Biography | Library | Emmys | OLTL's Viki | Official Fan Club | About site  
Home Email  
 
More Articles
71 Spoiled with Love
72 DTV Cover
72 Memories Family
73 Lived like Gypsy
74 Not Ready
74 Miss SuperCool
75 Life Story
76 Five Years
76 Sensitive
77 SOD Cover
77 Surprised
77 ATVA Cover
77 RBD Cover
77 Lost her Touch
77 Daytime Stars
77 Like Yesterday
78 DTV Cover
78 Long Distance
78 My Rules
79 SOD Cover
79 Don't Step


70s Favorite Holiday
70s Loving Memories
70s Most Popular
70s Viki's Life Story
70s SOD Cover

80 On Her Own
81 So happy
81 More Children
81 2nd Pregnancy
81 Will she
83 ATV Cover
83 SOD Cover
83 Good Life
84 Bouncing Back
85 Niki Smith
86 Viva Miss Viki
88 Own Life
88 OLTL 20 years
89 Private Lives

90 Share Alike
90 American Dynasty
90 Day in Life
90 Shattering Myth
91 SOW Cover
91 Leading Lady
91 Two Emmys
91 DTV Cover
91 Lady of Manor
91 No Substitutes
91 20 Quotes
92 SOW Cover
92 Episodes Cover
92 Lunchtime Fav
92 SOM Cover
93 SOD Cover
93 OLTL 25 Yrs
94 New Age Innoc
95 SOM Cover
95 24 Years
95 SOW Cover M
95 SOW Cover A
95 With Reservations
95 SOW Cover O
96 Victorious
96 Thank the Lord
96 Her Life to Live
96 Multiplicity
96 In Step
97 Adores Her Job
97 One Life to Give
97 Who Says
98 30 Something
98 Life's Work
99 High Notes
99 SOD Cover
99 Changing Times
99 When Blondie
99 SID Cover
99 SOW Cover
99 TV Guide Online

00 Daytime Divas
00 SOW Cover
00 The Babe
00 Performer
00 Life Goes On
00 Tell All
00 Will Survive
00 Incomparable
00 SOD Cover
00 To the Mob
00 Promo
00 SID Cover
00 Last Chance
01 Thanks
01 Sentinel
01 Regis
01 Pictoral
01 Big 3 0
01 Click
01 Roundup
01 Good Show
01 Celebrates
01 Tribute
01 SID Cover A
01 Wedding
01 Soap Net 1
01 Soap Net 2
01 Soap Net 3
01 Time To
01 Secrets
01 Luncheon
01 OLTL Luncheon
01 Emmys
01 Perf of Week
01 SID Cover J
01 Fight
01 Wild Nightmare
01 Inmates
01 Real Life Love
01 Postcard
01 SOW Cover
01 Reveals
01 Changeling
02 Dear Niki
02 Promo
02 SOW Cover
02 Together
02 SOU Cover

 
Erika Slezak Library

Daytime TV, 1980


Erika Slezak: Making It on Her Own!


"Victoria Lord" was the apple of her father's eye. Newspaper publisher/millionaire "Victor Lord" instilled in "Viki" a sense of pride and independence at an early age. In newspaper reporter "Joe Riley," "Viki" found a man made of the same strong stuff as her father. After marrying "Riley," "Viki was to lose "Joe" in a gangland-related car crash but, miraculously, he escaped death, only to lose his memory. It would take some time before "Viki" and "Joe" were joyously reunited. Then, "Victor" died suspiciously, while married to a much younger woman, "Dorian." "Joe" became editor of "Victor's" paper, The Banner.

For "The Rileys," one of the happiest moments in their lives came when "Viki" announced she was pregnant with their second child. "Joe" was sure she would present him with a son, and he was right. Death, however, claimed "Joe," the only other man to really mean anything to "Viki." Even more tragic, "Joe" never saw the son who now bears his name.


Raising two children alone won't be easy for “Viki,” but Erika has the support of her husband, Brian, on which to rely. They even want to have a second child!


It seemed as if The Banner's new editor, "Clint Buchanan," might not only take "Joe's" place at his desk but also win a special niche in "Viki's" heart. But he doesn't seem to be "Mr. Right" these days.

"Viki" now faces the tough task of making it on her own. She keeps busy at the paper and being both mother and father to "Joe Jr.," but all the work in the world can't fill that void, that aching loneliness she feels in her heart.

Her standard in men is high. Will "Viki" ever be able to find a man to match "Joe," the great love of her life?

On the other side of the camera, Erika Slezak ("Viki") doesn't know from loneliness, not with a handsome hubby, actor Brian Davies, and a baby son, Michael, awaiting her arrival home from the TV studio.

Raised in Hollywood and New York, the daughter of famed stage/film character actor Walter Slezak caught the acting bug early. She remembers: "When I was about 14, I told my father I wanted to be an actress. He said to me: 'It's all very well to have a famous last name, but between 8 P.M. and 11, you're on your own."

This intelligent blonde thought that made sense, and in her determined way, went about making it in the theater on her own. Finishing high school, Erika was one of two Americans (chosen from 500 applicants) to be accepted by London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Later, she began her professional career playing a wide variety of roles at the Milwaukee Repertory Company.

Erika entered into a youthful marriage. "We were very happy, but we simply had different goals in life. He was perfectly content in Milwaukee. My ambition was to get into the theater in New York." Divorced and on her own again, Erika finally arrived in the Big Apple and won the role of OLTL's "Viki," the third actress to play the part. Making it alone has paid off!

 
 
Biography | Library | Emmys | OLTL's Viki | Official Fan Club | About site
Copyright 2002 ESFC    Home    -   Email