[6][7][8][9] In 1992, One Life to Live executive producer Linda Gottlieb hired a fresh-faced 17-year-old Ryan Phillippe to play the newly created role.

"[6] Show head writer Michael Malone[5][6] developed Billy Douglas as a popular but closeted high school junior who is a jock that becomes class president.

"[5][3] The role was portrayed as a heroic figure, displaying traits of courage in spite of facing homophobia from his father Walter (Jonathan Hogan), high school classmates, and members of the fictional Llanview community.

Billy's parents, Walter (Hogan) and Virginia Douglas (Susan Pellegrino), proceed to wage a campaign against the moral character of Reverend Carpenter and his Saint James Church.

Andrew campaigns to bring the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt to Llanview and place a patch on it in honor of his brother, which angers Sloan.

At the pulpit, Andrew delivers a stirring sermon on privacy and tolerance, swaying all of his congregation but Billy's father, who encourages parishioners to rebuke the priest.

Authors Robin Anderson and Jonathan Gray say, "Billy's story was an important TV milestone in that he was depicted as a well-adjusted and functional gay teen.

"[8] Hundreds[1][14] to thousands[9] of pieces of fan mail arrived at the show's Lincoln Square, New York City studios at ABC due to both Phillippe and character's popularity.

"[3][9] Interestingly, gay teenagers were not the audience for which the story was targeted, but rather prejudiced viewers,[14][5] in the style of series creator and original head writer Agnes Nixon and her Carla Gray character played by actress Ellen Holly.