Carver, a Texan native,[4] graduated from Missouri Military Academy as an officer cadet, second lieutenant and then West Texas State University with a bachelor's degree.
[2][5] Five months after completing his uncredited debut in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy, he served the United States Army as a tank platoon leader, first lieutenant of the Korean Demilitarized Zone for at least one year till his honorable discharge.
[4][5] Besides other minor roles,[4] Carver's first major onscreen appearance was the 1973 drama film Time to Run as Jeff Cole, an environmentalist who attempts to sabotage his father's (Ed Nelson) nuclear power plant.
[6] He portrayed Jeffrey DeVito,[7] gangster husband of Cathy Shumway (Debralee Scott),[8][9] in the 1977–78 television series Forever Fernwood.
"[10][11] Marley Brant in her book Happier Days (2006) praised Carver's acting but found his character John not well developed, even with his wedding subplot.