregnant first wife, was presumed to have died in a boating accident, but turned up in Salem just as Roman was preparing to marry Marlena Evans, bringing with her their 4 year old daughter, Carrie. Anna said she had been rescued then forced into white slavery aboard a luxury yacht and had only recently escaped. Anna and Roman divorced and she later married Tony DiMera.

Carrie Brady

When Roman’s fist wife, Anna Fredericks, believed dead in a boating accident, turned up in Salem, she had Roman’s six year old daughter, Carrie, with her. After her arrival in Salem Carrie, like Sami was raised by a continually changing cast of parents; Roman, Marlena, John, Isabella, and then Roman again. Unlike Carrie however, Carrie dealt better with her childhood and grew into a caring, thoughtful young woman.

When Carrie became involved with Austin Reed, a professional Boxer, no one could have anticipated Sami’s raging case of sibling rivalry, until she announced on Carrie and Austin’s wedding day that she was pregnant with the groom’s baby. That day started a long history of Sami using her son, Will to come between Carrie and Austin, until Carrie found proof the child was actually Lucas Roberts’.

When Carrie did marry Austin it was an affair with Mike Horton that ended her happiness with Austin. Austin divorced Carrie and Carrie and Mike left Salem. Off-screen Mike and Carrie’s relationship also ended, and Austin and Carrie, both back in Salem had one more round of Sami’s meddling before they finally married in a rooftop ceremony on their apartment building before leaving Salem for Switzerland.

Carrie and Austin are due to return to Salem in September 2011.

Samantha Gene Brady

Named for Marlena’s twin sister (and Eugene Bradford), Sami does Samantha Evans’ memory proud in the scheming and manipulation department.

Sami, deeply affected by her parents’ disappearance during her formative years, suffered from bulimia, kidnapped her baby sister, and was especially competitive and jealous of her older half-sister, Carrie. Not even Sami’s twin fully understood the full extent of Sami’s emotional issues.

When Carrie became involved with Austin Reed, Sami also developed an infatuation for Austin. With Lucas Roberts help, (he wanted Carrie) she drugged Austin, and wearing Carrie’s perfume took him to bed. When Sami fell pregnant, she conveniently forgot about sleeping with Lucas, and publicly announced on Sami and Austin’s wedding day that she was pregnant with Austin’s baby.

Sami came between Austin and Carrie for years, until Carrie broke up Sami’s wedding to Austin by delivering proof that Will was Lucas’ child not Austin’s.

Sami has had many failed attempts at marriage, the curse seemingly broken when she made it through her “I Do’s” with Brandon Walker. That marriage only lasted hours and was annulled when Brandon learned of Sami’s latest schemes and manipulations.

From Brandon, Sami moved on with Lucas, much to the delight of their teenage son, Will. That too didn’t last when EJ DiMera came onto the scene, his mission to impregnate a Brady woman with a DiMera heir. He succeeded, twice.

One of Sami’s twins Johnny was fathered by EJ, the other twin, Ally by Lucas. While Lucas was in jail for shooting EJ, Sami and EJ again became close and Sami conceived a child (Sydney) but kept her pregnancy a secret from EJ, not wanting another child to be raised a DiMera.

While in witness protection (Sami witnessed the mob killing of Salem’s Mayor outside the DiMera Mansion) she met and fell for, Rafael Hernandez, the FBI agent assigned to protect her. That marriage is now of skid row after EJ and Stefano replaced Rafe with a murdering doppelganger. Or is it?

For all her faults, Sami is a fiercely loyal, protective and loving mother, who does not abide by adultery due to the impact her mother’s affair with John had on her formative years.

Eric Brady, Jr.

Eric, Sami’s twin almost died at birth. During his time in Salem Eric was a photographer at Titan and became involved with Bella model Nicole Walker. When Nicole left him for Lucas Roberts (Kate paid her $5 million to marry Lucas), Eric became involved with Greta von Amberg, who he assisted in becoming a princess in a virtual world. Greta broke up with Eric when it was clear that he was still in love with Nicole and would never feel the same about her.

Eric left Salem for Colorado.

Kayla Brady

Kayla Brady, a nurse, dated David Banning and Chris Kositchek before falling for Steve Johnson, a former friend of Bo’s from his merchant marine days. Before Kayla married Steve, she married his brother Jack, who was dying. They never consummated their marriage due to Jack’s illness, but Kayla and Patch, unable to keep away from each other had an affair. Jack raped Kayla when he found out. He granted Kayla a divorce when Steve saved his life, by donating a kidney.

Steve and Kayla eventually married. Their daughter, Stephanie was born while Kayla was in jail for murdering Steve’s wife Marina. With Kayla released from prison the Johnson’s were a happy family until Steve was killed.

Kayla later became involved with her sister’s ex-husband Shane Donovan causing a rift between the sisters and within the Brady family. Kayla eventually left town for Los Angeles, where (off-screen) she became a doctor.

Kayla returned to Salem when Stephanie was a race car driving teen. They were surprised when Jack Devereaux (Steve’s brother) brought an amnesiac to Salem. It was Steve! Kayla and Steve added another child to their family and later left Salem again.

Steve Johnson

Was Bo’s friend in the merchant marines until their love for the same woman destroyed their friendship, and resulted in the loss of Steve’s eye in a knife fight with Bo. Bo’s warning to Kayla to stay away from Steve fell on deaf ears.

Steve and Bo patched up their friendship and worked together investigating the DiMera’s until Steve’s supposed death. Steve resurfaced many years later when his brother jack found him in an institution with no memory, and returned him to Salem where he reunited with Kayla and Stephanie and regained his memory.

Stephanie Johnson

Kayla and Steve’s daughter who was born while Kayla was in prison convicted of killing Marina Toscano. Kayla and her young daughter moved to Los Angeles after Steve’s death.

Stephanie returned as an adult race car driver who was familiar with two other Salem faces from the circuit – EJ DiMera and Max Brady. During her short stay in Salem Stephanie was involved with Jeremy Horton, Max Brady (her uncle by adoption), Philip Kiriakis and Nathan Horton.

Stephanie was last seen exiting the Brady pub after a conversation with Dario where he pumped Stephanie for information on Melanie (who Stephanie was not fond of).

Joseph Johnson

The son of Kayla Brady and Steve Johnson, who was born prematurely after Kayla, Hope and Steve were held hostage by Ava Vitali, a woman from Steve’s missing years.

Kimberly Brady

Former prostitute Kimberly Brady, fell for and bore ISA agent Shane Donovan two children, both of whom were believed to be another man’s child prior to learning that Shane had sired both. Andrew was thought to be Victor’s. Kimberly had slept with Victor to save Shane’s life, and daughter Jeannie was thought to have been Cal Winter’s child.

Kimberly was abused by her Uncle Eric as a child and facing those memories caused her to develop multiple personalities as an adult.

Kimberly and Shane reunited in 2010 after many years apart.

Shane Donovan

Shane met Kimberly

while he was investigating Stefano DiMera. He spied on prostitute Kimberly who’s clients consisted on men working for Stefano. When Kimberly caught wind on his missing she assisted him and it started a long partnership investigating the mob bosses of Salem.

They eventually fell for each other but their romance was thwarted by Shane’s presumed dead ex-wife Emma, an ex-lover who’d borne Shane’s child and Kim’s issue surrounding molestation as a child by her uncle.

They did eventually marry, but divorced and Shane’s relationship with Kimberly’s sister Kayla made Brady family gatherings difficult for a while.

Rafe Hernandez found Shane Donovan imprisoned on an island nation in 2010 (with no US extradition – Anna DiMera was hiding out there after the “Sydnapping” fiasco) for attempting to assassinate the president. They escaped and returned to Salem, where Shane and Kimberly had a long awaited reunion.

Andrew Donovan

The son of Kimberly Brady and Shane Donovan, though at one time he was believed to be Victor’s son. Kimberly considered aborting the pregnancy as for a time she also believed that she was the child that Caroline had conceived with Victor.

Emma Donovan, Shane’s presumed dead wife tricked Kimberly into signing adoption papers and took Andrew.

Jeannie Donovan

The daughter of Kimberly Brady and Shane Donovan, though at one time she was believed to be Cal Winters’ daughter.

Bo Brady

Long haired and leather clad, Bo Brady rode into Salem on the back of a motorcycle with a hot microwave, a wedding gift for his older brother, police detective, Roman (he married Marlena).

Bo and his father Shawn had a naturally combative relationship. While holding Victor Kiriakis at gunpoint, Bo’s mother, Caroline, begged him not to shoot – Victor was his father. Bo had a hard time accepting Victor as his father, but came round to accept that biology may mean Victor sired him, but his father, was Shawn Brady, the man that raised him.

Bo fell for and married Hope Williams, despite her father (Doug Williams) initial displeasure with Hope seeing Bo. Hrs Horton however supported the match. Bo and Hope’s oldest son, Shawn D was born and they left of a world sailing voyage on the Fancy Face.

They eventually returned but Bo lost his fancy face in an explosion and was left to raise his young son alone. When Bo did fall for Dr Carly Manning, so did Victor and through Vic’s manipulations Carly married him when she thought Bo was unable to commit to her. Though Bo and Carly learned of Victors dishonesty, they still never officially married (they had a symbolic Mayan ceremony in Mexico).

Bo then became involved with drug addict Billie Reed, Kate Roberts daughter. They had a daughter together who they believed died during childbirth, but they learned years later she was actually Chelsea Benson, Abigail Devereaux friend.

When an amnesiac named Gina who looked like Hope turned up (at one of Stefano DiMera’s properties) it was eventually proved she was Hope. Her memory eventually returned and Bo and Hope were reunited.

Bo and Hope have been torn apart many times through the years (the death of Zach at the hands of Chelsea, Ciara’s kidnapping, and Hope’s jail time for mugging the rich and powerful men of Salem) they have always found their way back to each other.

They are currently reunited after a separation that saw Bo reunite briefly with Dr Carly manning who came to Salem after killing her husband, Lawrence, in self defense.

Shawn Brady Jr.

Shawn Douglas Brady Jr, or Shawn D ws named for both his grandfather’s, Shawn Brady Sr, and Doug Williams. As a child he suffered a bout of deafness, grew close to two step mother’s (Carly and Billie) before his own mother returned from the dead (Hope).

Shawn attended high school with Belle Black, Philip Kiriakis, Mimi Lockhart and Chloe Lane. They would form a complex love quadrangle, with Belle marrying Philip and Shawn marrying Mimi regardless that Belle and Shawn were deeply in love with each other.

Shawn claimed to be the father of Jan Spears baby (she was raped by Nicole Walker’s father) and was later imprisoned by loony Jan for his kindness (Jan thought herself in love with Shawn). Shawn and Belle’s relationship truly hit the skids when it was discovered Belle’s mother; Marlena Evans Black was the Salem Stalker. The Salem Stalker was responsible for “killing” many in Shawn’s family (Doug, Maggie, Roman, Alice Horton) which put the young couple at odds with eachother.

Shawn and Belle unknowingly conceived a child together, Claire, who was believed to be Philip’s child. When the truth came out it destroyed Shawn’s marriage to Mimi (she knew and didn’t tell) and Belle and Shawn went on the run from Philip who sued for custody of Claire.

Shawn and Belle eventually left Salem to sail around the world with their daughter, Claire, just as Shawn’s parents had done when he was a child.

Belle Black

Mother of Claire Brady conceived with Shawn Brady while she was married to Philip Kiriakis. Claire was thought to be Philips daughter for the early years of her life. She suffered a rare liver problem, her life saved by liver donation from Shawn’s younger brother who died at the hands of a hit and run driver.

Claire was the subject of a custody battle between her parents and Philip Kiriakis, with Shawn and Belle going on the run to keep Claire from Philip.

Claire Brady

Shawn Brady Junior and Belle Black’s daughter conceived when the two huddled to together to prevent dying from exposure. The event was then forgotten, and Claire was thought to be Philip Kiriakis’ daughter until Mimi (Shawn’s wife) worked out the truth.

Shawn, Belle and Claire left Salem to sail around the world, just as Shawn’s parents, Bo and Hope had done when he was a child.

Zach Brady

Zach Brady, Bo and Hope’s youngest son was the victim of a baby switch. Stefano gave the child (who he thought could have been his) to his daughter Lexie and her husband Abe, to raise as their own. Bo and Hope were given the child of Dr Rolf’s alcoholic niece to raise (JT Brady). The truth came out and Abe and Lexie gave up Isaac to his biological parents, Bo and Hope. Zach was later killed in a tragic hit and run accident at the hands of his half-sister, Chelsea Brady! The tragic accident and Bo’s steadfast support of his daughter Chelsea destroyed Bo and Hope’s marriage.

JT (John Thomas) Brady

JT was the child Stefano switched for the baby (Zach) that Hope conceived while her brain chip had her believing she was Princess Gina. He was thought to be either John Black or Stefano DiMera’s child. Hope and John both under the influence of Stefano’s brain chips had spine shattering sex on a submarine while John was on his honeymoon. Later “Gina” also slept with Stefano to save John’s life.

Hope blamed herself for JT’s medical conditions. He suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome. Hope had no recollection of her time as Gina and presumed that between drinking and the conditions she and Stefano endured locked in a turret of Gina’s castle that her baby had suffered.

It was later revealed that Stefano had masterminded a baby switch (so that his daughter Lexie would raise the child that could have been his). JT was returned to his biological father and his wife, and Isaac was returned to Bo and Hope. It was also later revealed that Bo was indeed Zach’s biological father. He and Hope had reunited in Paris while he was a street mime.

Ciara Brady

Ciara Brady was conceived during the period that Bo and Hope were apart, due to Chelsea Benson’s manipulations and later, Zach’s death.

Hope was involved with Patrick Lockhart during this time and he was believed to be Ciara’s father. In reality, Patrick paid a lab technician to alter the paternity test results to show him and not Bo and Hope’s baby’s father.

The truth came out and Bo and Hope reunited to raise their new baby after the tragedy of losing Zach. That happiness didn’t last however. Ciara was kidnapped and old issues surrounding Zach’s death and Bo’s handling of the situation re-emerged. Ciara told the grown-ups in her life about Hope’s pill addicted behavior long before anyone realized that Hope was the Salem Mugger. Hope brushed off Ciara’s stories as lies and fables she’d made up as a result of the trauma of her kidnapping.

In 2011, Ciara ran away from home with Theo, believing that her Mommy and Daddy could only be happy with her gone.

Max Brady


Caroline and Shawn’s adopted son Max Brady returned to Salem in 2005 and proceeded to have a string of relationships with his adopted nieces. First he was involved with Billy and Bo’s wild child Chelsea, and then he moved on to Stephanie Johnson (daughter of Steve and Kayla), helping her recover from the ordeal of being raped by Ford Decker.

Between romances Ma raced cars, ran a garage and invested in Jeremy Horton’s crooked airline business which was actually a cover for a people smuggling operation.

Stephanie and Max broke up when Max discovered he had a long-lost sister, Melanie Layton. Stephanie saw through Melanie’s lies and manipulations and arguments over Melanie saw Stephanie and Max break up.

Max also disclosed himself as a physics genius during this time when he corrected Nick Fallon’s formula for and alternate energy project he was working on. Max left Salem with Chelsea for London.

Frankie Brady

Frankie and his younger “brother” Max came to town in 1986 and were taken in by Shawn and Caroline Brady. Teenager Frankie attended Salem High where he met Jennifer Horton. Frankie was immediately smitten with Jennifer but for a long time nothing came it other than friendship, mostly because Jennifer was dating Salem High jock Glenn Gallagher. Jennifer and Glenn broke up when he pressured her to have sex, and Jennifer and Frankie became a couple and engaged. Jennifer ended their relationship when she learned both her mother and grandmother suffered from mental problems. She feared she would pass the condition to any children she might have.

Frankie left Salem to attend Columbia University. He briefly returned in 1990-1991 when it was revealed he was the biological brother (Francois von Leuschner) of Carly Manning (Katarina von Leushcner). By this time Jennifer was in love with Jack and Frankie fell for Eve Donovan. They eventually left Salem together for Africa.

Frankie returned to Salem again in 2005 to keep an eye on Max, who has become involved with their niece Chelsea. Frankie and Jennifer reminisce about their teenage years. When jack discovers he’s dying of a fatal disease, he asks Frankie to marry Jennifer once he is gone. Jack then disappears because he doesn’t want his family to suffer through watching him die.

Frankie and Jennifer do marry, but on their wedding day, Jack returns home with his presumed dead brother, Steve Johnson. Frankie tied up some legal cases in Salem and took a job in Washington DC.

Eric Brady, Sr.


Shawn Brady Sr’s brother who made a brief visit to Salem in the 90’s. He was welcomed by all the Brady’s except Kimberly, who later admitted that Uncle Eric had sexually abused her as a child.

Colleen Brady

When Anna DiMera returned to Salem she brought to some letters she found amongst Tony’s possessions to the Brady family. The letters were love letters between Santo DiMera (Stefano’s father) and Colleen Brady (Shawn Brady’s older sister).

The Brady’s learned that Colleen Brady, though planning to become a nun fell for wealthy Italian Santo DiMera believing him a widow. Colleen was believed to have died having fallen or jumped from a Galway cliff face into the sea. Stefano and Shawn blamed each other for Colleen’s death sparking the Brady –DiMera feud.

In 2008, the Brady’s travelled to Ireland to find a kidnapped Claire. There they found and elderly and ailing Colleen Brady, who admitted to faking her own death (suicide is a mortal sin) and discovered she was pregnant with Santo’s child (Stefano’s half-brother) and fled to South America. During a bout of illness she left her son that she named Ryan with friends. They eventually put the child up for adoption and Colleen lost her son.

On her deathbed Colleen revealed that John Black was her son, Ryan. Colleen died with her brother Shawn and his family at her side. On the flight back to the US, when their plane was sabotaged, Shawn gave his own life so that his family could live.

Ryan Brady (DiMera)

The child Colleen Brady conceived with Santo DiMera (Stefano’s father). Ryan was put up for adoption as a child (Colleen thought herself dying) and was revealed in 2008 to be John Black.