Julian Crane is the son of Crane patriarch Alistair Crane, and acting head of Crane Industries while his father does business out of town. The Cranes have owned Harmony for over 300 years, and Julian has no qualms informing the people of that fact when it looks like they're getting in his way. Julian wed Ivy many years ago in what was, basically, an arranged union between their parents. Before his marriage to Ivy, he'd had a relationship with Eve Russell, which had resulted in the birth of a son (who was stillborn). Eve is unaware that Julian knows anything about their son. Eve and Julian broke up when she met TC, before Julian and Ivy married.

Julian has made no secret of his discontent in his marriage to Ivy, but they continue to keep up the pretense because both fear his father. His affairs over the years have been numerous since Ivy kicked him out of their bed (prior to that we were told Julian was faithful), culminating most recently in Ivy threatening to kill him when she found him in bed with Suzanne the maid. He has virtually no interest in his childrens' lives, except to give Ethan advice on how to deal with Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald: Sleep with her now, before he gets married, then forget about her. Julian was truly devastated when he learned that Ethan was actually Sam Bennett's son, not his own.

Since being disinherited, Julian's main goal was to discover what secret Ivy has been keeping from him, and to bed Gwen's married mother, Rebecca Hotchkiss. He was still his father's lapdog, but is less willing to go along with Alistair's schemes now that Alistair can't hold disinheritance over his head. Lately he has been showing more rebellion, because his love for his family is stronger than his desire to please his father. It broke his heart to learn that his beloved son, Ethan, was really another man's son. He tried to lessen the blow learning his true paternity would cause Ethan, but with only hours until the story would hit the newstands, he didn't have a lot of time.

While in Bermuda finalizing his divorce from Ivy, Julian was approached by Theresa in her attempts to get him to reinstate Ethan as the Crane heir. Seeing a possibility of sleeping with the luscious young woman, Julian played along, bringing Theresa with him. He plied her with champagne, never dreaming that the two of them would become unbelievably drunk in the process...and wake up the next morning, married...to Theresa! Julian is desperate to annul his marriage to Theresa, but Theresa isn't willing to do so just yet...she wants a few things from him first. So Alistair has ordered him to solve the problem...kill all three of the women in his life!

Unfortunately, Julian never managed to carry that plan out...someone shot him, and he fell into a vat of boiling tuna. The real question is, though, is he dead or alive? While no body was found, there are a number of suspects in the case of Who Killed Julian Crane? And lately, his most recent wife, Theresa, is trying to claim the Crane fortune as her own. While Theresa is being executed for his murder, Julian is following the yellow brick road with Timmy, who is on a quest for the Demon's Horn.

The two eventually found the Demon's Horn and returned to Harmony after it was announced that Theresa had been executed (Julian wasn't about to give Theresa a second chance to try to kill him), but unfortunately, Timmy wasn't able to survive his final battle with Zombie Charity. While talking about their love for the young man that had changed their lives, Julian and Tabitha themselves became lovers, which led to the birth of their daughter Endora. Julian and Theresa live in the same house, but Theresa has tried to forbid Julian any contact with their son. Julian was thrilled when he realized that he and Theresa were never legally married, and sought custody of their son, to whom Theresa had denied him any access. Even though he won custody, he allowed the boy to stay with Theresa.

Rebecca spurred Julian into fighting for custody after Theresa's involvement in little Sarah's death, but Julian heartily regretted it. Ultimately, though, when the courts stripped Theresa of her parental rights, Julian agreed to sign away his own rights to the boy to allow Ethan and Gwen to adopt him. At the same time, Julian began to find himself getting closer and closer to his first love, Eve. Unfortunately, since Julian had married Rebecca, he was not free to be with Eve. Julian finally decided he would do whatever it took to be with Eve, but Rebecca tricked him into signing a document stating he would stay married to her. Nevertheless, despite his marriage to Rebecca, Julian made no secret of his love for Eve.