Mary Lamar Rickey, later known as Lara Parker, was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and spent her childhood in Memphis, Tennessee. She attended Central High School in Memphis, where she excelled academically and was awarded a scholarship to Vassar College.
At Vassar, Parker began her undergraduate studies in philosophy, which she later completed at Southwestern at Memphis, now known as Rhodes College, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree. She then pursued a Master's degree in speech and drama at the University of Iowa, completing all course work but never completing her thesis.
Parker's early career in acting began with a summer stint at the Millbrook Playhouse in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, where she played five leading roles in just six weeks. Instead of returning to the University of Iowa to complete her thesis, she decided to try her luck in New York City.
Within just her second week in the city, Parker was cast as the iconic character Angelique, the witch, in the daytime horror serial Dark Shadows in 1966. She held this role for an impressive five years, culminating in the film Night of Dark Shadows in 1971.
While still in New York, Parker made her Broadway debut in "Woman is My Idea" and appeared in two off-Broadway plays, "Lulu" and "A Gun Play". In 1972, she relocated to Los Angeles, where she began working in film and prime-time television, taking on numerous guest starring roles and occasionally returning to daytime television.
After retiring from acting, Parker shifted her focus back to her original passions and pursued a career in education. She became a high school and college English teacher and earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Antioch University.
Parker was married to Jim Hawkins and had a daughter, Caitlin Hawkins, and the two resided in California. Unfortunately, Parker passed away at the age of 84 in October 2023 after a battle with cancer.
