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Line 1: {{short description\|American actress}} ~~{{Infobox actor~~ ~~\| name = Erika Slezak~~ {{Use American English\|date=July 2020}} ~~\| image = erikaslezak.jpg~~ {{Use mdy dates\|date=July 2020}} ~~\| caption = '''Erika Slezak''' as [[Victoria Lord]], from the title opening of ''[[One Life to Live]]''.~~ {{Infobox person ~~\| birthdate = {{birth date and age\|1946\|08\|05}}~~ \| image = Erika Slezak.JPG ~~\| ___location = [[Hollywood, California\|Hollywood]], [[California]]~~ \| ~~birthname~~name = ~~Erika~~ ~~Alma~~ ~~Hermina~~ = Erika Slezak \| imagesize = 240px ~~\| spouse = Brian Davies (married 1978)~~ \| ~~notable~~caption ~~role~~ = ~~[[Victoria~~Erika ~~Lord]]~~Slezak with her father, Walter Slezak, on the set of ''[[One Life to Live]]'' (1974) \| birth_date = {{Birth date and age\|1946\|08\|05}} ~~\| emmyawards = '''[[Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series\|Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series]]'''<br>1984, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1996, and 2005~~ \| birth_place = [[Hollywood, Los Angeles\|Hollywood]], [[California]], U.S. ~~\| homepage = http://www.erikaslezak.com/~~ \| alma_mater = [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts]] ~~\| imdb = 0805785~~ \| birth_name = \| occupation = Actress \| years_active = 1971–present \| spouse = {{plainlist\| * {{marriage\|Robert Daniel Mooney\|1968\|1971}} * {{marriage\|Brian Davies<br />\|1978}} }} \| children = 2 \| parents = [[Walter Slezak]] <br />Johanna Van Rijin \| relatives = [[Margarete Slezak]] (aunt) <br/> [[Leo Slezak]] (grandfather) \| known_for = [[Victoria Lord]] \| television = ''[[One Life to Live]]'' \| awards = '''Daytime Emmy Award''' (1984, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2005) <br /> '''''Soap Opera Digest'' Award''' (2002) \| website = {{URL\|http://www.erikaslezak.com/}} }} '''Erika Slezak''' ({{IPAc-en\|ˈ\|s\|l\|eɪ\|z\|æ\|k}}; born August 5, 1946)<ref name="SOD stats">{{cite web\|url=http://www.soapoperadigest.com/soapstarstats/erikaslezakbio/\|title=SOAP STAR STATS: Erika Slezak (Viki, ''OLTL'')\|publisher=SoapOperaDigest.com\|access-date=February 20, 2009}}</ref> is an American actress, best known for her role as [[Victoria Lord\|Victoria "Viki" Lord]] on the American daytime [[soap opera]] ''[[One Life to Live]]'' from 1971 through the television finale in 2012 and again in the online revival in 2013. She is one of the [[list of longest-serving soap opera actors#United States\|longest-serving serial actors in American media]]. For her portrayal of Viki, she has won six [[Daytime Emmy Awards]], the most of any daytime drama actress. '''Erika Slezak''' (born [[August 5]], [[1946]] in [[Hollywood, California]]) is an [[United States\|American]] [[actor\|actress]] of [[Austria\|Austrian]] and Dutch descent. She is the daughter of actor [[Walter Slezak]] and grand-daughter of opera tenor [[Leo Slezak]]. ==Life and career== ~~She has portrayed [[Victoria Lord\|Victoria "Viki" Lord]] on the [[American Broadcasting Company\|ABC]] [[soap opera]] ''[[One Life to Live]]'' since [[March 17]], [[1971]].~~ Slezak was born in [[Hollywood, California]], of Czech, Austrian, German-Jewish and Dutch descent, the daughter of [[Tony Award]]-winning Austrian actor [[Walter Slezak]] and Johanna "Kaasi" Van Rijn, and the granddaughter of opera tenor [[Leo Slezak]].<ref name="SOD stats"/><ref name="TCM Walter Slezak">{{cite web\|url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/participant.jsp?spid=179128\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409010623/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/participant.jsp?spid=179128\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=April 9, 2009\|title=Turner Classic Movies: Biography for Walter Slezak\|publisher=Turner Classic Movies\|access-date=December 17, 2009}}</ref> Her godmother was [[Alma Mahler-Werfel]]. She was born two months after her grandfather died. Raised in [[Greenwich, Connecticut]], Slezak attended high school at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Eden Hall in [[Torresdale, Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]. At age 17, she became one of the youngest individuals ever accepted into [[London]]'s prestigious [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]], later graduating in 1966.<ref name="SOD stats"/> Establishing a noteworthy reputation in theater, she performed in [[Milwaukee]], [[Chicago]] and [[Houston]].{{Citation needed \|date=April 2024}} ==~~Viki~~='s'One ~~story~~Life to Live''=== {{main\|Victoria Lord}} Slezak's character Viki has suffered many tragedies, and has struggled with [[dissociative identity disorder]] (or DID, once known as multiple personality disorder). She has been married and [[divorce]]d several times (her full legal name is now ''Victoria Lord Riley Burke Riley Buchanan Buchanan Carpenter Davidson''), and has endured through the deaths of loved ones, [[breast cancer]], [[stroke]], and most recently, [[heart disease]], for which Slezak won her most recent [[Daytime Emmy Award]]. In 1971, Slezak auditioned for the role of nurse Mary Kennicott on the [[American Broadcasting Company\|ABC]] [[soap opera]] ''[[All My Children]]''. She was not cast on that show, but the network offered her the role of [[Victoria Lord\|Victoria "Viki" Lord Riley]] on ''[[One Life to Live]]'' (''OLTL'').<ref name="SOD stats"/> In her 42 years in the role, Slezak won six [[Daytime Emmy Award]]s, which is an Emmy record for a female performer.<ref name="SOD stats"/> In 2007, Slezak voiced strong criticism of ''OLTL''{{'s}} then-[[head writer]], [[Dena Higley]]. In the March 2007 edition of Slezak's fan club newsletter, she stated, "Dena doesn't care about the rich history of the show, which is evident in what she writes" and that Higley "wants to write stories that she thinks are interesting but nobody else does."<ref>{{Cite web\| title=The Erika Slezak Fan Club, in its 35th year, presents... Erika's World \| date=2007-03-22 \| url=http://erika_slezak.tripod.com/ESFC/March07.pdf \| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070809221146/http://erika_slezak.tripod.com/ESFC/March07.pdf \| archive-date=2007-08-09}}</ref> [[Ron Carlivati]] was subsequently made co-head writer, with Higley ultimately leaving the series in September 2007. In addition to her three children [[Kevin Buchanan\|Kevin]], [[Joey Buchanan\|Joey]] and [[Jessica Buchanan\|Jessica]], over the years Viki discovered that she had two long-lost daughters: eldest child [[Megan Gordon\|Megan]] and Jessica's fraternal twin [[Natalie Buchanan\|Natalie]]. In April 2011, ABC announced that ''OLTL'' would be cancelled, with its final airdate in January 2012.<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/04/abc-evolves-the-face-of-daytime-television-with-the-launch-of-two-new-shows-the-chew-and-the-revolut/ \|title=ABC EVOLVES THE FACE OF DAYTIME TELEVISION WITH THE LAUNCH OF TWO NEW SHOWS, ''THE CHEW'' AND ''THE REVOLUTION'' \|date=April 14, 2011\|access-date=March 10, 2015 \|website=ABC.com}}</ref> However, media company [[Prospect Park (production company)\|Prospect Park]] licensed the creative rights to the show from ABC in July 2011 and announced that they would migrate the series to an online format. In September 2011, Slezak confirmed she would be participating in the new version show, along with other regular cast members. The Prospect Park project stalled in November 2011, and ''OLTL'' ended its run on ABC as scheduled. In early 2013, Prospect Park announced it was moving forward with their online versions of ''One Life to Live'' and ''All My Children'', with Slezak confirmed on board. The revived series, taped in [[Stamford, Connecticut]], premiered on [[Hulu]], [[Hulu Plus]], and [[iTunes]] on April 29, 2013, and ran through August 19, 2013.<ref>{{cite magazine \| url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/01/22/all-my-children-one-life-to-live-update-whos-in-whos-out-for-online-return/ \| title=''All My Children'', ''One Life to Live'' update: Who's in for online return \|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] \|first=Lynette \|last=Rice \|date=January 22, 2013 \|access-date=March 10, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \| url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/Erika-Slezak-Returns-1063141.aspx?rss=breakingnews&partnerid=imdb&profileid=01 \| title=Sneak Peek: Erika Slezak Returns to ''One Life to Live'' \|work=[[TV Guide]] \|author-link=Michael Logan (journalist) \|first=Michael \|last=Logan \|date=March 25, 2013 \|access-date=March 10, 2015}}</ref> ~~==Criticism of head writer==~~ In 2007, Slezak voiced strong criticism of ''One Life to Live'''s head writer, [[Dena Higley]]. In the March 2007 edition of Slezak's fan club newsletter, she states, "Dena doesn't care about the rich history of the show, which is evident in what she writes" and that Higley "wants to write stories that she thinks are interesting but nobody else does." [http://erika_slezak.tripod.com/ESFC/March07.pdf] Higley was fired as head writer in June. ===Other projects=== ~~==Awards==~~ Slezak portrayed Jean Roberts in the 1996 [[television film]] adaptation of [[Danielle Steel]]'s novel ''[[Full Circle (novel)\|Full Circle]]''.<ref name="SOD stats"/> Slezak has won six [[Daytime Emmy Award\|Daytime Emmys]] in the category of "[[Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series\|Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series]]," in 1984, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1996 and 2005, tying the record for most wins by an actor (shared with [[Justin Deas]]), as well as the record for most wins for playing one character and by an actress. Additionally, Slezak won a [[Soap Opera Digest Awards\|''Soap Opera Digest'' Award]] for Favorite Couple with [[Mark Derwin]] in 2000. In April 2018, Slezak appeared as Dr. Eileen Jacoby on the [[Fox (TV network)\|Fox]] series ''[[The Resident (TV series)\|The Resident]]'', in the episode "Haunted".<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://michaelfairmansoaps.com/news/tonight-one-life-to-lives-erika-slezak-returns-to-television-in-the-resident/2018/04/16/\|title=TONIGHT: ''One Life to Live''{{'s}} Erika Slezak Returns To Television In ''The Resident''\|website=[[On-Air On-Soaps]]\|first=Michael\|last=Fairman\|author-link=Michael Fairman (journalist)\|date=April 16, 2018\|access-date=April 17, 2018\|archive-date=April 18, 2018\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418032120/http://michaelfairmansoaps.com/news/tonight-one-life-to-lives-erika-slezak-returns-to-television-in-the-resident/2018/04/16/\|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2019, she starred alongside [[Jeff Daniels]] in the drama film ''[[Guest Artist]]'', based on the actor's 2006 play of the same name.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.soapcentral.com/oltl/news/2019/0207-erika_slezak_jeff_daniels_guest_artist.php\|title=OLTL's Erika Slezak stars in new Jeff Daniels film Guest Artist\|website=soapcentral.com}}</ref> Later that year, she guest-starred in the CBS police drama ''[[Blue Bloods (TV series)\|Blue Bloods]]''.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.digitaljournal.com/entertainment/entertainment/erika-slezak-talks-blue-bloods-on-cbs-guest-artist-success/article/548312\|title=Erika Slezak talks 'Blue Bloods' on CBS, 'Guest Artist,' success (Includes interview)\|date=April 24, 2019\|website=www.digitaljournal.com}}</ref> She returned to series in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/649775/one-life-to-live-when-is-erika-slezak-returning-to-blue-bloods/\|title=One Life to Live Legend Announces Her Exciting Return to the Screen\|first=Amy\|last=Mistretta\|date=October 26, 2022}}</ref> ~~==Awards (Won)==~~ In 2019, Slezak was interviewed for an episode of the ABC news program ''[[20/20 (U.S. TV program)\|20/20]]'' which focused on the murder of actress [[Rebecca Schaeffer]]. Schaeffer had a recurring role on ''One Life to Live'' in the mid-1980s.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.abc.soapsindepth.com/posts/one-life-to-live-erika-slezak-2020-documentary-rebecca-schaeffer-170312\|title=Erika Slezak Appears in ''20/20'' Documentary About Rebecca Schaeffer's Murder\|first=Chris\|last=Eades\|date=April 8, 2019\|website=ABC Soaps In Depth}}</ref> [[Daytime Emmy Award]]s ==Personal life== Slezak is married to Brian Davies, and is the mother of two children, Michael and Amanda.<ref name="SOD stats"/><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/amanda-davies-one-life-live-213722817.html\|title=Amanda Davies, One Life to Live Alum and Daughter of Soap Legend Erika Slezak, Dead at 42\|date=January 29, 2024\|website=Yahoo Entertainment}}</ref> In 2003, Amanda Davies played a teenaged version of her mother's character Victoria in [[Flashback (narrative)\|flashback]] scenes on ''One Life to Live''.<ref name="SOD stats"/> Amanda Davies died on January 29, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/amanda-davies-daughter-one-life-live-actor-erika-slezak-dies-rcna136318\|title=Amanda Davies, daughter of 'One Life to Live' actor Erika Slezak, dies at 42\|date=January 30, 2024\|website=NBC News}}</ref> ==Awards== Slezak has won six [[Daytime Emmy Award]]s in the category of "[[Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series\|Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series]]" out of nine nominations for her role as Victoria. Nominated in 1983, 1988, and 2012, she won in 1984, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1996 and 2005, making the record for most wins by an actress and, along with [[Justin Deas]], is second to 8-time winner [[Anthony Geary]], for the most wins for playing one character. Additionally, Slezak won the [[Soap Opera Digest Awards\|''Soap Opera Digest'' Award]] for Favorite Couple with [[Mark Derwin]] in 2000.<ref name="SOD stats"/> ;[[Daytime Emmy Award]] wins {\| class="wikitable" ! Year !! Award \|- \| 1984 \|\| [[Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series\|Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series]] for ''[[One Life to Live]]''<ref name="Emmy 1984">{{cite web\|url=http://www.soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners1984/index.html\|title=Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1984\|publisher=SoapOperaDigest.com\|access-date=February 20, 2009\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402151614/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners1984/index.html\|archive-date=April 2, 2009}}</ref> \|- \| 1986 \|\| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for ''One Life to Live''<ref name="Emmy 1986">{{cite web\|url=http://www.soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners1986/index.html \|title=Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1986 \|publisher=SoapOperaDigest.com \|access-date=February 20, 2009 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060527180514/http://soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners1986/index.html \|archive-date=May 27, 2006 }}</ref> ~~\| [[2005]] \|\| '''Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series''' for ''[[One Life to Live]]''~~ \|- \| 1992 \|\| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for ''One Life to Live''<ref name="Emmy 1992">{{cite web\|url=http://www.soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners1992/index.html\|title=Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1992\|publisher=SoapOperaDigest.com\|access-date=February 20, 2009\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060527183727/http://soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners1992/index.html\|archive-date=May 27, 2006}}</ref> \|- \| 1995 \|\| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for ''One Life to Live''<ref name="Emmy 1995">{{cite web\|url=http://www.soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners1995/index.html\|title=Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1995\|publisher=SoapOperaDigest.com\|access-date=February 20, 2009\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060527182335/http://soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners1995/index.html\|archive-date=May 27, 2006}}</ref> ~~\| [[1996]] \|\| '''Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series''' for ''One Life to Live''~~ \|- \| 1996 \|\| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for ''One Life to Live''<ref name="Emmy 1996">{{cite web\|url=http://www.soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners1996/index.html\|title=Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1996\|publisher=SoapOperaDigest.com\|access-date=February 20, 2009\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603195636/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners1996/index.html\|archive-date=June 3, 2009}}</ref> ~~\| [[1995]] \|\| '''Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series''' for ''One Life to Live''~~ \|- ~~\| [[1992]] \|\| '''Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series''' for ''One Life to Live''~~ \|- \| 2005 \|\| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for ''One Life to Live''<ref name="Emmy 2005">{{cite web\|url=http://www.soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners2005/index.html\|title=Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 2005\|publisher=SoapOperaDigest.com\|access-date=February 20, 2009\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603011648/http://www.soapoperadigest.com/Emmys/winners2005/index.html\|archive-date=June 3, 2009}}</ref> ~~\| [[1986]] \|\| '''Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series''' for ''One Life to Live''~~ \|- } ~~\| [[1984]] \|\| '''Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series''' for ''One Life to Live''~~ \|} ;[[Soap Opera Digest ~~Awards~~\|''Soap Opera Digest'' Award]] wins {\| class="wikitable" ! Year !! Award \|- \| [[2000]] \|\| ~~'''~~Favorite Couple~~'''~~ for ''One Life to Live'' (shared with [[Mark Derwin]])<ref name="SOD stats"/> \|} ==~~External link~~Filmography== {\| class="wikitable sortable" [http://www.erikaslezak.com ErikaSlezak.com ~ Official site] \|- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"\| Notes \|- \|1971–2013 \|''[[One Life to Live]]'' \|[[Victoria Lord]] \|Series regular \|- \|1996 \|''[[Full Circle (novel)\|Full Circle]]'' \|Jean Roberts \|Television film \|- \|2001 \|''[[Special Unit 2]]'' \|Nick's Mother \|Episode: "The Years" \|- \|2018 \|''[[The Resident (TV series)\|The Resident]]'' \|Dr. Eileen Jacoby \|Episode: "Haunted" \|- \|2019 \|''[[Guest Artist]]'' \|Helen \| \|- \|2019, 2022 \|''[[Blue Bloods (TV series)\|Blue Bloods]]'' \|Donna Duvall \|Episodes: "Identity" and "Nothing Sacred" \|- \|2021 \| ''Next Stop, Christmas'' \| Aunt Myrtle \| Television film \|- \|2025 \|''[[Song Sung Blue (film)\|Song Sung Blue]]'' \|Kris \|Upcoming \|} ==References== {{Reflist\|30em}} ==External links== {{official website\|http://www.erikaslezak.com}} {{IMDb name\|805785}} {{EmmyTVLegends name\|erika-slezak\|Erika Slezak}} {{One Life to Live}} {{Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress}} {{authority control}} ~~[[Category~~{{DEFAULTSORT:~~1946 births\|~~Slezak, Erika]]}} [[Category:~~American~~1946 ~~soap opera actors\|Slezak, Erika~~births]] [[Category:~~Austrian-Americans\|Slezak,~~Living ~~Erika~~people]] [[Category:20th-century American ~~television actors\|Slezak, Erika~~actresses]] [[Category:~~Daytime~~21st-century ~~Emmy~~American ~~Award winners\|Slezak, Erika~~actresses]] [[Category:~~Living~~American people~~\|Slezak,~~ ~~Erika~~of Austrian descent]] [[Category:~~People~~American ~~from~~people ~~Los~~of ~~Angeles\|Slezak,~~Czech ~~Erika~~descent]] [[Category:~~Soap~~American ~~Opera~~people ~~Digest~~of ~~Award~~Dutch ~~winners\|Slezak, Erika~~descent]] [[Category:American people of German-Jewish descent]] [[Category:American television actresses]] [[Category:American soap opera actresses]] [[Category:Daytime Emmy Award winners]] [[Category:Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series winners]] [[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]] [[Category:Actresses from Greenwich, Connecticut]]