Stevenson was born in the Main Line of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as Richard Stevenson Parker Jr., one of two sons of Richard Stevenson Parker Sr., an investment advisor, and Sarah Meade, an actress who acted on Broadway and in numerous television commercials. His mother took him to a filming session when he was five years old, which resulted in him making two small television appearances. The elder Parker, who had moved his family to Rye, New York, disapproved of the whole business, and although Richard Jr. himself appeared in a few plays at Brooks Preparatory School, he then had no intention of becoming an actor. His career ambition, instead, was architecture.
Career
Stevenson's first notable screen appearance was a starring role in the 1972 movieA Separate Peace, credited as Parker Stevenson. After graduating from Brooks School and Princeton University, where he studied architecture, he moved to Hollywood and landed a role opposite Sam Elliott in the 1976 film Lifeguard. Stevenson became well known from starring with teen heartthrob Shaun Cassidy in The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries series, produced by Glen A. Larson's production company through MCA-Universal Television under license from the Stratemeyer Publication Syndicate, from 1977 to 1979 on ABC. In 1983, he co-starred in the movie Stroker Ace as Burt Reynolds's brash race-car driving nemesis, Aubrey James. The film was a critical and financial failure. In 1986, Stevenson starred as Billy Hazard in the television miniseries. He co-starred with his then-wife Kirstie Alley, who portrayed his sister Virgilia Hazard. He starred on the short-lived 1988 TV series Probe in the lead role of Austin James. He was part of the original cast of Baywatch in the 1989 season, returning for the syndicated 1997 and 1998 seasons. He had a recurring role as a computer tycoon on Melrose Place during the second season. He starred in Legion. In 2014 he had a guest role on the Western/Mystery series Longmire. Stevenson has been a photographer since he was young; his work can be found at his photography website, shadowworks. He currently stars on Greenhouse Academy on Netflix as Louis Osmond, Academy Director.
Personal life
Stevenson was married to his first wife, actress Kirstie Alley, on December 22, 1983 and they divorced in 1997. They have two children: a son, William True and a daughter, Lillie Price. Stevenson married celebrity chef Lisa Schoen on September 29, 2018 at the Demetria Vineyards in Los Olivos, California.
