Doctor Ben Davidson was first seen in Llanview in a profession that hardly required his medical degree. Instead of prescribing medications, he was serving up drinks! Ben took the job of bartender at the Crossroads bar and settled into a life of anonymity until the day a sophisticated woman Ben dubbed "Blondie" wandered into the tavern as well as Ben's heart. Not knowing his new love was the esteemed publisher, Viki Carpenter, Ben taught "Blondie" how to loosen up, have fun, and sing Karaoke! The two grew closer until Ben mysteriously started to push "Blondie" away. What "Blondie" didn't realize was that Ben was trying to keep her out of danger. Ben took the bartending job to disguise himself from mobsters who had taken his father's life and now wanted his!

It didn't take long for Ben's unsavory past to catch up with him and when it did, he found himself with no one to turn to except, renowned lawyer Sam Rappaport -- his brother. Sam told Ben he wanted nothing to do with the past or his family. Ben was on his own, or so he thought. When a gunman shot Ben in the shoulder, "Blondie" came to his rescue. Taking her into his confidence, Ben told "Blondie" the truth about his past and as she nursed him back to health, "Blondie" confided a secret of her own, she was really Viki Carpenter, the well known publisher of the Banner. Using Viki's paper to his advantage, Ben placed ads for the Mob in the personals, playing cat and mouse with the men who wanted his life. Before long, the situation culminated in a deadly confrontation on the roof of the Palace Hotel. Concerned about his brother, Sam showed up and was joined by a mysterious new reporter, Grace Monroe, who Sam deduced was really his and Ben's long lost little sister. A frightened Grace pushed head mobster Hugo Monroe through a skylight to his death, putting an end to the threats and the fear that had been plaguing the Davidson family for years.

With the secrets and danger behind them, Ben was finally free to enjoy his relationship with Viki, the woman who sang her off-key way into his life and stood by him through his darkest hour. But soon Skye Chandler came to town, a woman from Ben's past. She ingratiated herself with Viki, then announced that she and Ben were married. Ben had signed annulment papers and thought that his marriage was ended, but Skye had never filed the papers. Skye tried to win Ben back, with no success. Viki forgave Ben for not telling her about Skye and Ben eventually forced Skye to sign divorce papers.

One thorn that remained in Ben's side was Asa Buchanan. Asa hated the entire Rappaport family, and Ben was no exception. Much to Asa's chagrin, Ben was accepted to the staff of Llanview Hospital and operated on Asa's "son" Max Holden. Max seemed to be having neurological problems and Asa used that to get Ben's medical license revoked. Ben bought the Crossroads Bar and, unable to practice medicine anymore, runs the bar. His need for revenge against Asa caused Viki to break off their relationship when Ben planned to threaten Asa with a gun and perhaps shoot him. Ben worked on trying to get Viki to take him back and he investigated his suspicions that Max was faking his neurological condition. Ben was able to find out the truth that Max was faking his disorder at the wrong possible timing for Ben. Ben went to finally get the truth out of Asa about him setting Will up, but it completely backfired! Ben cornered Asa in his tack room when Asa had a heart attack. Max found them and Max begged Ben to save Asa by confessing that Ben was a Buchanan! Ben soon made a deal with Max if he got Asa to admit to setting up Will that he wouldn't tell Asa the truth about him.

In May of 2000, Ben finally got back together with his love Viki Carpenter and helped her through her cancer battle. The couple were married in November, but Ben was shot at by a hit-man at the reception. Fortunately the bullet was deflected by a coin Renee had given in, but Ben had to go into hiding. He saw his old girlfriend, Gina Russo, whose family is in the mob and asked her for help. She told him the hit has been called off, so Ben has gone back to Llanview to be with Viki. In February 2001, Asa found out the truth about Ben being his son at Blair and Todd's non-wedding and the news put him in the hospital, he doesn't want to acknowledge Ben as his son. Ben tried to talk to Renee, but she is still upset that Ben kept the truth from her and is willing to forgive him yet. Ben was shot at again and slightly wounded in the arm. We learned that Gina Russo, who he'd turned to for help, is actually the head of the Russo mob. She had ordered someone to shoot at Ben and miss, but they had hit him by accident.

Finally Ben reconciled with Renee and somewhat with Asa. When Allison Perkins appeared in town and was asking Viki's "forgiveness" for kidnapping her baby all those years ago, Ben was suspicious, but Viki told him to relax. After Viki forgave her, Ben overheard Allison talking to someone on the phone, saying "Viki forgave me. It's all set." Ben decided to go to St. Ann's as "Dave", a mental patient. He pretended to be Dave so Allison would tell him what she was up to. Allison began to fall in love with "Dave", but Ben wasn't worried. But before he could get the truth from her, everything collapsed. The person Allison was plotting with was Natalie Balsom, Viki's biological daughter. Allison had switched babies when she had kidnapped Jessica. Allison and Natalie made life terrible for Ben and Viki the first month or so Natalie forcibly moved into Llanfair. If it wasn't for Ben, Viki may have collapsed. Natalie eventually came to her senses and refused to see Allison anymore, but Ben still does not completely trust her. The two are civil now, but Viki is Ben's top priority.

When Asa faked his own death, Ben was hurt along with everyone else connected to Asa. Asa was sentenced to 150 hours of community service, 50 of those hours under Ben. Later, Ben would wind up stuck in a scheme involving Allison. At the same time Allison and Roxanne Balsom were trying to scam Viki, Viki herself was at the breaking point. Everything escalated with the return of Viki's alter, Nikki Smith, who ended up terrorizing Allison. Though Antonio rescued Viki, he critically injured Ben in the process and Ben wound up languishing in a possibly irreversible coma. After lingering in a coma for over a year, Ben suddenly woke up. Still weak and knowing how much time had past, he asked Viki to move on with her life without him. When he died not long after, his heart was given to Viki so that she could live.