Stephen Nichols celebrates his 40th anniversary as Steve "Patch" Johnson on Days of our Lives

Days of our Lives star Stephen Nichols made his debut as Steve “Patch” Johnson 40 years ago. The actor is both a Daytime Emmy nominee and a fan favorite for his portrayal of the Salem mainstay. Nichols's on-screen romantic pairing with Mary Beth Evans (Dr. Kayla Brady Johnson) is one of the most successful not only on DAYS but also in all of daytime television. Here’s a look back at Nichols’s historic run as the man known as Patch.

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Steve, the son of Jo (Joy Garrett; Marilyn McIntyre) and Duke Johnson (James Luisi), returned to Salem as one of Victor Kiriakis’s (John Aniston) henchmen. The tycoon ordered Steve to get some film back that Kimberly Brady (Patsy Pease) unknowingly had in her possession. Steve and Victor's machinations nearly sent them both to prison, but the Kiriakis patriarch blackmailed Larry Welch (Andrew Masset) into taking the fall for their crimes.

Viewers learned that Steve lost his eye in a knife fight with Bo Brady (Peter Reckell) when the two were in the Merchant Marines. The two men fell in love with the same woman, Britta Englund (Amy Stock-Poynton), and during a fight, Bo knifed out Steve’s eye after Bo came up on the couple's betrayal. In time, they were able to become friends.

Next, Steve met and fell in love with Kayla Brady. He called her his “sweetness” and the couple’s love story is arguably one of DAYS’ greatest love sagas. Steve showed how loyal he was to his family when he attempted to take the rap for his sister Adrienne (Judi Evans) killing their father Duke (in self-defense) after he’d raped Adrienne. While Steve was fiercely devoted to his family, he wasn’t opposed to stepping on the other side of the law to take a job. He offered to help Senator Harper Deveraux (Joseph Campanella) fake his death so he could be safe from Victor. Caught between Victor and Harper, Steve and Kayla went on the run, which helped solidify the couple’s romance.

Kayla wed Steve and Adrienne’s brother, Jack Deveraux (Matt Ashford), out of pity when it appeared he was going to die. In time, Kayla and Steve began meeting in secret. Steve saved both Kayla and Kim from Harper, who turned out to be the Riverfront Knifer.

Taking Days of our Lives to No. 1: How 'Sweetness' it was

Kayla suffered both hearing loss and the ability to speak, but she recovered both as she and Steve stood at the altar (on a ship) when they wed. The couple’s wedding on July 28, 1988, catapulted DAYS to the No. 1 spot in the ratings, solidifying the duo as one of the show’s most popular couples and legendary romantic duos.

On the couple’s honeymoon, they encountered a little boy named Benjy (Darrell Utley), who was deaf and turned out to be Stefano DiMera’s (Joe Mascolo) son! Nick Corelli (George Jenesky) bestowed a home to Steve and Kayla, which they moved into. There, Kayla discovered a diary telling the story of star-crossed lovers Gideon and Emily who lived during the Civil War. In flashbacks, we learned more about Gideon (played by Nichols) and Emily (played by Evans) and their quest to be together.

In the present, Steve joined the ISA and went undercover as Brother Daniel Lucas while he tried to bring to justice an arsonist who’d been attacking Black churches. Steve removed his patch to disguise his true identity during this storyline. He received a prosthetic eye so he could take on a new role.

After that saga, Steve and Kayla learned that they were expecting their first child. That happiness was marred by the return of Marina Toscano Johnson (Hunter Tylor), Steve’s first wife. While attempting to extricate himself from Marina, Steve traveled to Italy, where his prosthetic eye was injured. Patch went back to wearing his patch.

Kayla went to prison after being falsely convicted of Marina’s death. She gave birth to their daughter, Stephanie, in prison on February 19, 1990. Steve and Kayla, who escaped from prison, went on the run to Australia to find Stephanie, who’d been kidnapped by her deranged nanny. Upon their return, Kayla was exonerated and cleared of Marina's death.

Harper, who escaped from jail again, attempted to murder Steve at his second wedding ceremony to Kayla. Jack killed his adopted dad to stop him. Steve and Kayla wed, this time legally, on August 13, 1990. Tragically, Steve and Kayla’s life together was blown apart after Steve, injured in a boat explosion, was hospitalized. Villainous Lawrence Alamain (Michael Sabatino) injected Steve’s IV with a solution that made it appear Steve had died. Steve’s family mourned, but viewers saw his coffin switched with another one on-screen. The door was being left open for both the character and the actor’s return, which was a source of comfort for Patch and Kayla fans at this difficult time.

Seems like old times

It wasn’t until 2006 that Nichols and Evans were reunited on DAYS when Patch's being alive was revealed. Soap fans had continued to see Nichols on Daytime dramas. He played Skyler Gates in the final months of Santa Barbara; then, he went on to a longer run, playing the regal Stefan Cassadine on General Hospital. In Port Charles, he was reunited with Evans, who played Katherine Bell.

DAYS reintroduced Steve by revealing that he’d had amnesia. Jack found his brother and got him to agree to a DNA test, which proved they were brothers. While Steve struggled to regain his memory, he took up with Billie Reed (Julie Pinson), Bo’s ex-wife.

Poor Steve became a DiMera pawn after he was brainwashed by EJ (then, James Scott; now, Dan Feuerriegel) into committing a host of crimes. Kayla’s love for Steve helped him break through the brainwashing. Steve and Kayla’s renewed happiness was marred by the arrival of unpredictable and volatile Ava Vitale (Tamara Braun), a woman Steve had a relationship with during the years he was away from Salem and Kayla.

Kayla gave birth to her and Steve’s second child, Joseph “Joey” Johnson, on May 16, 2008. While Steve didn’t return to the police force, he stayed in that realm by becoming a private investigator. The following year, Steve, Kayla, and Joey moved to Africa so that Kayla could run a free clinic.

Life without Steve

A few years later, Kayla returned to Salem by herself. Steve had missed his life of adventure and went to work for the ISA. The couple divorced in 2012. Three years later, Steve came back to Salem with Joey (James Lastovic), now a teenager. They weren’t alone. Soon, Ava was back on the scene, and she manipulated Joey so she could get Steve back.

Ava held Kayla hostage and blackmailed Steve into sleeping with her so she'd reveal her location. Joey ended up killing Ava (or so everyone believed). Steve, just as he had tried to do with Adrienne and Duke, took the blame to prevent Joey from going to jail. His self-defense claim was believed. Steve quit the ISA and began a private eye once again. This time, he and John Black (Drake Hogestyn) paired up as investigators. Steve and Kayla wed again on February 14, 2017.

The family of four became a family of five when Steve learned that his and Ava’s son, Tripp Dalton (Lucas Adams), was very much alive. Next, Steve lost the vision in his healthy eye, temporarily.

When Stefano met Steve on Days of our Lives

Steve was captured by Stefano’s (Joe Mascolo) henchman, and the Phoenix took control of Steve’s body. Using a microchip, Dr. Rolf (Will Utay) put Stefano’s “essence” into Steve’s neck, effectively making him a “new Stefano.” This convoluted tale went on for quite some time, drawing Kate (Lauren Koslow), Hattie (Deidre Hall), Kristen (Stacy Haiduk), “Gina” (AKA Hope, played by Kristian Alfonso), and many others into its web. Fans affectionately referred to Steve and Stefano’s blended character as “Stevano.”

Eventually, Kayla attempted to remove the chip that turned Steve into Stefano. Before going under the knife, “Stefano” urged his children to never forget that they are all DiMeras. Kayla successfully removed the chip, but the procedure came at a price – Steve had amnesia!

Kayla took Steve on a trip down memory lane as she recounted their life together. She told him stories of their first wedding, her losing her voice, and her hearing. Steve slowly recalled the duo’s vows, and together, they recited them. Steve couldn’t imagine how he’d ever forget Kayla in the first place.

Next, Kayla attempted to explain the entire story to Steve. She also had to break the news to her beloved that Adrienne had died in a car accident (during the show’s infamous time jump story). Feeling guilty over his actions as Stefano, Steve let Kayla go so she could have a life with Justin (Wally Kurth). In a cathartic move, Steve punched a hole through Stefano’s portrait – right in his face! Later, Justin agreed to let Kayla go as she would only ever love Steve.

Funeral for a friend

There was more good news ahead as Joey was released from prison in light of Ava turning out to be alive! With Stephanie (Abigail Klein) back in town and Joey a free man, Steve and Kayla have continued to enjoy their life together as a happily wed couple.

In memory of his late friend, Dr. Marcus Hunter (Richard Biggs), Steve has remained close with Marcus's daughter, Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu). Recently, Steve and Kayla were there for their friends John and Marlena when they needed them the most. They stood by Marlena's side as John was on his deathbed. Both spoke at John's memorial service, and they gathered at the Brady Pub with Shane, Marlena (Deidre Hall), Bo, and Roman as they raised a glass to John.

Soap Central congratulates Stephen Nichols on the 40th anniversary of his debut as Steve “Patch” Johnson on Days of our Lives.

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