Peter Parros
A durable and respected presence on American daytime television, bringing grounded authority to roles from doctors to judges for over three decades.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American actor·Birthday: November 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Peter Parros carved out a unique niche in television as an actor whose face became synonymous with reliability and intelligence. While he has appeared in films and on stage, his true domain is the serialized drama, where he built a loyal following. For nearly ten years, he was Dr. Ben Harris on the enduring soap opera 'As the World Turns,' a role that made him a familiar figure in living rooms across America. He later transitioned seamlessly into the world of Tyler Perry, portraying the stern but fair Judge David Harrington on 'The Haves and the Have Nots' for its entire eight-year run. Parros's career is a testament to consistency and craft, demonstrating that an actor can build a substantial legacy not through blockbuster films, but through characters audiences invite into their homes day after day, year after year.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Peter was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Peter Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Peter's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Dr. Ben Harris on the CBS soap opera 'As the World Turns' for nearly a decade.
- Played Judge David Harrington for the entire eight-season run of Tyler Perry's 'The Haves and the Have Nots' on OWN.
- Co-wrote the screenplay for the 1992 martial arts film 'The Last Dragon' alongside director Michael Schultz.
Did You Know?
He is a graduate of Harvard University, where he studied economics.
He is a trained martial artist and holds a black belt in Taekwondo.
He made his Broadway debut in the 1983 play 'The Tap Dance Kid.'
“I choose roles that let me portray a man of substance and quiet strength.”
