Robert Ford is a fictional character from the ABC original soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated by David A. Gregory on August 10, 2009 on a recurring basis. Gregory was upgraded to contract status in December 2009, and he remained on the show through the end of its run, last airing January 10, 2012.
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Character creation and casting
David A. Gregory debuted in the recurring role of Ford in August 2009. Originally, his role was meant to be short term, but Gregory is later placed on contract and returns in December 2009. In an interview with Michael Fairman, Gregory reveals the producers original plan for Ford: "Initially they were going to have him, you know a well suited up producer, kind of slick and then when they wrote that scene [the barn scene], I remember thinking, 'This is kind of unlike anything we've done before." Though the writers make him out to be the bad guy originally, steps are taken to redeem the character. Not that I wanted to be a squeaky clean guy, but they are adding elements that make him why the way he is. A lot of directors I have worked with since have told me, “We don’t want him to lose his fire, because that is what kind of makes him interesting.” So that is not going away, but once he brought in family members, it allowed us to see, not that he is justified in the way he is, but that it makes more sense. So I don’t know if it’s as much that Ford is being redeemed, as much as it is explaining to people why he is the way he is.-MichaelFairmanSoaps.com
When Gregory returned, he found out from executive producer, Frank Valentini that his character was getting a brother, James Ford (played by Nic Robuck). Later, Nate Salinger (played by Lenny Platt) was revealed to be their younger brother as well. Gregory was surprised that Platt's character would be tied into his storyline, because Platt was already on the show and his character was already involved in another storyline. Gregory's co-star Brittany Underwood (Langston Wilde) occasionally mistook Platt for Gregory while onset.
Storylines
Robert Ford, going by his last name Ford , shows up in Llanview in August 2009 as the young producer of a reality television show David Vickers is trying to film. After being rejected by his ex-wife, Dorian Lord at La Boulaie, the film crew goes to Llanfair and tries to secretly tape David's interactions with his friend, Victoria Lord. But when Jessica Brennan sees someone hiding in the bushes, she assumes it is the stalker who had been following her. She bashes the person over the head, only to find out that the person is Ford. After Viki kicks David out, the film crew moves on to the Buchanan mansion and takes up temporary residence in the horse stables. Langston Wilde goes looking for her boyfriend Markko Rivera, who is working as the cameraman, when she spies Ford trying to beat the heat by pouring a bucket of water over his head and bare chest. Langston likes what she sees but is embarrassed when Ford sees her watching him. They chat about the reality show and seem to hit it off. When Markko interrupts, Ford takes off. Later, Ford quits and leaves town after realizing the reality show idea was a flop.
On New Year's Eve, Ford surprises Langston by showing up at Ultraviolet. Langston has thought about Ford often since their encounter in the stables, and Ford says he has been thinking about her, too. When Markko interrupts them, he is dismayed to learn that Ford has taken a job at Llanview University as a teaching assistant in the very class that Markko will be taking. Ford hits on Layla Williamson while working out at the gym but backs off after learning she is dating Cristian Vega. When Ford needs a place to stay, Layla, Cris, and then-roommate Fish invite him to stay with them.
Ford tells Cris that he is smitten with a younger woman, and Cris assumes she is a college student, not the high school senior Langston. Langston confides in her cousin Blair that she has fantasized about Ford while having sex with Markko, and Blair warns Langston to stay away from Ford. When Ford shows up at Langston's 18th Birthday party, she secretly makes out with Ford. After interrupting them, Blair tells Ford to go after someone his own age and plants a wet kiss on Ford. Later, Blair invites Ford to La Boulaie to prove to Langston that Ford is only interested in sex; when Ford arrives, he pretends that he only came there to tell Blair to back off, and Langston falls for his lies. Ford accuses Langston of playing it safe with Markko and eventually gets Langston into bed. Langston and Ford continue their affair, although Langston is unaware of Ford's other pursuits. Llanview University student Hannah O'Connor, who had been paired up with Cole Thornhart on a class project, confides in Cole that she has recently broken up with her boyfriend and then gotten involved with an older man, a teaching assistant at Llanview University who dumped her after they had sex. After Hannah nearly overdoses on pills, Cole learns that the man was Ford. Ford also is having casual sex with Karen, the pizza delivery girl. Hannah confronts Ford at the diner, in front of Cole and Markko, about dumping her after they had sex. Ford convinces everyone that Hannah is stalking him and they never had sex.