Erika Slezak

Erika Alma Slezak (Template:IPAc-en; born August 5, 1946)<ref name=Wedding>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="SOD stats">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is an American actress, best known for her role as 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 longest-serving serial actors in American media. For her portrayal of Viki, she won six Daytime Emmy Awards, the most of any daytime drama actress.

Life and career

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">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</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.Template:Citation needed

One Life to Live

Template:See also In 1971, Slezak auditioned for the role of nurse Mary Kennicott on the ABC soap opera All My Children. She was not cast on that show, but the network offered her the role of 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 Awards, which is an Emmy record for a female performer.<ref name="SOD stats"/>

In 2007, Slezak voiced strong criticism of OLTLTemplate:'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>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Ron Carlivati was subsequently made co-head writer, with Higley ultimately leaving the series in September 2007. In August 2007. OLTL celebrated its 10,000th episode.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In April 2011, ABC announced that OLTL would be cancelled, with its final airdate in January 2012.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> However, media 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>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Other projects

Slezak portrayed Jean Roberts in the 1996 made-for-TV movie adaptation of Danielle Steel's novel Full Circle.<ref name="SOD stats"/><ref name=Scott>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 2000, Slezak was on The Rosie O'Donnell Show to talk about her career.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2002, she was on Intimate Portrait as herself about her career.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2005, Slezak was on The View to talk about her career.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In April 2018, she appeared as Dr. Eileen Jacoby on the Fox series The Resident, in the episode "Haunted".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The following year, Slezak starred alongside Jeff Daniels in the film Guest Artist.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Detroit>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Roeper>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Linden>Template:Cite magazine</ref> She was interviewed for an episode of the ABC news program 20/20 which focused on the murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer, who appeared on One Life to Live in the 1980s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Slezak further guest-starred on the CBS police drama Blue Bloods;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> she returned to series in 2022.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2021, Slezak was in the television movie Next Stop, Christmas as Aunt Myrtle.<ref name=Next>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In June 2025, it was announced she signed a short-term deal to appear on General Hospital;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> she filmed the role of Ronnie Bard for three weeks, concluding on September 26,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which also coincided with her first episodic appearance.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> She exited the role on November 6, 2025.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Her next role was in Song Sung Blue (2025), where she plays Frances Stingl, mother to Kate Hudson's Claire Sardina.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The film premiered at the AFI Film Festival on October 26, 2025.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

Slezak married Robert Daniel Mooney in 1968 in Milwaukee<ref name=Wedding/> and divorced in 1971.Template:Citation needed She married Brian Davies on April 4, 1978,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and is the mother of two children, Michael and Amanda.<ref name="SOD stats"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2003, Amanda Davies played a teenaged version of her mother's character Victoria in flashback scenes on One Life to Live.<ref name="SOD stats"/> Amanda Davies died on January 29, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Awards

Slezak has won six Daytime Emmy Awards in the category of "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 Award for Favorite Couple with Mark Derwin in 2000.<ref name="SOD stats"/>

Daytime Emmy Award wins

Year	Award
1984	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for One Life to Live<ref name="Emmy 1984">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1986	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1992	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1995	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1996	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2005	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Soap Opera Digest Award wins

Year	Award
2000	Favorite Couple for One Life to Live (shared with Mark Derwin)<ref name="SOD stats"/>

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1971–2013	One Life to Live	Victoria Lord	Series regular
1977	A.M. Chicago	Self	Episode dated November 3, 1977
1978	Donahue	Self	Episode dated March 21, 1978
1978–83	Family Feud	Self–Celebrity contestant	3 episodes
1996	Full Circle	Jean Roberts	Made-for-TV movie directed by Bethany Rooney<ref name=Scott/>
1996–2002	The Rosie O'Donnell Show	Self	4 episodes
2000–02	Intimate Portrait	Self	Episodes: "Linda Dano", "Erika Slezak"
2001	Special Unit 2	Nick's Mother	Episode: "The Years"
2003–2012	The View	Self	4 episodes
2018	The Resident	Dr. Eileen Jacoby	Episode: "Haunted"
2019	Guest Artist	Helen	Drama film directed by Timothy Busfield<ref name=Detroit/><ref name=Roeper/><ref name=Linden/>
	20/20	Self	Episode: "Your Biggest Fan"
2019, 2022	Blue Bloods	Donna Duvall	Episodes: "Identity" and "Nothing Sacred"
2021	Next Stop, Christmas	Aunt Myrtle	Made-for-TV movie directed by Dustin Rikert<ref name=Next/>
2025	General Hospital	Veronica Bard	Role held from September 26 to November 6, 2025
2025	Song Sung Blue	Frances Stingl	Biographical musical drama film directed by Craig Brewer

External links

• Template:Official website
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