Ben Harmon

 is one of the main characters featured in the FX Network television series American Horror Story. Played by actor Dylan McDermott, he was introduced in the program's pilot episode and appeared in every episode in season one. Ben Harmon is a psychiatrist from Boston who has an affair with one of his students, Hayden McClaine. When his wife, Vivien, gives birth to a stillborn baby, the Harmons relocate to an old mansion in Los Angeles, California hoping to get a fresh start. While trying to heal their marriage, they discover that the renovated home they have moved into is haunted.

Biography
Ben Harmon was a psychiatrist and a former teacher of psychiatry from Boston, Massachusetts. He was married to a woman named Vivien, and had a daughter named Violet. Ben and Viven suffered through a tremendous tragedy after Vivien had to endure a brutal miscarriage. She became closed off and emotionally crippled, while Ben felt that he had to carry on alone. At a time when he needed her the most, Vivien took comfort in buying herself a dog. Desperate for some kind of connection, Ben began having an affair with one of his students, Hayden McClaine. Vivien walked in on them one day, and the marriage crumbled even further. Although the Harmon's teetered on the edge of divorce, they each agreed to work towards healing themselves.

To this end, Ben felt that a complete change in lifestyle was in order. The Harmons purchased an old mansion in Los Angeles, and were amazed at the great deal they had gotten. It was only after the closing that their realtor, Marcy, told them about the murder-suicide that took place there only two years earlier. Although this seemed like a fresh start for both of them, tensions between Ben and Vivien ran high.

Ben's problems with the "Murder House" began almost immediately. First, there was the hiring of a maid named Moira O'Hara. Moira was actually a ghost whose appearance varied depending the perception of the individual she was interacting with. Women tended to see Moira as a middle-aged dour woman with a milky eye. Men seemed to view her as a sexy redhead in a French maid's costume. Whenever Ben interacted with the younger Moira, the maid always teased him by bending over in her short skirt, or revealing her cleavage.

Ben tried getting his psychiatry practice started up again, working out of a study in the house. His first patient was a teenage boy named Tate Langdon. Ben did not realize at the time that Tate was a ghost, but even a cursory interview with the lad revealed deep-seated psychopathic tendencies. Ben became concerned when he found Tate starting up a friendship with Violet.

Another strange individual who caused Ben some problems was Larry Harvey. Larry was a burn victim who was dying of terminal brain cancer. Ben found Larry skulking about his house and the man began following him around routinely. Harvey wanted to be an actor and needed money for headshots to jump-start what have been an unlikely and brief career. Ben viewed him as a creepy stalker and told him to leave him alone.

Soon after moving in, Ben received a telephone call from Hayden McClaine. She was greatly distressed and needed Ben's help. Ben likely would have dismissed her, but for the fact that Hayden was pregnant with his child. He lied to Vivien about what was going on and took a trip out to Boston to consult with her. During his absence, three serial killer groupies broke into his house and terrorized Vivien and Violet.