Daytime Emmy Nominees and Winners

1983

  • Leslie Charleson

  • Susan Lucci

  • *Dorothy Lyman

  • Erika Slezak

  • Robin Strasser

1984

  • Ann Flood

  • Sharon Gabet

  • Deidre Hall

  • Susan Lucci

  • *Erika Slezak

1986

  • Elizabeth Hubbard

  • Susan Lucci

  • Peggy McCay

  • *Erika Slezak

  • Kim Zimmer

1995

  • Leslie Charleson

  • Marj Dusay

  • Maeve Kinkead

  • Susan Lucci

  • *Erika Slezak

1988

  • *Helen Gallagher

  • Elizabeth Hubbard

  • Susan Lucci

  • Erika Slezak

  • Marcy Walker

1992

  • Jeanne Cooper

  • Elizabeth Hubbard

  • Susan Lucci

  • *Erika Slezak

  • Jessica Tuck

1996

  • Linda Dano

  • Jensen Buchanan

  • Susan Lucci

  • *Erika Slezak

  • Jess Walton

2005

  • Martha Byrne

  • Kassie DePaiva

  • Susan Flannery

  • Nancy Lee Grahn

  • Juliet Mills

  • *Erika Slezak

  • Michelle Stafford

  • Kim Zimmer

Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress

1984

Erika's Acceptance Speech 1984:

"Oh! Ladies and Gentlemen - I am so honored. I really am. I thank you all - all of you. My husband asked me not to make a boring speech, but I'm going to make a little one.

When I joined OLTL fourteen years ago, I had never acted in front of television camera before. And so there are several people that I really want to thank. Oh - who had such faith in me at the beginning and all through the years. In order of appearance I'd like to thank Joan D'Inececco - it started with her. And Doris Quinlan, who hired me. And David Pressman, who sort of taught me all about acting on television. I want to thank Agnes Nixon, who wrote this wonderful (Applause) yes, thank you Aggie - who wrote this very wonderful lady that I get to play.

I would like to express my appreciation to the ladies of ABC who - Jackie Smith and Jose Emerick for their very constant support (Applause). And to Jean Arley, who is one hell of a dame (Applause).

Most important - everyone who works on daytime television knows that this is not an award you can win alone. I want to thank everybody that I work with - the directors, Peter and Larry and George and Alan all of them. And all the other actors - all the various people who have been on that show for so long.

And finally - oh, my heart is pounding - my husband asked me not to thank him, but I'm going to (Erika laughs - Applause, Applause). He is - he is so very important to me, and I want to thank him and my children for making it so easy and pleasant and nice for me to go to work and making it so wonderful for when I come home.

Thank you, thank you so much."

1986

Erika's Acceptance Speech 1986:

"I am so honored and so proud. I want to thank the Academy and the Blue Ribbon Panel; and I want to say a very, very special thank you to Mr. Paul Rauch, who is the producer of One Life to Live, who gave me a marvelous story for the last year and a half, and who has turned One Life to Live into one of the best shows on daytime.

I'm so proud to be associated with this show. I really am. I want to thank everyone associated with this show because they all together make it what it is.

Thank you to our writers for their wonderful work, and our directors because without them we're absolutely lost. They are wonderful and creative and ingenious and they're marvelous.

And, of course, most importantly, are my fellow actors. Without them I would not be here.

And I want to thank my husband, Brian, and my sweet children, Michael, and Amanda, because they take such good care of me.

Thank you."

1992

Erika's Acceptance Speech 1992:

"Thank you so very much. My god, I'm so proud. Thank you to the Academy and the Blue Ribbon Panel and to all of you who gave me your good wishes. I want to thank my Mother and my Father who taught me to love and respect the art of acting. And I want to thank my real family, my husband, Brian and my children, Michael and Amanda who are here with me tonight.

And I am extraordinarily proud to have been with One Life to Live for twenty-one years. I don't really know of another actress who's had that kind of opportunity. Who has had the opportunity to act as I have for twenty-one years, almost every day.

I want to thank all the people who have afforded me that opportunity starting with Agnes Nixon, Joan D'Incecco, and Doris Quinlan, straight through to Paul Rauch and to Linda Gottlieb.

I want to thank our writers, headed by Michael Malone, for wonderful work. Our marvelous directors, our whole crew, and everyone at the show. I am truly, truly proud to be associated with them.

Thank You!"

Press quote:

"I truly did not expect to win, and I didn't really have a prepared speech, as I'm sure you all saw. I wanted to thank Jessie [fellow nominee Jessica Tuck, who played Megan] because working with her made my work so much easier. She is a glorious, sensitive, wonderful actress, and she did beautfully. It was hard not to be upset. And Susan [Lucci, Erica, AMC] is a wonderful actress. They are all wonderful. It's extraordinary company to be in."

1995

Erika's Acceptance Speech 1995:

"Oh my goodness. I would like first to salute the other nominees. What extraordinary performances, all of them. In order, to be brief, I would like to thank first of all a very classy network ABC all the way down starting with David Westin, Pat Filli-Kushell, Maxine Levinson, our Producer Susan Horgan, Michael Malone and the writers and directors.

I just got a notice to take my time. Is that nice or what? (Laughter)

Our directors are extraordinary. We are all involved in Daytime here and we know what it takes to put a show together and it's a real combined effort and I can't begin to thank everyone enough.

My family - my wonderful family - thank you Brian, Michael and Amanda. And I will be brief...I could go back and name everybody again (laughter). But first I want to name three actors in particular who whom I have shared most of my screen time, certainly in the last few years. Roy Thinnes, Clint Ritchie and my very great pal, the wonderful and fabulous Robin Strasser. Thank you so much."

1996

Erika's Acceptance Speech 1996:

"Thank you so much. I would like to say how proud I am to be included in the company of such extraordinary nominees. Really, they are wonderful actresses.

Time is short. I would like to thank the Academy and the Blue Ribbon Panel. And I would like to thank everyone at ABC for being so supportive and for daring to do a very difficult story. We told a very sad story about child abuse and the dreadful consequences there of. They were very brave and wonderful to tell the story.

Thanks to David Westin and Pat Filli-Kushell, to Maxine Levinson and Valerie Sure. Susan Horgan, Michael Malone and his wonderful team of writers.

Our extraordinary directors, without whom I would not be here. They did so much.

Thank you to an extraordinary cast and crew, in particular, thank you Robin Strasser and Maureen Anderman.

And as always, thank to my wonderful, extraordinary family. I love you all so much.

Thank you!"

2005

Erika's Acceptance Speech 2005:

“Oh my dear, I am so thrilled and humbled.  I want to start by saying I salute the seven other ladies in this category.  They are the greatest Dames on earth! (applause)

We all had lunch together yesterday.  We spent four and a half hours laughing.  I thought they were going to throw us out of the restaurant!  We had such a grand time!  I love you all so much, thank you!

Oh my goodness!  Thank you to ABC, and Brian Frons, and all of the executives there – for letting me keep my job, it’s the best job in the world!  Oh my goodness, thank you to everyone at One Life to Live. (applause) Thank you – to our Executive Producer, Frank Valentini, to our writers – our current writer, Dena Higley – a big thank you to Michael Malone and Josh Griffith who wrote the heart transplant story.

Thank you to our Directors, our Producers, everyone there – the crew and the cast.  In particular, my Robin Strasser, and my lovely children on the show – Bree Williamson, Melissa Archer, and Dan Gauthier – I would not be up here without you.

And thanks to our hair and makeup – and everybody.

I want to say a special thank you to two people who have been important in my work over the last years – and they are Jill Farren Phelps and Gary Tomlin.  I have such admiration for your talent and your intelligence.  And I was so pleased and privileged to work for you.

And I thank my family – you are my heart.  Brian, Michael and Amanda – I am nothing without you.

Thank you to the Academy and the Blue Ribbon Panel.  Thank you!