Victoria Lord

Last updated

Victoria Lord
One Life to Live character
VictoriaLordOLTL.png
Erika Slezak as Victoria Lord
Portrayed by
Duration1968–2013
First appearanceJuly 15, 1968 (1968-07-15)
Last appearanceAugust 19, 2013 (2013-08-19)
Classification Final; regular
Created by Agnes Nixon
Introduced by
Book appearancesPatrick's Notebook
In-universe information
Other namesNiki Smith, Tommy, Jean Randolph, Princess, Tori Lord, Victor Lord (alternate personalities)
Barbara Wedgeworth
Occupation
Family Lord
Parents
Stepmother Dorian Lord
Sisters Meredith Lord
Half-brothers Tony Lord
Todd Manning
Victor Lord, Jr.
Half-sisters Tina Lord
Husband
Sons
Daughters
Stepdaughters Megan Craig Riley
Grandsons
Granddaughters
Aunts and uncles
Nieces and nephews
First cousins
Other relatives

Victoria Lord is a fictional character and matriarch of the Lord family on the American soap opera One Life to Live , played for over 41 years by six-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning actress Erika Slezak.

Contents

The character was created as one of the protagonists by series creator Agnes Nixon, and first cast to Gillian Spencer on the pilot aired July 15, 1968. [1] Nixon later recast her with Slezak, who became synonymous with the character role following a continual portrayal spanning her debut March 17, 1971 through the ABC Daytime finale January 13, 2012. Slezak reprised the role in The Online Network continuance of One Life to Live aired on Hulu, iTunes, FX Canada, and the Oprah Winfrey Network from April 29, 2013 [2] [3] through the final episode released August 19, 2013. [4]

The role of Victoria is the mainstay original lead character of the serial, and her storylines focus on drudgery, love, and family troubles. One of the longest-running characters on American daytime television, Victoria weathers widowhood (three times), divorce (four times), a brain aneurysm, a near-death out-of-body experience (three times), being shot (two times), sent to jail, suffering a stroke, breast cancer, rape, recovered memories of being molested as a child, a heart attack, heart disease, a heart transplant, the abduction of three of her five children as infants, discovering she has four half-siblings, the deaths of two siblings, and the death of her daughter from lupus. Most notably, she suffers recurring bouts with dissociative identity disorder throughout the show narrative.

Slezak's tenure as Victoria earned the actress a reputation as a leading actor in American serials, [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] with her portrayal becoming one of the most lauded and longest-running in American soap operas. [10]

Character background

It is a very, very good job, but it takes a lot of work, and it takes responsibility. You are responsible to the audience for who you're playing. You're responsible to your writers and your producer for the character, and you are extremely responsible to your fellow actors. There are people who don't realize that.

—Erika Slezak on playing Victoria Lord, Archive of American Television [11]

Conception

One Life to Live series creator Agnes Nixon conceived the central role of Victoria "Viki" Lord inspired by her relationship with her domineering father, Harry Eckhardt, and her own married family life along the Philadelphia Main Line in Bryn Mawr. [12] [13] Nixon took further inspiration from lead protagonist Tracy Lord of the 1939 play The Philadelphia Story , [14] portrayed on stage and film by actress Katharine Hepburn.

Casting

The role of Victoria was originally cast to Gillian Spencer, who appeared from the July 1968 debut until 1970. [1] Joanne Dorian replaced Spencer from October 1970 until March 16, 1971, [1] when established theater actress Erika Slezak stepped into the role in the following day's episode. [1] [10] Slezak was told she was auditioning for a new character, but when offered the role she learned she was replacing someone else. [15] The producers informed Ernest Graves and Lynn Benesch, who played Viki's father Victor Lord and sister Meredith Lord, of the change in advance, but no one else in the cast or crew knew of the switch when Slezak arrived to work. [15] Slezak became synonymous with the character since her first appearance in the role March 17, 1971, playing Victoria continually for 41 years until the original One Life television finale in 2012. Slezak reprised the role onscreen upon Prospect Park resumption of the serial from April 29, 2013, through the final episode released August 19, 2013. [4]

Two other actresses portrayed Victoria while Slezak was on maternity and personal leave: Christine Jones in 1980 and 1981, [16] and Judith Barcroft in 1987. [16] In the summer of 2003, Slezak's real-life daughter, Amanda Davies, portrayed a teenaged Victoria in flashbacks. [10] Leah Marie Hays played the role of a young Victoria Lord in a series of flashbacks as well.

At the death of show and character creator Agnes Nixon in 2016, Slezak eulogized that, "When she hired me to play Viki on One Life To Live, she changed my life and my career and I will forever be grateful to her." [17]

Slezak expressed interest for reprising portrayal of the character in a short-term guest appearance on ABC's last remaining soap opera, General Hospital , in a March 2018 interview with Soap Opera Digest magazine, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the July 1968 premiere of One Life to Live. [18]

Characterization

At the debut episode of One Life to Live July 15, 1968, twentysomething recent college graduate and heiress Victoria "Viki" Lord is described by author Martha Nochimson as "blonde [and] ivory-complexioned ... the clichéd American princess," personifying the "woman on a pedestal" archetype. [14] The show's heroine from the outset, [12] ingenue Victoria initially harbors a strong Electra complex and suffers a bout with multiple personalities prompted by her mother Eugenia's absence from childhood and father Victor's incessant grooming of her to eventually helm the family's communication business, Lord Enterprises. As Erika Slezak stepped into the role in 1971, head writer Nixon matured Victoria to a self-assured working woman managing fictional Llanview's predominant newspaper, The Banner. An increasingly headstrong Victoria, relinquishing her primal desires to pander to Victor, marries working-class Banner editor Joe Riley, much to the patriarch's chagrin. [14]

By the mid-1980s, Victoria largely adopts a matronly role [19] along with her capacities as well-connected town businesswoman and socialite, though she is still plagued with intermittent bouts of mental illness. The character comes to mother five of her own children onscreen (three from infancy), while providing surrogate nurture to younger siblings Tina and Todd. Since 2000s, the role has evolved to be regarded as the "grande dame of Llanview." [7] [8] [9] In a 2006 Boston magazine article, Slezak remarked of Victoria representing "the very classy, very old-world money," [12] with writer Michael Callahan calling the character "the stiff-upper-lipped matriarch" [12] of the prominent Lord family.

American journalist and soap opera critic Connie Passalacqua Hayman (pen name "Marlena De Lacroix") briefly summed up the character role:

... Slezak's 'Viki' is the consummate soap opera heroine, because she has so harrowingly and humanistically triumphed over all her life's tragedies. [20]

Storylines

1960s and 1970s

The eldest child of domineering millionaire publisher Victor Lord (Ernest Graves), Victoria Lord, often nicknamed "Viki," (originally Spencer) has little time for romance when One Life to Live begins in 1968. [21] She clashes with reporter Joe Riley (Lee Patterson), but they soon fall in love; Victor disapproves and tries to keep them apart. Torn between pleasing her father and following her heart, Viki develops a wild alternate personality named "Niki Smith", who falls in love with Vinny Wolek (Antony Ponzini). Viki's illness — apparently caused by seeing her pregnant mother fall down the stairs as a child — is eventually treated, and she and Joe marry December 11, 1969. [22] [23] Joe is presumed dead in a car accident in 1970, and a heartbroken Viki (Slezak onward) finds comfort with fellow reporter Steve Burke (Bernie Grant) in 1971. After Steve is put on trial and exonerated for the murder of Banner secretary Marcy Wade (Francesca James), he and Viki marry in 1972. [24] When a very-much alive Joe returns in-time for the nuptials, having survived his supposedly deadly car accident, Viki is forced to choose between two husbands. Viki initially stays married to Steve out of obligation, but ultimately divorces him in January 1974. That summer, Dr. Dorian Cramer (then Nancy Pinkerton) blames board member Viki for her suspension from Llanview Hospital, and a rivalry is born that will last decades. Viki and Joe remarry in a simple, New York City ceremony in September. [25] [26] In 1975, Dorian becomes the private physician to Viki's father Victor, soon eloping with him. [27] Viki learns she has a half-brother, Tony Lord (George Reinholt), and Dorian plots to keep Victor's fortune for herself. [28] In 1976, Victor suffers a heart attack and dies after wife Dorian denies him medication, and in his wake Dorian wreaks havoc on the Lord family. [29] Viki and Joe have a son, Kevin Lord Riley, who is soon kidnapped by jealous Cathy Craig Lord (then Jennifer Harmon), but is later returned. [30] In 1978, Viki takes in Tina Clayton (Andrea Evans), the sixteen-year-old daughter of college roommate and best friend Irene Manning Clayton (Kate McKeown), who is apparently dying of cancer. [31] Shortly after Irene dies, Viki goes on trial for the murder of her nemesis Marco Dane (Gerald Anthony), but she is later exonerated following confessional testimony by Karen Wolek (Judith Light). [32] Joe dies from a brain tumor in October 1979. [33] [34] [35] Also in October 1979, Viki serves as the matron of honor in her friend Carla Gray's (Ellen Holly) wedding to Dr. Jack Scott (Arthur Burghardt). [36]

1980s

Widowed Viki gives birth to her second son, Joe Riley Jr., in January 1980. After a disastrous relationship with con man Ted Clayton, [37] [38] who brainwashes and drugs her in an attempt to get his hands on her fortune, Viki marries newspaper editor Clint Buchanan (Clint Ritchie) in 1982; he adopts both of her sons. [39] Echo DiSavoy (Kim Zimmer), seeking revenge on Clint for her mother's murder, seduces him in 1983 to ruin his marriage, then fakes her own death and frames him for it. Clint is later exonerated after Echo is found alive, and he and Viki reunite. [40] Viki is shocked to discover in 1985 that her former ward Tina Clayton (Evans) is in fact her half-sister, daughter of Viki's father Victor and not Ted. Thanks to the machinations of Tina's boyfriend Mitch Laurence (Roscoe Born), Viki succumbs to the pressure and Niki Smith returns. Posing as Viki, Niki divorces Clint; Viki later overcomes her illness with the realization that it had actually been triggered by her witnessing Victor and Irene in bed many years before. [41] Clint and Viki remarry in 1986, [42] and Viki gives birth to their daughter Jessica Buchanan in September 1986. Jessica is kidnapped shortly after birth by Allison Perkins (Barbara Garrick), a disciple of Mitch Laurence; Jessica is soon returned unharmed in December, and Allison institutionalized. In 1988, Viki learns that she married and gave birth to a child in high school with high school sweetheart Roger Gordon (Larry Pine), but father Victor had her hypnotized to forget the occurrences. With Viki's memory restored in 1989, she annuls her 1960s off-screen marriage to Roger and initiates a relationship with daughter Megan Gordon (Jessica Tuck), an actress on the soap opera (within a soap opera), Fraternity Row. Megan and Viki initially spar, but ultimately get past their initial conflicts and become close. [43]

1990s

In 1990, Viki is elected mayor of Llanview, [44] but a shooting and subsequent stroke leaves her paralyzed and in a wheelchair; [45] Niki Smith emerges to aid a paralyzed Viki stand up and shoot Johnny Dee Hesser (Anthony Crivello) when he attacks Tina. [46] Viki recovers and later donates a kidney to daughter Megan suffering terminal lupus, but Megan dies, leaving Viki devastated. [47] [48] Growing ever-distant from Clint, Viki engages an extramarital affair with Sloan Carpenter (Roy Thinnes); she and Clint divorce in 1994, and she marries Sloan. Sloan dies soon after from Hodgkin's lymphoma, just as the existence of a second child of Victor and Irene's is revealed. [49] Viki's stress reaches a critical point when Dorian (Robin Strasser onward) tells Viki a secret of which she thought Viki had been aware: the fact that Victor had sexually abused his daughter as a child. With this trauma being what had actually initiated Viki's dissociative identity disorder, she subsequently splinters into several personalities, one of which imprisons Dorian in a secret room below Llanfair. Dorian is eventually freed from her confinement, and Viki recovers after realizing she herself (more specifically, one of her alternate personalities) was the one who had smothered Victor to death in 1976. [50] In 1995, reviled town outcast Todd Manning (Roger Howarth) is proven to be Victor and Irene's illegitimate son; Viki and Todd eventually become close. [51] After a failed reconciliation attempt with Clint, Viki meets and falls in love with Ben Davidson (Mark Derwin), [52] who is eventually revealed to be the long-lost son of Asa Buchanan (Philip Carey) and Renée Divine Buchanan (Patricia Elliott). Ben's first wife, Skye Chandler (Robin Christopher), comes to town and tries in vain to keep Ben and Viki apart. [53] That same year, Jessica falls pregnant, but miscarries the child when she is run over by Dorian. She names the child Megan.

2000s

Viki is diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, but survives after a mastectomy and chemotherapy. [54] She and Ben marry in November. [55] In 2001, a girl named Natalie Balsom (Melissa Archer) makes the startling claim that she is Viki and Clint's biological daughter, which is confirmed by a DNA test. [56] Mitch Laurence returns from the dead, divulging to Viki he drugged and raped her around the same time she and Clint conceived Jessica and had unknowingly become pregnant with fraternal twins, one fathered by Clint, Natalie, and the other fathered by Mitch, Jessica (Erin Torpey). [57] Unable to reconcile the revelation, Niki Smith emerges during the ordeal and plots to kill Ben in order to have her freedom, but when Ben is accidentally shot by Antonio Vega (Kamar de los Reyes), Viki returns. Ben is left comatose after the shooting. In 2003, Victor (William Stone Mahoney) is ostensibly revealed to be alive, claiming to have faked his death in 1976; however, shortly after he returns, Victor dies — but not before Viki and Todd confront him on ills inflicted to them in his wake. [50] In 2004, Viki is diagnosed with heart disease and eventually needs a heart transplant. Coincidentally, a comatose Ben dies just as Viki takes a turn for the worse, and his heart is transplanted into Viki, who recovers but must face widowhood once again. [58]

In 2007, Viki and Clint (now Jerry verDorn) start dating again, but Dorian decides she wants Clint for herself and plots to break up the couple. Dorian's schemes succeed, and Clint ends things with Viki to start a new relationship with Dorian. Feeling humiliated and defeated, Viki leaves Llanview for a much-needed vacation and finds herself in Paris, Texas, where she tries to reinvent herself by waiting tables at a local diner. It is there that she meets patron Charlie Banks (Brian Kerwin), a recovering alcoholic, and the two begin seeing one another. Viki ultimately returns to Llanview once her family discovers her secret life, and Charlie's search for his estranged son Jared (John Brotherton) leads him there as well. Viki and Charlie resume their relationship, but break up when Viki discovers that Charlie had lied about the identity of his son in extenuating circumstances. In July 2008, Viki is involved in a car accident with Dorian; Viki's heart stops as a result of the crash, but Dorian manages to revive her. During her unconsciousness, Viki visits Heaven and reunited with her granddaughter, Megan Rappaport (Erin Torpey), Ben and Asa. Reexamining her life, Viki reunites with Charlie, and they marry on August 4, 2009. Viki runs for mayor against Dorian and wins; she steps down, however, to help her family deal with the unexpected return of Mitch Laurence, who wreaks havoc on her daughters and murders Jared in the process.

2010–13

Charlie, devastated over his son's death, quits his sobriety and began drinking, distancing himself from Viki, choosing instead to conspire with Dorian to kill Mitch. Though Dorian tries to stop him at the last minute, Charlie ends up accidentally shooting Jessica (Bree Williamson onward), who survives. Devastated by Charlie's actions, Viki asks him for a divorce, but they eventually reconcile. Viki and Charlie's marriage is further complicated by the return of Echo DiSavoy, a woman who almost destroyed her marriage to Clint in 1983. Echo begins insinuating herself into Charlie and Viki's marriage, much to Viki's dismay. When a paternity revealed Charlie not to be the father of Rex Balsom (John-Paul Lavoisier), a devastated Charlie turns to Echo for comfort. Dorian, who had suspicions about Echo and Charlie's dealings, forged a truce with Viki to uncover Charlie's misgivings. A devastated Viki finds out about Charlie's affair and definitively asks him for a divorce. After confronting Charlie and Echo, Viki goes to court to fight for custody of grandson Ryder Ford while his mother Jessica was ill with her multiple personality. A stressed Viki suffers a bout with multiple personalities on the stand, leading the judge against giving the child to Viki but instead to her son and daughter-in-law, Joey (Tom Degnan) and Aubrey Buchanan (Terri Conn).

In summer 2011 a man with the "original" face of her only known living brother, Todd (Howarth), returned to Llanview claiming to be the victim of eight years of imprisonment and torture at the hands of his mother and Viki's childhood friend, a back-from-the-dead Irene Manning (now Barbara Rhoades). After medical tests revealed the "newer" Todd (Trevor St. John) and the "old" Todd (Howarth) to have identical DNA, Irene appeared to reveal the "two Todds" to be twins. The man who resembled Walker Laurence (St. John) and who has been living as Todd since 2003 was revealed actually have been born Victor Lord, Jr., brainwashed into believing that he is Todd by Irene. Meanwhile, Viki agrees in court to put up Clint in Llanfair for house arrest after he was convicted of various crimes in Llanview. Dorian and Viki ostensibly put an end to their feud of nearly four decades when Dorian leaves town to become an acting U.S. senator. Viki continues work at The Banner when Tina returns to town for the reading of the will of recently murdered Victor, Jr. After months of rehashing old feelings and living under the same roof, Clint and Viki too admit to their unresolved feelings and agreed to give a romantic relationship one more try.

At the original finale, a prison breakout leads Allison Perkins to shoot both Clint and Viki, but only after telling the two that Jessica is in fact Clint's daughter after all and not the daughter of Mitch Laurence. Clint sanctions another paternity test and, in the presence of Jessica, Viki and Natalie, it is revealed Allison's claim to be true. Following all the emotional revelations and tears, Clint again declares his undying love for Viki and asks her to marry him for a third time.

Upon the series resumption in April 2013, Viki accepts Clint's marriage proposal, and concurrently hires freelance journalist Jeffrey King (Corbin Bleu) to investigate the alleged congressional malfeasance of junior U.S. senator Dorian. Upon visiting niece Danielle Manning (Kelley Missal) in the hospital after overdosing on drugs and alcohol, she uncovers her brother Victor, Jr. to be alive. With her family newspaper in financial straits, The Banner focuses on growing the publication's online presence.

Alternate personalities

Slezak as Victoria's main alter-ego Niki Smith in 1985, a performance for which she earned the 1986 Daytime Emmy Award for Lead Actress in a Drama Series Nikismith1985.png
Slezak as Victoria's main alter-ego Niki Smith in 1985, a performance for which she earned the 1986 Daytime Emmy Award for Lead Actress in a Drama Series

As of the final ABC episode, all of Victoria's six [29] alternate personalities are integrated with her baseline psyche. At times during the series, Viki has been forced to impersonate one of them, particularly Niki and Jean. In order of their first appearance on One Life to Live, they are:

Reception

Series fansite Llanview Labyrinth remarks that although Gillian Spencer's Victoria is featured at the show's outset, "the obviousness of Viki being the show[']s unquestioned 'lead' did not smack the viewer quite as hard as it later would [with Erika Slezak's portrayal]," [61] with Spencer's Victoria melding into the ensemble cast. Joanne Dorian briefly stepped into the role beginning in October 1970, with a markedly less dynamic presence on the series than her predecessor.

In March 1971, One Life to Live executive producer Doris Quinlan remarked to After Noon TV magazine of Erika Slezak and her audition before herself, series creator and head writer Agnes Nixon, and director David Pressman, "You've got to meet this girl—she's going to be a star." [62]

Since the introduction of Slezak as Victoria, her portrayal has become regarded as definitive to the role. [61] Slezak's work has garnered her the acclaim of media critics and viewers alike, earning the actress comparisons between herself and contemporary film star Meryl Streep for perceived similarities in acting range, versatility, and numerous award nominations. [63] [64] Slezak has received nine Daytime Emmy Award nominations in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress for her portrayal of Victoria, winning in 1984, [65] 1986, [66] 1992, [67] 1995, [68] 1996, [69] and 2005. [70] At the finale of the show's last iteration, she held the record for most Emmy wins by an actress. She also garnered the Soap Opera Digest Award for Favorite Couple with co-star Mark Derwin (Ben Davidson) in 2000. [10]

In 2002, in recognition for her work on One Life to Live, Slezak was inducted as a member of the Silver Circle of the New York chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for over a quarter-century of "significant contributions" to television. [71] [72] In July 2020, Soaps.com cited Slezak's casting in the role as the third-best recast of all-time on a soap opera. [73]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorian Lord</span> Soap opera character

Dorian Lord is a fictional character and matriarch of the Cramer family on the American daytime drama One Life to Live, played most notably and for the longest duration by actress Robin Strasser. Strasser was cast by series creator Agnes Nixon and debuted on the episode first-aired on April 13, 1979. For most of the show's history, the character is the show's primary antagonist and Byronic hero.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victor Lord</span> Soap opera character

Victor Dalby Lord is a fictional character and patriarch of the Lord family from the American soap opera One Life to Live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Buchanan</span> Soap opera character

Jessica Eugenia Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. She is the daughter of Victoria Lord and Clint Buchanan. She is the fraternal twin sister of Natalie Buchanan, and is born on-screen in the episode first-run on September 23, 1986, with the birth year later revised to 1978.

Tony Lord (<i>One Life to Live</i>) Soap opera character

Tony Lord is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live. The elder child of Victor Lord and brother to heroine Victoria Lord, actor George Reinholt originated the role in April 1975. The character was featured continually through 1979, from 1981 to 1983, and last appeared in episodes in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Wolek</span> Soap opera character

Larry Wolek is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live, played for 35 years by actor Michael Storm. Storm is the second longest running cast member of the ABC Daytime production after actress Erika Slezak, and he briefly crossed over in the role on premiere episodes of All My Children in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vince Wolek</span> Soap opera character

Vince Wolek is a fictional character from the American soap opera, One Life to Live. Actor Antony Ponzini originated the role from the debut episode in 1968 through 1975, and briefly reappeared in 1987.

Joe Riley (<i>One Life to Live</i>) Soap opera character

Joe Riley is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera One Life to Live originated on the debut episode by actor Lee Patterson. Patterson regularly appeared in the role from the inception of the serial July 15, 1968, through 1970, from 1972 through October 3, 1979, and briefly in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Vickers</span> American fictional character

David Vickers is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live, portrayed by Tuc Watkins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joey Buchanan</span> Soap opera character

Joey Buchanan is a fictional character from the American daytime serial One Life to Live. The character is the son of original protagonists Victoria Lord and Joe Riley Sr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tina Lord</span> Soap opera character

Tina Lord Roberts is a fictional character from the American daytime soap opera One Life to Live, originally and last played by Andrea Evans. The character is the daughter of original series patriarch Victor Lord, and sister to long-running characters Victoria Lord and Todd Manning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitch Laurence</span> Soap opera character

Mitch Laurence is a fictional character from the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live. He was portrayed by Roscoe Born from 1985 to 1987 and again from 2002 to 2003. Born returned from November 9, 2009, to April 6, 2010. Born reappeared again during the series finale prison break storyline on January 3, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cramer family</span> Fictional family from One Life to Live

The Cramer family is a family of fictional characters on the American soap opera One Life to Live. The family centers on the relationships of long-running character Dr. Dorian Cramer, who debuts on the series in April 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Toland</span> Soap opera character

Mark Toland is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live. He was portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones from February 1971 until the character's onscreen death in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allison Perkins</span> Soap opera character

Allison Perkins is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marco Dane</span> Soap opera character

Marco Dane is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live. The role was played by actor Gerald Anthony from its debut in 1977 through 1986, and from May 17, 1989, until 1990. Anthony crossed over in the role on sister soap opera General Hospital on September 2, 1992 as Marco, remaining in the role through December 24, 1993.

Richard Abbott is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live. The role was originated in January 1977 by actor Luke Reilly. The nephew of Victor Lord and first cousin to Victoria Lord, the role last appears in January 1987 portrayed by actor Jeffrey Byron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Echo DiSavoy</span> Soap opera character

Echo DiSavoy is a fictional character on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live. She was portrayed by Kim Zimmer from March to October 1983. After a twenty-seven-year absence, during which Zimmer went on to play the long-running character Reva Shayne on the CBS daytime drama Guiding Light, Zimmer reprised the role on October 1, 2010, staying until October 14 of the following year.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Schemering, Christopher (September 1985). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. Ballantine Books. pp. 158–166. ISBN   978-0345324597.
  2. ↑ Hal Boedeker (January 25, 2013). "All My Children, One Live to Live reborn via Hulu". Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  3. ↑ Jolie Lash (January 25, 2013). "One Life To Live, All My Children – New Episodes On The Way This Spring Via Hulu, iTunes". Access Hollywood . Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  4. 1 2 James, Meg (September 3, 2013). "Reviving canceled ABC soap operas becomes a real-life drama". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  5. ↑ Tanya Barrientos (May 23, 1996). "Slezak Wins Emmy; Lucci Shunned For A 16th Year Puppeteer Shari Lewis And Oprah Winfrey's Show Are Also Winners". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  6. ↑ Michael, Fairman (March 17, 2011). "It's Erika Slezak Day! OLTL honors her with 40th Anniversary Surprise Party!" . Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  7. 1 2 Coulton, Antoinette Y.; Pham, Thailan (2012). "Farewell to One Life to Live". People . 77 (2). Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  8. 1 2 Logan, Michael (2012). "Erika Slezak Goes to Heaven One Last Time on One Life to Live". TV Guide . Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  9. 1 2 McConnell, Michael (2011). "The View Plans One Life to Live Special for Series Finale". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "SOAP STAR STATS: Erika Slezak (Viki, OLTL)". SoapOperaDigest.com (Internet Archive). Archived from the original on March 30, 2010. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Erika Slezak, Actress". Archive of American Television . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 2006. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Michael Callahan (2007). "Legends: The Original Desperate Housewife". Philadelphia (May 2007). Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  13. ↑ "She Made It: Agnes Nixon, Television Writer, Producer". The Paley Center for Media . Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  14. 1 2 3 Nochimson, Martha (1993). No End to Her: Soap Opera and the Female Subject. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. p. 64. ISBN   9780520077713 . Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  15. 1 2 OLTL Icon, Erika Slezak Talks On Her 42-Year Run As Viki, Her Llanview Co-Stars & Husbands, and Life Now. Michael Fairman TV (video). May 20, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  16. 1 2 "Who's Who in Llanview: Victoria Lord | One Life to Live on Soap Central". soapcentral.com.
  17. ↑ "Agnes Nixon: A Note from Erika about Agnes Nixon". Erika Slezak Fan Club. September 28, 2016. Archived from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016. I am so terribly saddened by the death of Agnes Nixon. She was more than a great writer, producer and boss, she was a warm, loving and wonderful woman with a truly delightful and somewhat wicked sense of humor. It was my very great privilege to have known her and to have worked for her. When she hired me to play Viki on One Life To Live, she changed my life and my career and I will forever be grateful to her. I wish her peace and angels all around her. She deserves that!
  18. ↑ Larson, Kelli M. (March 21, 2018). "ONE LIFE TO LIVE Star Erika Slezak Opens up About Her Return to Television (EXCLUSIVE)". Soap Opera Digest . Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  19. ↑ Time . Vol. 145, no. 18–26. 1995. p. 76.{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. ↑ Staff writer (February 7, 2010). "50 Greatest Soap Actresses: #3 Erika Slezak". We Love Soaps . Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  21. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 1. 1968. ABC.
  22. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 2. December 11, 1969. ABC.
  23. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (1968–69)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  24. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 4. February 29, 1972. ABC.
  25. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 7. September 16, 1974. ABC.
  26. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (1973–74)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  27. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 7. May 9, 1975. ABC.
  28. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (1974–75, Part 2)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  29. 1 2 Waggett, Gerry (2008). The One Life to Live 40th Anniversary Trivia Book. New York City: Hyperion Books. ISBN   9781401323097 . Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  30. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 9. 1976–1977. ABC.
  31. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 10. July 1978. ABC.
  32. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 11. 1978–1979. ABC.
  33. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 12. October 3, 1979. ABC.
  34. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 12. January 8, 1980. ABC.
  35. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (1979–80)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  36. ↑ Giles, Jeff (2013). Llanview in the Afternoon: An Oral History of One Life to Live. p. 62. ISBN   9781492385646.
  37. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (1980–81, Part 2)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  38. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (1981–82, Part 2)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  39. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 15. November 15, 1982. ABC.
  40. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (1983–84, Part 3)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  41. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 18. 1985–1986. ABC.
  42. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 18. April 17, 1986. ABC.
  43. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (1989–90)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  44. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 22. May 1990. ABC.
  45. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 23. August–September 1990. ABC.
  46. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 23. November 8, 1990. ABC.
  47. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 23. August 1991. ABC.
  48. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 23. February 7, 1992. ABC.
  49. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (1994–95)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  50. 1 2 In recent years, One Life to Live plot twists have strongly suggested that Dorian was Victor's true murderer after all, as was suggested at Victor's initial death in 1976. In August 2007, Dorian makes the startling (and vague) claim to Viki that she had actually killed Victor, and that a man who appeared in 2003 claiming to be Victor was a fraud. Having planted a seed of doubt in Viki's mind, she refused to elaborate. On August 16, 2011, Dorian's husband David Vickers Buchanan (Tuc Watkins) mentions that an (albeit forged) entry from Irene Manning's diary cleared Dorian of Victor's murder. When David states that Dorian is innocent of the crime, she comments to herself, "... or so Viki chooses to believe."
  51. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (1995–96)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  52. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 30. 1999. ABC.
  53. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 31. 1999–2000. ABC.
  54. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 31–32. February–August 2000. ABC.
  55. ↑ "One Life to Live recap (November 2000)". ABC. Archived from the original on April 2, 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  56. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 33. October 2001. ABC.
  57. ↑ One Life to Live. Season 34. November–December 2002. ABC.
  58. ↑ Michael, Renee (April 19, 2011). "All My Stories". The New York Times . Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  59. ↑ Doris Quinlan (Executive producer); Agnes Nixon, Paul Roberts and Don Wallace (Head writers) (November 15, 1968). One Life to Live. Season 1. ABC.
  60. 1 2 Susan Bedsow Horgan (Executive producer); Michael Malone and Josh Griffith (Head writers) (February 2, 1995). One Life to Live. Season 27. ABC.
  61. 1 2 Staff writer (2012). "Victoria "Viki" Lord". Llanview Labyrinth. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  62. ↑ "Three Wishes for Erika". After Noon TV. 1971. Archived from the original on October 26, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  63. ↑ Hal Bodoedeker (April 17, 2011). ""All My Children": Goodbye to a fondly remembered world". Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  64. ↑ Dan J. Kroll (October 29, 2008). "One-on-One with One Life to Live's Erika Slezak". SoapCentral . Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  65. ↑ "Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1984". SoapOperaDigest.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
  66. ↑ "Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1986". SoapOperaDigest.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2006. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
  67. ↑ "Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1992". SoapOperaDigest.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2006. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
  68. ↑ "Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1995". SoapOperaDigest.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2006. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
  69. ↑ "Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1996". SoapOperaDigest.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
  70. ↑ "Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 2005". SoapOperaDigest.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
  71. ↑ "Silver Circle". National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences: New York. 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  72. ↑ "Erika Slezak Awards and Emmys". ErikaSlezak.com. 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  73. ↑ Mason, Charlie (July 21, 2020). "Photos: Soaps' 20 Best Recasts Ever, Ranked". Soaps.com . United States: SheKnows Media. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.