Erika Slezak
She inhabited one of daytime television's most complex heroines for over four decades, earning a record-setting six Emmy awards for her nuanced performance.
Born 1946 (age 80)·American actress·Birthday: August 5·Baby Boomers
Biography
Erika Slezak stepped into the role of Victoria Lord on 'One Life to Live' in 1971, a part she would define for the soap's entire network run. The daughter of esteemed stage actor Walter Slezak, she brought a theatrical depth and meticulous intelligence to a character that could have been a mere soap opera archetype. Writers, inspired by her capability, crafted for Viki one of the medium's most daring narratives: multiple personality disorder. Slezak navigated this challenge with astonishing clarity, giving each distinct alter ego—from the fierce Niki Smith to the childish Tommy—a complete and believable life. Her work provided a rare gravity and emotional truth to the often-melodramatic world of daytime, making her the cornerstone of the show and the most honored actress in its history.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Erika was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Erika Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Erika's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won six Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress, the most of any performer in that category.
- Portrayed Victoria Lord on 'One Life to Live' from 1971 to its network finale in 2012, one of the longest continuous roles in TV.
- Masterfully portrayed Viki Lord's multiple personalities, a groundbreaking and psychologically complex storyline for daytime TV.
- Inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame in 1996, recognizing her impact on the genre.
Did You Know?
She was originally hired for the role on a three-month contract, which lasted over 40 years.
She is a trained stage actress and performed in Shakespearean theater before joining the soap.
Her father, Walter Slezak, was a successful character actor in Hollywood and on Broadway.
“Viki is the part of a lifetime. How many actors get to play that many different people?”
