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Erika Slezak BERGMAN LARGE

Erika Slezak

Role Viki, OLTL

Show One Life To Live

The 411

BIRTHDATE: August 5, 1946

BIRTHPLACE: Hollywood, CA

YEARS ON SHOW: 1971-present

MARITAL STATUS: Married to Brian Davies

CHILDREN: Michael, born in 1980, and Amanda, born in 1981


BIRTHDATE: August 5, 1946
BIRTHPLACE: Hollywood, CA
SIGN: Leo
YEARS ON SHOW: 1971-present
MARITAL STATUS: Married to Brian Davies
CHILDREN: Michael, born in 1980, and Amanda, born in 1981

Erika Slezak comes from a long line of established actors. Her father is the late Walter Slezak, who starred in numerous films and on Broadway. During his career, Walter won a Tony award for his performance in the hit Fanny. The legacy doesn't end there: Slezak's grandfather, Leo Slezak, was an acclaimed opera singer.

Slezak graduated from the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. She has often said she always knew she wanted to be an actress. "I can't recall a time when I didn't want to act," Slezak said. "When I was a sophomore in high school, my father talked to me about training for a career in acting…. One thing my father did for me was not discourage my ambitions. But he made sure I had no illusions about the acting profession, explaining that it was going to be harder for me because I had a famous father. I would have to prove myself more than others and, as usual, he was right."

Before making her television debut on OLTL, Slezak did considerable work in theater. She was a member of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater for three seasons and she acted for another season at the Alley Theater in Houston.

On March 17, 1971, Slezak debuted as the beloved Victoria Lord on OLTL and has played her ever since (along with Viki's many alternate personalities). In 2005, Slezak won her sixth Emmy and made history by tying the record for most Emmy wins by an actor (shared with Justin Deas, ex-Buzz, GUIDING LIGHT). (She also won in 1996, 1995, 1992, 1986 and 1984.)

The actress now lives in the suburbs of New York City with her husband, Brian, and is the proud mother of son Michael, who works in advertising sales at SOAPnet, and daughter Amanda, an aspiring actress. Her official Web site is www.erikaslezak.com.

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Random facts

  • Daughter Amanda played a young Viki on OLTL in 2003.
  • Slezak didn't learn to speak English until she was 5. She previously only spoke German.
  • At 17, she was one of the youngest students ever admitted to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
  • Her grandfather, Leo Slezak, was a world-famous operatic tenor who sang in Vienna and Berlin, as well as at New York's Metropolitan Opera.
  • In November 2002, she was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Silver Circle.

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