| Daniel Wolek | |||||||||||||||||||
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| One Life to Live character | |||||||||||||||||||
 Michael Palance as Daniel Wolek | |||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by |
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| Duration |
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| First appearance | November 17, 1971 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | January 16, 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Agnes Nixon | ||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by |
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 Joshua Cox as Daniel Wolek | |||||||||||||||||||
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Daniel Wolek is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live . He is the only son of original characters Larry Wolek and Meredith Lord. [1] [2]
Daniel, nicknamed "Dan" or "Danny," is born onscreen November 17, 1971. [3] [4] He is the first grandchild of series patriarch Victor Lord (Ernest Graves) to appear on the serial, and Victor's third-born grandchild in the show's final canon after Megan Gordon and Brian Kendall. His twin sister is born stillborn, which prompts mother Meredith (Lynn Benesch) to suffer post-partum depression and seek help from Dr. Joyce Brothers (playing herself). [3]
In 1973, Daniel's mother dies [1] [2] of a traumatic brain injury following a freak accident during an attempted robbery at the Lord estate Llanfair. [5] Larry raises young Danny a single father [2] and with help from his siblings Anna and Vince. Danny leaves fictional Llanview in 1979 attends to boarding school overseas. [6]
Danny is aged to an adult in 1983 [7] and becomes a newspaper reporter [8] for his grandfather's newspaper, The Banner. Dorian Lord Callison (Robin Strasser) seduces Dan into a brief love affair in 1984. [9] The character returns to Llanview on an ongoing basis in August 1986 [10] as Dr. Dan Wolek (Joshua Cox), a resident physician at Llanview Hospital. He dates shy Allison Perkins (Barbara Garrick) [11] briefly before she falls under the spell of Mitch Laurence (Roscoe Born). Dan (Michael Palance) returns again in 1989 and soon becomes a rival to his own father Larry for the affection of nurse Brenda McGillis (Brenda Brock) in a love triangle. The nefarious Michael Grande (Dennis Parlato) then seeks to woo Brenda, and rigs a medical malpractice case to get Dan was fired from the hospital. Michael is killed in a whodunit, and Dan is accused of murdering Michael before the former husband of his aunt Victoria Lord Buchanan (Erika Slezak), Roger Gordon (Larry Pine), is revealed to be Michael's actual killer. [12] [13]
Dr. Wolek is fired from Llanview Hospital, and starts a private clinic for low-income Llanview residents. He falls in love with Laura Jean Ellis (Neith Hunter), the estranged wife of one of the mob lieutenants of Carlo Hesser (Thom Christopher). Dan leaves Llanview with Laura [14] and with little fanfare [12] in 1991. [15]
In spite of being related to original and long-running protagonists Larry Wolek and Victoria Lord, the role of Daniel Wolek failed to achieve the fanfare the showrunners had hoped for. [2] [12] [16] [17] Daniel was recast six times [12] between 1974 and 1991 and is the second-most recast character role on One Life to Live after Kevin Buchanan.
The role was originated by infant children in non-speaking roles from 1971 until 1974. Daniel began appearing as a speaking role in 1974, played child actors Neail Holland from 1974 through 1976 [2] [18] and Eddie Moran from 1976 until 1979. [19] The role was aged up to a 17-year-old with actor Timothy Waldrip in the role in 1983, [7] changing the character's onscreen birth year from 1971 to 1966. Actor Steven Culp replaced Waldrip in the role from 1983 until 1984. [20] Actor Ted Demers played the character in 1984. [20] Waldrip returned to play the role after he was fired in 1983 [21] for a few months in 1985. [22] Joshua Cox picked up playing the character from 1986 until he was fired [17] in 1987. [23] Michael Palance was the last actor to play Daniel Wolek, from March 9, 1989 [16] until he left the show [14] on January 16, 1991. [12] [20] [24] [25]
In 2021, Wally Kurth revealed he had auditioned for the role "a few years" prior to his casting as Justin Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives . [26]
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.
Victor Dalby Lord is a fictional character and patriarch of the Lord family from the American soap opera One Life to Live.
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.
The Wolek family are fictional characters from the American soap opera One Life to Live present at its debut in 1968. The Woleks were created as a working-class reflection of the affluent Lord family, and storylines focused on the shared relations of the two families.
Karen Wolek is a fictional character appearing on the American soap opera One Life to Live between May 1976 and February 1983. The role was most notably performed by Judith Light beginning on October 21, 1977. Karen ultimately departs for an off-screen life in Canada, coinciding with Light's departure from the series.
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.
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.
The Lord family are fictional characters from the American soap opera One Life to Live. They were introduced in the show's July 15, 1968 debut episode on ABC, and featured for the entirety of its run until the series ended on August 19, 2013.
Jim Craig is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live played notably by actor Nat Polen from May 1969 until the actor and character's off-screen death in May 1981. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing actor Robert Milli originated the role from the pilot in July 1968 until 1969.
Sadie Gray is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live, played by Broadway actress and singer Lillian Hayman from 1968 to 1986. Sadie regularly sings at special functions and occasions during her appearance on the serial.
Anna Wolek is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live. Actress Doris Belack played the character from the show's first episode in 1968 until 1977. After Belack left the show, Kathleen Maguire played the character from 1977 until 1978. Phyllis Behar last played the role from 1978 until the character's final appearance in 1982.
Meredith Lord is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live.
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.
Carla Gray is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live, played by actress Ellen Holly. Carla appeared from October 1968 through December 1980, and from May 1983 through December 1985. The role is recognized as the first Black lead character on a U.S. daytime soap opera.
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.
Ed Hall is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live, played by Al Freeman Jr.
Eileen Riley Siegel is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live. The role was played by Patricia Roe from July 1968 until March 1972, and by Alice Hirson from March 1972 until the character's last appearance in May 1976.
