Husbands
The husbands of Victoria Lord Gordon Riley Burke Riley Buchanan Buchanan Carpenter Davidson Banks
Roger Gordon (pre-1968) annulled
Joe Riley (1969-1970) marriage dissolved as Viki had declared Joe legally dead
Steve Burke (1972-1974) divorced
Joe Riley (1974-1979) second marriage, deceased
Clint Buchanan (1982-1985) divorced
Clint Buchanan (1986-1994) second marriage, divorced
Sloan Carpenter (1994-1995) deceased
Ben Davidson (2000-2004) deceased
Charlie Banks (2009-2011) divorced
Steve Burke
Steve Burke was played by Bernard Grant 1970 - 1975.
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After years of turmoil in which Viki Lord was torn between her duty to her father and her love for headstrong Joe Riley, Viki finally chose her heart and married her love. Shortly afterwards, however, Joe was presumed dead in a car crash and in her grief, Viki poured herself into her work at her father's paper, THE BANNER.
It was there that Viki met conservative, stable newspaper executive Steve Burke. Their constant bickering and fighting only hid what Viki feared all along - that she was falling in love with him. Finally knocking down her defenses, Steve convinced Viki of his love for her and they were married.
Little did Steve and Viki know that Joe Riley was not dead after all.
Suffering from amnesia, Joe had no idea that his wife was now Mrs. Steve Burke until he collapsed from an aneurysm and had an operation. Torn between the two men, Viki elected to remain with Steve, feeling he needed her more than Joe. Besides, her father approved of Steve and had never like Joe. But seeing Joe at the paper everyday didn't help her marriage any, and had an unnerving effect on Steve. After much soul-searching, Viki finally realized that it was Joe she wanted to be with, and asked Steve for a divorce. He left town shortly afterwards.
Joe Riley
Joe Riley was played by Lee Patterson from the beginning of OLTL in 1968 to 1970; 1972 to 1979 and briefly in 1987.
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No Ordinary Joe: Although Victor disapproved of Joe Riley as a suitor for his treasured daughter, Viki's love for the reporter led to true romance, two marriages and the birth of two sons."
Victoria Lord was born into wealth as the daughter of Banner newspaper publisher Victor Lord and his wife Eugenia Randolph Lord. They lived at Llanfair, the sprawling eighteenth century manor house, home of the Lord family. Victor Lord widowed when Victoria and her younger sister Meredith were quite young, was left to raise his two daughters alone. Not having the son he wanted to pass his newspaper empire on to, Victor settled on grooming and training his eldest daughter Viki to eventually take the reigns of the Banner Newspaper.
Victor Lord, guided, molded and nurtured his impressionable young daughter Viki into all that it took to be a good business and newspaper woman, all the while instilling in her a great love for publishing. Always eager to please her demanding father, whom she loved above all else, Viki became outwardly the strong young successful business woman that her father longed for. But inwardly young Viki was not as successful in handling her own personal life and emotions. Trying to live up to the impossibly high standards of the Lord name that her father placed on her, took it's toll on Viki's mental health.
When Victoria Lord met Joe Riley, the tough-as-nails reporter from the wrong side of town, sparks flew. Joe was working as her father's Star reporter at the Banner, and Viki was instantly attracted to him. Joe and Viki clashed quite often as they worked side by side on the Banner newspaper, but Viki was all the while falling in love with Joe, who she knew would not be approved of by her strict father. True to his nature, Victor Lord did everything in his power to separate his daughter from what he considered was someone not good enough for her, but instead a cad.
Torn between loving the ruggedly handsome, charming Joe, and pressure of pleasing her demanding father Victor, caused Viki's fragile Psyche to spit. In the fall of 1968, Viki developed an alter-ego, the brash and flirtatious Niki Smith, who began appearing nightly at Ernie's, a seedy waterfront bar. The normally reserved quiet Viki unknown to herself would don a flashy wig, apply flamboyant make up and become her flashy alter ego Niki. Vinny Woleck, a local garage mechanic, and Joe Riley's best friend met and fell madly in love with the sexy Niki, and his heart was broken when later he learned that Niki did not really exist.
Upon learning of her alter ego Niki, Viki took steps to seek help. With the support of her friends and family she sought treatment under the care of Dr. Marcus Polk, the Chief of Psychiatry at Llanview Hospital. As Viki felt herself getting better, she went ahead with her plans to marry Joe Riley in June of 1969. Much to the shock and dismay of Joe and their wedding guests, Niki Smith suddenly made an appearance in the middle of the ceremony and fled the church with a thrilled Vinny Wolek. Once away, Vinny pressed Niki to marry him. Niki panicked and fled back into Viki who quickly reappeared. Returning to Dr. Polk's care he helped Viki to recall the moment when her alter ego first emerged. Viki remembered seeing an argument between her parents. A very angry Victor was confronting his wife Eugenia with suspicions that her unborn child was not his. In the issuing struggle, Eugenia lost her balance and fell down the stairs. To the young child Victoria it appeared that her father had pushed her mother down the stairs. Shortly there after Eugenia gave birth to Viki's little sister Meredith and then died. Niki seemed to vanish with this revelation and Joe and Viki were married soon after.
In 1970 Joe Riley was promoted to editor-in-chief of the Banner, and began a series of investigative articles on the drug problem which also involved underground crime, that was happening in Llanview. Knowing that exposing the people behind the drug problem could be dangerous to Joe, Viki worried about his safety. Joe's friend Vinny unwittingly had gotten mixed up in a drug related murder, and Joe set out to prove his good friend Vinny's innocence. While in California investigating, Joe's car went over a cliff and even though his body was not found, Joe Riley was presumed dead.
Steve Burke was brought in by Victor Lord to take over the editorship of the Banner. Victor schemed to throw Steve and Viki together thinking that Steve was more of the kind of man that he had envisioned for his daughter. A devastated Viki after many months finally did seek comfort at the loss of her beloved Joe in Steve when she began returning his feelings. Soon they planned to wed, much to the dismay and shock of Joe's friends and family. After signing the papers declaring Joseph Riley legally dead Viki went ahead with her plans to marry Steve Burke.
Unknown to Viki, she had a rival for her new husband Steve's affection in the form of a jealous secretary named Marcy Wade. Marcy was obsessed with Steve and at failing to win Steve away from Viki set out on a scheme to drive them apart and Viki insane by donning a red wig and pretending to be Niki Smith. However her plan backfired when Viki's concerns at becoming Niki again actually brought she and Steve even closer together. Marcy growing more psychotic planned to kill Vince Wolek and blame Niki Smith. Steve who had caught on to what Marcy was up to confronted Marcy who pulled a gun on him and in the struggle, it went off, killing Marcy. Steve was indicted for Marcy's murder. Lt. Ed Hall of Llanview's police department developed his own theory that Steve and Marcy were having an affair behind Viki's back, and when she planned to blow the whistle on him, Steve killed her. A vagrant had grabbed Marcy's purse during the struggle for the gun and ran with it. Inside was the only incriminating evidence to clear Steve, a note saying that Niki Smith planned to kill Vince Wolek. A mysterious unshaven man had read accounts about the murder and finding the purse and note in the belongings of one of his vagrant friends, he knew he held the key to exonerate Steve Burke of Marcy Wade's murder. This man was Joe Riley.
Joe suffering from a potentially deadly brain aneurysm, found his way into the Llanview diner of Wanda Webb and collapsed. Wanda took pity on the handsome stranger and set out to nurse him back to health, falling in love with Joe while doing so. Thinking that he was going to die, Joe did not want Viki and his family to know he was still alive, but he wanted to get the proof of Steve's innocence of Marcy's murder to someone who could use it. With Wanda's help he sent the purse and note to Dave Siegal, Steve's lawyer. It was what was needed to gain Steve's acquittal.
With Steve cleared at last, the wedding date was set and a very weak Joe hid in the bushes outside of Llanfair and watched as his beloved Viki married Steve Burke and left with him on their honeymoon, then he collapsed. Joe was found and the news of his being alive was greeted with delight by Joe's family. Viki and Steve heard the startling news of Joe's return when they returned from their honeymoon. Viki fainted at the news, then raced to Llanview Hospital to see Joe. The reunion was bittersweet as they lovingly gazed at each other again. Joe took a step towards Viki, and collapsed at her feet. Only a very delicate brain operation saved his life. Seeing his beloved Viki again is what Joe needed to regain his will to live. Now Viki was faced with the agonizing choice of which man would she choose.
Even though Viki was now married to two men, she felt that her duty was with Steve now, all the while admitting that she was in love with both men. That made it all the harder, as Viki was again thrown into contact with Joe, who was once again back at work at the Banner, for Viki to hold to her vows to Steve. While away on an assignment with Joe, their chemistry came back stronger than ever, and Viki and Joe ended up making love. A reunion seemed possible to Joe, but in the morning Viki told him that she still could not leave Steve. Joe and Viki argued and Viki fled in tears, later having an accident that left her comatose for months. Even upon her recovery Viki still returned to Steve, leaving a very dejected Joe to cope on his own. Joe turned to a young writer by the name of Cathy Craig for comfort although still in love with Viki.
It wasn't until the sad tragedy of her sister Meredith's death that finally made Viki realize just how very precious true love can be. Viki asked Steve for a separation, he agreed, and at long last, Joe and Viki could be together.
Viki left for the Caribbean to seek a divorce from Steve, and when she returned, she was shocked to learn that Cathy Craig was carrying Joe’s baby. Joe being an honorable man asked Cathy to be his wife. Cathy refused Joe’s offer of marriage preferring to raise her child on her own. With this hanging over their heads, Viki and Joe had a quiet private wedding ceremony at a small Catholic Church in New York.
As time went by, Cathy Craig gave birth to a baby girl she named Megan. The baby suffered from the same congenital heart defect that her father Joe Riley had. Baby Megan underwent a surgical procedure meant to correct the heart defect, but it was unsuccessful. Joe and Cathy were still not told that the baby would not live past adolescence by Dr Larry Wolek. This was because Viki had pleaded with Larry not to tell Joe as she was afraid that Joe would never allow her to have children with him, fearing the same fate for their own future children. Larry a good friend to both Viki and Joe, and understanding her dilemma, had kept silent.
In 1975 Viki earned the wrath of Dr. Dorian Cramer when the hospital board revoked Dorian's license after an incident of negligence caused the death of a patient. From that moment, Dorian lost all hope of ever practicing medicine again at Llanview Hospital and she blamed Viki, the only board member who had actually voted to retain Dorian!
During this same time Joe started neglecting his relationship with Viki to spend long hours with Cathy and his very sick daughter Megan. Cathy was suffering depression, mood swings and deep anxiety as baby Megan's health continued to worsen. One night while Viki was watching over Megan, the baby had an attack of severe respiratory infection and stopped breathing. While desperately trying to get Megan to the Llanview hospital during a heavy storm, Viki was involved in a tragic car accident, baby Megan was killed and Viki's injuries put her into a deep coma. Joe was devastated at the news of his daughter's death. When Viki awoke from her coma months later, she was overridden with guilt blaming herself for Megan’s death, as was Cathy Craig who never forgave her. Cathy's mental state quickly deteriorated. Cathy, convinced that Megan's death was not an accident, vowed revenge on Viki.
Viki soon learned after coming out of her coma that she was pregnant with Joe’s baby. This should have been happy news was overshadowed by what Viki knew were the risks in having this baby, that the baby could also have the same genetic heart condition as Megan. Viki made the decision to have her baby anyway saying nothing to Joe about the possible risks.
Viki’s father's health began to fail due to heart problems and Dorian Cramer was hired to work as the private physician for him. Viki resented Dorian's presence, but Victor sincerely cared for his new doctor, and very soon after Dorian took up her duties, he shocked everyone by revealing the incredible news that he had made Dorian his wife! Dorian was thrilled that her plan had worked to become the new Lady of Llanfair. She was really much more interested in the Lord fortune than being Victor’s wife. She quickly set about to get Victor to change his will in her favor.
A mysterious man named Tony Harris showed up in Llanview with his exotic Asian lover, Michiko. Tony had come to Llanview bearing photos of the Lord family, and although it wasn't revealed at first, the handsome young man was Victor's long-lost son! Eventually, Tony and Victor shared an emotional reunion, which only made Dorian resentful. She successfully schemed to turn the two men into bitter enemies. Thanks to Dorian's evil machinations, Victor and Tony were at each other's throats!
The because of the stress of his dealing with Tony, Victor had suffered a stroke that left him unable to speak or change his will back after he discovered Dorian’s treachery. Dorian kept Viki away from her father as much as possible so she could not help him. A second stroke put Victor in the hospital where he died one night after Dorian willingly failed to give him the medicine that he desperately needed to prolong his life. For the next twenty years rumors flew that Dorian had murdered her husband, and no one believed it more than his daughter Victoria Lord Riley.
Llanview was rocked by the shocking news that Dorian rather than Viki had be named as the executor of Victor’s estate in his will. Dorian took great pleasure over this humiliating blow to Viki. Dorian then set her sights on Viki’s beloved husband Joe. Since Dorian’s plans to blackmail Viki with the threat to tell Joe about his genetic condition and it’s meaning for their baby had failed, she decided to “accidentally” tell Joe about it. This revelation left Joe completely devastated just as Dorian had planned. Joe was very angry at Viki for keeping this important fact from him. Their marriage took a very severe blow and Joe walked out. Eventually they reconciled to await the birth of their child, much to Dorian’s dismay.
Viki gave birth to their firstborn son Kevin, and Joe was overjoyed at having a son. All to soon his joy turned into sheer panic as the newborn Kevin was kidnapped from Llanview Hospital. The emotionally unbalanced Cathy Craig antasizing that the baby was her own baby had taken baby Kevin. It was many horrifying weeks for the new parents Viki and Joe before their son Kevin was found and returned to them after Cathy had been caught and hospitalized.
Erika Talks about Viki Riley: "I've always liked Viki. She is just what I was like five years ago and she's changed with me. In the past, she wouldn't have lived in the carriage house. Also, now she can wear dungarees instead of Chanel suits. I understand her. Her relationship with her father is just like mine. My father and I have always been close so that's why I was upset that my stage father was dying on the show. I'm lost without him."
Soon after the joyous return of Kevin, Joe started have searing pain in his head. Thinking that he perhaps had a brain tumor he followed Dorian’s advice to keep it secret from Viki so as to not upset her. Dorian’s motive was not to spare Viki distress, but to use it to break up Viki and Joe’s marriage. After drinking heavily one night to help the pain, Joe ended up spending the night at Dorian’s which she made sure that Viki found out. This of course upset Viki greatly, but Viki and Joe’s love for one another was very strong, and they worked through their problems. Joe eventually underwent surgery for the tumor which turned out to be benign.
Viki's childhood friend Irene Clayton returned to Llanview to tell Viki that she was dying. Irene had a beautiful young sixteen year old daughter named Tina. Irene wanted Viki to take care of Tina after she died. Viki reluctantly took on the challenge of raising a teenage girl.
In 1978 Marco Dane came to Llanview. Finding his former lover Karen married to Llanview Hospital’s Larry Woleck, and also having secret afternoon rendezvouses with other men on the side for the expensive gifts they gave her, Marco turn this information into blackmail to get Karen to work for him as a prostitute. Karen afraid that her husband Larry would find out about her prostitution, broke down and told Viki that she was a hooker and being forced by Marco to stay in the life. Viki believed that Karen was sincere in wanting to quit, and confronted Marco Dane and threatened to ruin him if he didn't leave Karen alone. Marco gave in to Viki's threats for the time being, but vowed to somehow get even with her someday. It wasn’t long before he had found the way to get back at Viki, through her new goddaughter, Tina.
Marco opened what he claimed was a modeling agency with himself acting as the photographer. It wasn’t long before he ran across Viki’s beautiful and innocent young goddaughter Tina Clayton. Marco talked her into taking some photos of her, then he superimposed another girl’s naked body to them to make it appear as if Tina had posed in the nude. Marco took these phony pictures to Viki and threatened to release them to the public if she did not pay his blackmail demands.
Not wanting to give in to Marco's blackmailing attempts, but afraid not to, Viki went to his studio to pay him off for the doctored photos, but instead was shocked to find his dead body. Viki found the pornographic photos of Tina and left. She was even more shocked later to learn that she was being indicted for Marco's murder and put on trial. Knowing of Karen's awful secret, Viki pleaded with her to tell Larry the truth. But Karen couldn't bring herself to do it, she could not bear to hurt her husband Larry, and begged Viki to keep her secret.
Viki was put on trial and went through months of agonizing court proceedings. Viki had kept her promise to Karen and not revealed her secret. When Karen was put on the stand and harshly questioned by district attorney Herb Callison, she broke down and revealed all the shocking truth about her secret life as a hooker for Marco Dane. Karen revealed also who the real killer was. It turned out to be one of Karen’s “johns” a man named Talbot Huddleston, who was also being blackmailed by Marco for killing Brian Kendall in an accidental hit and run. Tired of being blackmailed, Talbot killed Marco off.
Joe and Viki were delighted to learn that Viki was expecting their second child, but the happiness was short lived when Joe began suffering from a recurrence of his brain tumor. This time it was not benign, and he only had a few short weeks to live. Joe treated Viki to a wonderful but bittersweet wedding anniversary, then he began setting his affairs in order. With little time left he sent for the editor of a small but prestigious newspaper in Arizona to come and take over as his hand picked successor, as the editor of the Banner Newspaper. That man was Clint Buchanan. Shortly before his illness took him Joe told Viki the truth that he was dying. Joe pleaded with Viki to move on with her life, and he left his beautiful young pregnant wife in the hands of Clint to help her through.
Viki gave birth to Joe’s son shortly after his death. She named him Joey after his dad. With Clint Buchanan’s help, Viki then threw all her energies into saving the Banner from a hostile takeover attempt by her arch-rival, Dorian Lord.
Soap Opera Weekly's 100 Most Memorable Moments,
September 30, 1997#98-Joe Riley Dies
Victoria Lord and Joe Riley were reporters at the Banner, competing with each other for stories, all the while falling in love. They eventually married, and Viki was happier than she had ever been. They overcame many obstacles (including his amnesia and a brain aneurysm, and her multiple personalities), but nothing could be done when Joe learned he was dying of a brain tumor while Viki was pregnant with their second child. With great dignity, Joe settled his affairs – he and Viki were by now at the helm of the paper – which included bringing Clint Buchanan from Arizona to take over for him at the Banner (and planting the seeds for what would later turn into a relationship between Clint and Viki). After Joe died, Viki gave birth to a son, whom she named for his father.
Erika about Lee Patterson: "I learned so much from that man, just by listening to him. And an awful lot about how to conduct yourself in a studio, the kind of decorum that's required here in order to get through day by day. Lee was the one who said to me, 'You check your problems at the door, you come in, you do your work, you pick them up on the way out.' I also learned a lot from him on screen technique, finding your light - not shadowing people - and finding your camera. Lee is very savvy. And as dear as he can be."
Clint Buchanan
Clint Buchanan was played by Clint Ritchie (1979-1998, 1999, 2003, 2004) and Jerry verDorn (2005-2012).
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By: Tina
Knowing that he was dying from an inoperable brain tumor, Joe Riley brought Clint Buchanan, an editor from a newspaper in Arizona to take his place at the Banner. Upon Joe's death, Viki poured herself into her work at the Banner and by fending off the takeover attempts of her arch rival, Dorian Lord.
The relationship between Viki and Clint was tumulus at best. During their long hours of working together at the Banner, Clint took more then a passing interest in Viki. It was during this time that Ted Clayton came to town and decided to control Viki's emotions and her fortune. When Ted earned that Clint was about to propose marriage to Viki, he masterminded a plan to kidnap Tina and demand ransom for her safe return. After the crisis had passed, Ted proposed to Viki. She wanted time to consider his offer.
Things began to heat up between Viki and Clint when they attended a publishers conference in New York City. After sharing long walks and candlelight dinners, Viki realized that she was in love with Clint and resolved to break things off with Ted Clayton as soon as she returned home.
Ted was not pleased to find out that Viki was in love with Clint and stepped up his plans to control her. He gave her mind-altering drugs that caused her to doubt her relationship with Clint. Once Clint figured out what was happening to Viki, he took her up to her mountain cabin where Ted Clayton poisoned him. Clint was given an antidote by the doctors at Llanview Hospital and Ted Clayton was arrested.
Things still didn't flow smoothly between Viki and Clint and he resigned from the Banner and went to work at the rival newspaper the Chronicle and thus the newspaper wars began.
Viki went before the grand jury and refused to name her source and was sent to jail. The pair became close again as Clint worked hours upon hours to get her released from jail. Clint proposed to Viki while she was still in jail and she finally said yes and the two were married at Llanfair.
The Countess Echo DiSavoy, a world famous photographer breezed through town set on destroying Clint. Even though Clint was in love with Viki, he was drawn to Echo and eventually the two made love. Echo wanted revenge on Clint because she held him responsible for her mother's death. Echo faked her own death by luring Clint out to a bridge and the two got into a bitter argument and Echo jumped off the bridge. Dorian witnessed the entire ordeal and declared that Clint had pushed Echo off the bridge. Viki and Marco Dane tracked down the very much alive Echo. She confessed her deception under oath and Clint was cleared off all murder charges. Echo and her brother Giles left town and Viki and Clint tried to save their battered marriage.
Viki and Clint able to repair the damage to their marriage and were happy until Niki Smith came along. Viki was suspicious when Tina Clayton returned to town. Tina had uncovered documents that showed that she was Viki's half sister by Viki's father and her best friend Irene Manning. Viki could not handle this and reverted back into her alter ego Nicole Smith, who wanted nothing to do with Clint. Niki pretending to be Viki filed for divorce from Clint. He eventually became aware that his wife was not really Viki but indeed Niki. Clint desperately tried to persuade Niki Smith to let Viki come back. When he realized that she was at the Waterside Inn, he knew that the time was now or never to bring Viki back. Knowing that Viki had briefly reemerged when Niki found him in bed with Tina, Clint decided to duplicate the plan. Hoping that the shock of seeing him with Tina would bring Viki back out. The plan worked and Viki reemerged and Clint and Viki were reunited.
Clint asked Viki to marry him again and she happily agreed. Just before they became husband and wife for the second time, she informed him that she was pregnant. Clint was ecstatic and the happy couple were married at Asa's mansion.
Viki and Clint shared the birth of their daughter Jessica, but disaster soon struck the couple. Jessica was kidnapped right from the crib. Viki was devastated to find that another one of her children had been kidnapped. Before his death Mitch Lawrence had planted a posthypnotic suggestion in the brain of one of his faithful followers Allison Perkins. From the grave he instructed Allison to kidnap baby Jessica and make it look like Niki Smith had done the deed. Maria found out that Allison was the culprit behind the kidnapping and manipulated the situation so that Clint would believe that Niki Smith had returned and she had kidnapped Jessica. By the time that Allison returned Jessica to her parents, Viki and Clint's marriage was in trouble. Viki was angry that Clint believed that Niki would abduct her baby and this caused a rift between them and they broke up. Thus ending their second marriage.
Viki and Clint's marriage continued to crumble and another blow was dealt when Viki witnessed a fight between Clint and Tom Dennison, the identical twin of her late husband, Joe Riley. When she awoke, Viki discovered that she had no memory of the previous eight years. She had wiped out her entire history with Clint. She thought that Tom was her late husband Joe.
Viki and Clint were heading for a divorce and the judge refused to grant the divorce as long as Viki had no memory of her relationship with Clint. At the urging of Tom, she had some tests ran. The tests revealed that Viki had a brain aneurysm which required immediate surgery. During the surgery Viki 'died' and went on a journey to heaven with the guide of her guardian angel, Virgil. She met up with her dearly departed family and friends, including Joe Riley. Joe urged her to return to earth and reunite with Clint. After facing her demons, Viki recovered and returned to reunite with her estranged husband.
Viki and her half sister Tina were kidnapped by Jamie Sanders and Clint was shot in the head while trying to rescue them. He was left blind and bitter. Viki had a hard time getting him to come to terms with his blindness and eventually the family moved out their ranch in Arizona where Viki hoped that Clint would be happier. One day while out riding Oakie, who had been tampered with by Maria's brother, and thus turning the normally docile horse violent. Oakie threw Clint, who hit his head on a rock and was knocked unconscious.
When Clint woke up he discovered that his vision had returned but that he was trapped 100 years in the past. He stumbled into Buchanan City. Clint met up with his ancestors and met Viki's great grandmother, Ginny Fletcher. Clint tried desperately to return to the present and to Viki, but nothing worked. Resigned to the fact that he was stuck in the past, he began to have feelings for Ginny.
Viki was devastated when Clint 'died' and refused to believe that he was really gone. With the help of a clairvoyant Indian, Clear Eyes, Viki was hurled into the past where she walked into Clint marrying Ginny. Viki and Clint were happily reunited, but were trapped in the past until they could reunite Viki's great grandparents. Ginny Fletcher and Randolph Lord were finally reunited and that left Viki and Clint free to return to the present.
After renewing her vows with Clint, Viki looked forward to her high school's 25th reunion. Her good friend Larry Wolek encouraged her to not attend the reunion, but Viki did so anyway. She found out, much to her no idea what had happened because she had no memory of this time. Her father had arranged for a hypnotist to erase her memory and implement false memories.
Viki and Clint's marriage began to crumble as she began her search for her long lost daughter. During this time Roger Gordon came to town and caused even more problems between Viki and Clint. Viki eventually uncovered that the baby's father was Roger Gordon and that her daughter was Megan Gordon. Viki and Roger were trapped in the underground city of Eterna where the old feelings between them resurfaced. After being rescued, Viki and Megan began to mend their fences and grew to respect and eventually love each other.
Viki ran and won the position as mayor of Llanview. Viki and Clint began to repair their broken relationship and faced immediate danger from Carlo Hessor, whom she had plastered all over the Banner as the local drug boss. During a fundraiser, Viki was shot by corrupt Police Commissioner Harding. After recovering from the gunshot wound, she suffered a stroke that left her speechless and paralyzed. With her usual grace and dignity and with some help from her family and Clint, Viki fought and eventually recovered from the stroke.
Viki was devasted when Megan became critically ill from her lupus and slowly began to lose the battle to live. Viki fought very hard to keep Megan alive by telling her stories about how she met Clint and other stories from her past. Unfortunately Megan died in the arms of her husband, Jake.
Viki was inconsolable as she dealt with her daughters death and began to distance herself from Clint. The couple continued to drift farther and farther apart. Despite several attempts to reconcile, the damage to their relationship was unrepairable and the two divorced for the final time.
Roger Gordon
Roger Gordon was played by actor Larry Pine from 1988 through 1992.
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By: Nanci L.
Viki Buchanan made plans to attend her high school's 25 year reunion. Her good friend and ex-brother-in-law Larry Wolek strangely made every effort to discourage her from attending. Stranger yet to Viki was that when she did attend, she found that none of her friends remembered her being at graduation, but instead that she had mysteriously left school during the middle of her senior year. Viki then began to have flashbacks of herself as a young woman holding a baby girl, and being in love and kissing a young man. These visions troubled her greatly and Viki became convinced that they were real memories. She set out to find her missing daughter.
A con man, Leo Cromwell, learning of Viki's search contacted her and told her that his own daughter Christine was Viki's lost daughter. He told her that they had had a brief affair while she was using the alter ego of Niki Smith. Viki eager to find this missing daughter believed his story and accepted his story, that his daughter as her own. For weeks Viki believed that Christine was her daughter, never realizing that it was a scam for Leo to get some of the Lord fortune for himself. The young Christine herself also believed she was Viki's daughter as she believed what her father Leo had said.
It wasn't until Sarah and Megan Gordon's father Roger Gordon came to Llanview that Viki realized that it was not Leo but Roger that she had seen in the flashback memories of the young man. He was so familiar to her that it set off a series of memories that convinced her that she was right about Roger being the father of her daughter. It also became clear that one of Roger's beautiful daughters was indeed her daughter too. But which one? Sarah the girl that she loved almost as much as a daughter already, or the feisty Megan who she had been at odds with from the day they first met?
Not understanding how her father played a part in this discovery of her daughter, Viki began looking into Victor Lord's past records, and stumbled upon documents of the existence of an underground city called Eterna. The architect hired by Victor Lord to create this city was Danton Gordon, Roger's father.
Later after becoming trapped in this underground city (see Eterna) with eight other people from Llanview, Roger told Viki the entire truth about their daughter at long last. Roger had been raised in Eterna and had escaped. When he met the young Viki Lord they had fallen in love and she soon became pregnant.
This outraged Victor Lord, so he had Viki hypnotized into becoming Niki Smith, and he had rushed Viki out of Llanview to have her baby. While Viki was giving birth, her Viki personality resurfaced briefly. Victor quickly had her hypnotized again, and pulled out the personality of Niki Smith in an effort to make her forget Roger, her pregnancy, and her daughter. A very young medical student, Larry Wolek delivered Viki's daughter, and because of the hypnosis, Viki had no memory of Roger Gordon or giving birth to her daughter. Victor had then given the baby girl to Roger who had raised her with his new wife. Viki was shocked to learn that this girl was Roger's daughter Megan, who Viki felt was just short of sworn enemies with her.
1988: In another daring plotline Viki relived her high school years.Viki learned many things about herself there,including that she had a daughter, Megan.</B></CENTER></FONT>
While trapped in Eterna, Roger and Viki's early feelings for each other resurfaced causing Viki to have an uneasy reunion when Clint led the authorities to help rescue those still trapped in the underground city. It was not easy for Viki and Megan to find common ground on which to build a relationship, but with Roger's help, they both began to mend fences and learn to love one another dearly.
Clint was jealous of Viki's new found relationship with Megan, but more so with her father Roger. The two often got into jealous fights over Viki. Roger then gave the shocking news that Viki and he had actually gotten married when they were very young. This upset Clint and he insisted that Viki get the still valid marriage quickly annulled, which she did. But even that was not enough for Clint. He gave Viki the ultimatum to either move with him to his ranch in Arizona or their marriage was over. A tearful Viki told Clint she was staying, and a dejected angry Clint left for Arizona.
"Erika is formidable and kind, with a memory like a steel trap. You feel responsible to rise to her standards. <BR>I know I work harder in scenes with her
Sloan Carpenter
Sloan Carpenter was played by Roy Thinnes from 1992 until 1995.
The bittersweet romance of General Sloan Carpenter and Victoria Lord Buchanan proved the old adage that the course of true love never runs smooth. This pair had a destiny that couldn't be denied and though fate was not always on their side, their love won out in the end. Set against a backdrop of rampant fear, prejudice and homophobia, Viki and Sloan came together during one of the most tumultuous times in Llanview history. But despite the times and despite everything that seemed to stand in their way, Viki and Sloan were still able to find a deep and lasting love in each other.
Their path together started when Sloan Carpenter came to Llanview to see his son Andrew Carpenter. Andrew was the Reverend for St. James Church, where Viki Buchanan was a parishioner and a member of the church vestry.
The retired Army General was a handsome but taciturn man, disciplined by years as an officer in the Army. He had rigid ideals and demanded perfection from himself and others, especially his family. He was a widower who had not only given up on love, but also on life. He'd been diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, and was only in Llanview to make peace with his surviving son, Andrew. He had refused further treatment because he thought he had nothing to live for.
Sloan had spent the years following his son William's death being eaten up with guilt over his treatment of William, whom he'd shunned when William had announced his homosexuality. Sloan couldn't come to grips with William's revelation and it shook him to his core to think that his own son was part of something that he couldn't comprehend. William later died of AIDS and Sloan was unable to get past his own fears and prejudices to be there for his son at the time of his death. Sloan had never forgiven himself for this and he almost welcomed his own death, thinking it would at least provide him with some relief from his unending and overwhelming guilt.
Sloan's attempted reconciliation with his surviving son Andrew, whom he'd estranged by his treatment of William, led him to meet Viki. She was at St. James talking to Andrew, and Sloan was immediately impressed with her elegance, beauty and warmth. He told Andrew that here was a woman who surpassed even his impeccable standards and high ideals.
Beginning with their first chance meeting, Viki and Sloan ignited long buried feelings and desires in each other. They responded to each other in a way they had with no one else and their seemingly reserved exteriors belied the passionate and sensual lovers they would soon become.
Viki saw similarities to the idealized version she had of her father in Sloan. Both men had regal bearings and patrician backgrounds, but only Sloan was a true and honorable gentleman. Viki erroneously thought that her father possessed these qualities too, but she would soon find out the truth about Victor Lord. As luck would have it, Sloan would be the one to unwittingly lead her to that awful revelation, when he began to write a biography of Victor.
Sloan knew of Victor's "sterling" reputation and "untarnished" image and thought that he would make a great subject for a book. Viki endorsed this idea because she, like Sloan, was under the impression that her father was a great man. Needless to say, they couldn't have been more wrong, but they wouldn't realize that until much later. Wanting to do research on Victor, Sloan began using the library at Llanfair and he and Viki got to know each other during this time. His growing attraction to Viki also changed his mind about not seeking treatment for the Hodgkin's disease and he finally decided to let Larry help him. Thanks to treatment, he eventually went into remission from the disease. At the time of Sloan's arrival, Viki had been trying to deal with her grief over her daughter Megan's tragic death from Lupus. Viki immediately understood Sloan's feelings about William and the two of them spent many hours talking about the loss of their children.
Viki's life was also complicated by the fact that her marriage to Clint Buchanan was coming apart at the seams. They had both changed a lot from when they'd first married, and though Viki had loved Clint, she had never been able to share her innermost thoughts or desires with him. She'd been sure he wouldn't understand, but with Sloan, she was sure of the opposite. Clint had always put her on a pedestal and seemed to see her as some kind of icon instead of a flesh and blood woman. This had been fine with Viki for a long time because it kept her safe and secure and most importantly, it kept her demons at bay, demons that were always there, and always threatening her "perfect" world and "perfect" image of who she was and who her father was. Little did Sloan know how much he would help shatter this image or what effect it would have on Viki's psyche.
Sloan's biography of Victor Lord, titled "Lord of the Banner," was a best seller. Viki had supported Sloan's desire to get to the truth out about Victor Lord, and in doing so, Sloan had discovered that Victor Lord was not the upstanding man he'd originally thought he was. This caused some friction between Sloan and Viki after she read the book for the first time, but she realized that Sloan was only telling the truth about her father. The only problem was that neither of them knew that this "truth" was only the tip of the iceberg and there was so much that would be eventually be uncovered about Victor's life and death.
Fate continued to throw Viki and Sloan together and their growing desire for each other was now a constant presence whenever they saw each other. Their attraction to each other became undeniable during the time that Andrew was helping Billy Douglas. Billy was a friend of Joey's and he was trying to sort out his feelings, since he'd recently realized that he was gay. Andrew's counseling of him upset the St. James congregation immensely and caused a giant rift in the community because of allegations made by Marty Saybrooke. Marty was in love with Andrew, and she had started a vicious rumor about Andrew and Billy when Andrew rejected her advances. Andrew struggled with many of the parishioner's prejudices and homophobia, including Clint Buchanan's. Sloan came to Andrew's defense and this eventually led him to be able to finally accept William's sexuality. Once he was past that hurdle, Viki helped him realize that he could forgive himself for the mistakes he'd made with William. Sloan had shown that he could change, while Clint grew more bigoted and intractable every day.
In one of the most moving events to impact Llanview, the AIDS quilt came to their town and Andrew and Sloan finally reconciled at its dramatic public ceremony. Afterwards, feeling cleansed of guilt and not being able to hide his feelings for Viki any longer, Sloan declared his deep love for Viki and they shared a wonderful, passionate kiss. This scared Viki and she pushed Sloan away, and tried to make another go of her marriage to Clint. But as much as Sloan was opening up to her and becoming the man she knew he could be, was how much Clint was shutting down to her and becoming a man she couldn't love or respect anymore. But regardless of Clint, Viki's love for Sloan became too powerful to fight any longer and she finally gave into her feelings in the Llanview Library one afternoon. "Love among the old tomes," was a pivotal point in their relationship as the former prim and proper Victoria Lord, abandoned all inhibitions and conventions and let herself openly neck with Sloan in the poetry section.
Though they wanted each other desperately, Viki still fought to save her marriage because she thought it was the "right" thing to do. Things came to a head though when Clint went to Sloan's house and viciously attacked him. Viki found them and tried to stop Clint and in the heat of the moment, he raised his hand to strike her. He stopped just in time and realized what he'd almost done, but that was too late for Viki. The thought that her husband was so hate filled and so out of control that he'd even think of hurting her was too much and she moved out of Llanfair and into the Palace Hotel. She agonized over what to do and then finally, after trying one last time to talk to Clint, did what her heart told her to, and she went to Vermont to be with Sloan.
They went to a ski lodge and had a wonderful time just being together and away from the prying eyes of Llanview. (Or so they thought.) Sloan was loving, gentle and patient with her, and Viki finally felt free enough to give into the deeply sensual and erotic feelings she had for Sloan. After sharing their hearts with each other, they made love on a dark and snowy night.
Their euphoria was short-lived however because Dorian, who was a guest at the lodge, had phoned Clint and told him that Viki had broken her leg and needed him. Feeling guilty about his cruel words to Viki before she left, Clint went to Vermont to see her. He found Viki with Sloan and he railed at her for her infidelity, despite his own involvement with Lindsay Butler. Seeing his pain, Viki let her guilt get the best of her and she and Sloan went back to Llanview to face everyone.
After a lot of soul searching and recriminations between her and Clint, Viki realized that things had gone too far and that she was too deeply in love with Sloan to ever go back to Clint, so they began divorce proceedings. Soon after this, Clint was hurt in a plane crash and had to stay in Arizona to recuperate, so Viki had to face Kevin's rape trial by herself. (Marty Saybrooke had been gang-raped by Todd and two fraternity brothers, Powell and Zach. She mistakenly thought that Kevin was involved and accused him. But Kevin was innocent.) Sloan stood by her and supported Kevin and her through this ordeal. This bonded them forever and also helped Viki's children finally accept Sloan as the man their mother truly loved.
Soon after the trial Viki and Sloan went to his beach front home in Tidewater, Maryland. One evening on the front porch, Sloan touchingly proposed to Viki while an old Victrola played music in the background. She joyfully accepted and they eagerly made plans to be married as soon as Viki's divorce was final.
Dorian Lord threw a wrench into their plans when she used Emily Haynes, a very dense and gullible student of Sloan's at Llanview University, where he subsequently became its president, as her pawn in a scheme to ruin Sloan. Dorian persuaded Emily to file bogus sexual harassment charges against Sloan and the University was forced to investigate. No one really believed this though and Dorian's part in the scam was soon exposed.
>Realizing that Dorian would never leave them alone, Viki and Sloan decided to try to get to the truth about Dorian's part Victor Lord's death. They began investigating his death with information that was touched upon in Sloan's book. Because of new evidence, Dorian was put on trial for Victor's death and was found guilty. Viki had wanted Dorian to pay for killing her father, but even she was horrified when the judge sentenced Dorian to death for the crime. After sitting on death row for a time, Dorian paid David Vickers to forge part of Irene Manning's diary in a desperate attempt to free herself from prison. The ruse worked and once free, Dorian wasted no time in trying to pay Viki back. She seduced Viki's youngest son Joey and made sure that Viki found out about their affair, (ultimately, due to Dorian's machinations, Viki caught her deflowering Joey on the day Viki and Sloan had originally planned to be wed). This hurt Viki as much as Dorian hoped it would. Unfortunately Viki was already dealing with Sloan's apparent abandonment of her, so this was doubly painful.
Sloan had learned that his Hodgkin's disease was out of remission and that he was dying. He didn't want Viki to suffer through his death the way she had suffered through her first husband Joe Riley's death, so he had lied to her and told her that he didn't love her anymore. He had gone back to his home in Tidewater, where he underwent unsuccessful chemo treatment by himself, and pretended that he was in love with an old friend of his, Beverly Crane. Sloan had confided in Clint the truth about his illness though and Clint told Viki about it. She then went to Sloan, they reconciled immediately and vowed to spend whatever time they had, together.
Despite his failing health, Viki very much wanted to be his wife and with Andrew presiding over their ceremony, they were wed even though Sloan was in the hospital. Viki insisted that Sloan be brought back to Llanfair so that he would be as comfortable as possible. Sloan held on as long as he could, savoring every moment with his new wife, but Viki, seeing his pain and suffering, told him that he could let go.
After telling her one final time that he loved her, Sloan died in her arms in their bedroom at Llanfair. With a heartbroken Viki Carpenter watching, Sloan was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. It was a tragic end to a beautiful love story, but both Viki and Sloan were enriched by each other's presence in their lives, short-lived though it may have been.
Below is the poem Viki read to Sloan as he lay dying in one of the most gut wrenching and sorrowfilled scenes in their tragic love affair.
The Good-Morrow
By John Donne
I WONDER by my troth, what thou, and I
Did, till we lov'd? were we not wean'd till then?
But suck'd on countrey pleasures, childishly?
Or snorted we in the seaven sleepers den?
T'was so; But this, all pleasures fancies bee.
If ever any beauty I did see,
Which I desir'd, and got, t'was but a dreame of thee.
And now good morrow to our waking soules,
Which watch not one another out of feare;
For love, all love of other sights controules,
And makes one little roome, an every where.
Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone,
Let Maps to other, worlds on worlds have showne,
Let us possesse one world, each hath one, and is one. <br>
My face in thine eye, thine in mine appeares,
And true plaine hearts doe in the faces rest,
Where can we finde two better hemispheares
Without sharpe North, without declining West?
What ever dyes, was not mixt equally;
If our two loves be one, or, thou and I
Love so alike, that none doe slacken, none can die.
Ben Davidson
Ben Davidson was portrayed by Mark Derwin from 1999 to 2002, and briefly in 2004 and 2008.
By: Diana
In late January of 1999, Victoria Lord Carpenter narrowly escaped death when a plane she was planning to travel on crashed. She had gotten off the plane moments before take off thanks to a mix up with a note meant for her traveling companion, Mel Hayes. In the ensuing weeks Viki began to have dreams of a foggy roadside area at a crossroads she'd never seen, and Mel, speaking to her, trying to tell her something important. One night while driving she actually found the site she'd been dreaming about and had another vision of Mel Hayes, who told her she had been spared for a reason.
Viki drove to the crossroads once again, where Mel's voice told her to choose wisely. Looking around, she spotted a bright red neon "Crossroads" sign, and went toward it. Little did she know that she was about to meet her soulmate, the man she was destined to spend the rest of her life with. Nor did she understand that Mel had been trying to tell her that this was her destiny and the reason she had been spared from the plane crash.
She entered the bar called Crossroads and met the bartender, Ben. They bantered back and forth for a while, finding something magical happening between them. He called her Blondie, and said he was 'Just Ben'. When she started to leave, she was unable to because her car wouldn't start. She called the mechanic Ben recommended, after declining to spend the night there with him, and they again exchanged spirited conversation, but not names, until her car was repaired and she could leave. When she returned home she discovered she'd lost an earring.
Viki called the bar looking for her earring, and hoping to talk to Ben, but the barmaid, Sophia, told her that no earring had been found, and that the bartender Ben had quit. Later, at the Banner office, Jessica showed Viki a "Blondie" ad in the paper. She went again to Crossroads where she found Ben, who had placed the ad. But when he searched for her earring it was missing.
After getting into an argument with Ben about pregnant teenagers she tried to leave, but there was a bad storm approaching and the roads were closed. Crossroads had a Karaoke contest that night, and Ben teased Viki into singing. She surprised herself, and Ben, by rendering a stirring version of "I Will Survive". Viki won the prize, a pair of fuzzy dice, and she and Ben connected. He admitted to flirting with her, and told her they had to meet again.
Viki saw Ben's next ad and once again went to Crossroads where she inadvertently showed Ben the latest Hamlet ad. He made a lame excuse and left but she stayed for lunch and gossiped with Sophia, who told her Ben was dangerous, and had many women.
Ben returned and sent Sophia off for lime juice so that he and Viki could discuss their feelings. They were both honest and Ben wound up kissing her.
>Viki went back to Crossroads to share with Ben her joy over her daughter Jessica's news that she would keep her baby. She and Ben discussed the kiss they'd shared, and Ben told her he wanted to feel her in his arms. He put on the jukebox and they danced to "I've Got A Crush On You". She told Ben she needed to tell someone about him to make it seem more real. Ben asked her ot to and she reluctantly agreed. They kissed good-bye and she left.
Kevin teased his mother about having a boy friend but she refused to talk with him about it. Viki once more went to the bar, to tell Ben she needed a better reason to keep his secret. Ben lied and told her he was married and had two children. She left, not believing him, but crushed and hurt. Kevin found her crying in her office and tried to help. She agreed to go away for a while to think.
After her return Viki thought about looking for Ben, but was constantly interrupted when she tried. She talked to Sam at the Country Club, where she was to give a speech, and left Sam to give the speech while she went to the bar to find Ben. When she entered the bar she found Ben with a gun pointed at her.
They talked and he admitted he was not married and had lied to her to try to push her away, then told her she had to leave. She argued with him, offering to help him, and he finally agreed to come back to her when he cleared up his problems. They kissed and he walked her to her car where shots were fired. Ben jumped into her car with her and she drove them away.
She brought Ben to Llanfair, where she tried to question him, then realized he'd been shot. She cleaned his wound as per his instructions, telling him he could stay the night and they'd figure out what to do the next day. However, when she left the room he tried to leave just as Dorian rang the doorbell. Viki sent Ben up to the attic while she got rid of a suspicious Dorian, but when she returned to Ben she found him in bad shape. She wanted to call a doctor, but he told her he was a doctor and he led her through removing the bullet from his shoulder.
During Ben's recovery Ben ran a high temperature. She went to her office for an old prescription of antibiotics, and while there she stopped Kevin from investigating the shooting at Crossroads. She returned to find Ben passed out on the floor where he'd fallen while trying to call Kevin.
She gave Ben the antibiotics, and again tried to get him to let her call a doctor. He insisted that he would be okay, and sure enough his fever broke and he was better. He finally told Viki about himself and his family. She was sympathetic and loving. He insisted he had to leave and she told him he didn't get to make the decisions for both of them. He told her she didn't either and kissed her. They were interrupted by Jessica and Will looking for an old cradle.
Viki told Jess and Will that Ben was a carpenter she'd hired to do some work in the attic. When Sam dropped by Ben shocked Viki when he admitted that he and Sam were brothers. Sam feared that Ben's presence would endanger both families. Viki then pleaded with Sam to keep Ben's presence at her house a secret until Ben had time to straighten things out.
Ben and Viki began their romance by her making him dinner. He poured wine and lit candles setting the stage for a romantic evening. Later, passions heated up as they embraced and he agreed to stay with her for the time being. Ben told Viki about Dorian's visits to Crossroads and her interest in him. Viki went to Crossroads to warn Sophia against spreading stories about Ben's whereabouts and tried to fool Dorian into believing she didn't know where he was.
Later a frantic Viki found a note Ben left for her saying good-bye, and realized where he'd gone. She found him in the rain outside Crossroads. Ben urged Viki to leave because he had set up a dangerous meeting with the people who were trying to kill him. She refused to leave, and they confessed their love for each other. She convinced Ben to return with her to Llanfair, where they made love for the first time in the attic.
When Kevin tried to publish a picture of Ben Viki and Ben were forced to come forward with their relationship. Kevin was not happy, and left, warning Viki that Ben would hurt her. Bo paid Viki a visit and questioned her about Ben. Viki said that she recognized Ben as the bartender at Crossroads, but she didn't know where he was. Ben and Viki later wondered how Bo found out about them and hoped that it wasn't from Kevin.
Viki pleaded with Ben not to leave the safe haven her home had provided for him. At the Banner Kevin swore to Viki he hadn't betrayed her by informing Bo about Ben. After Bo didn't find Ben at Llanfair, Viki told Bo that Ben had disappeared. She then she confronted Dorian at the police station, realizing that Dorian had informed on them, then went to Sam looking for Ben. She finally found him at Kevin's and thanked Kevin for sheltering him.
Dorian formed an unholy alliance with Ben's enemy Hugo, and lured Viki to the hospital's underground garage, where Hugo chloroformed her. Dorian bound Viki with duct tape and locked her in the coal cellar. Viki attempted to convince Dorian that Hugo was responsible for Mel's death. Viki made a desperate play to escape, but Hugo caught her and decided to leave both Viki and Dorian locked in the coal cellar. After a couple of days of confinement, and a broken gas main, Kevin and Ben rescued them in the nick of time.
Ben and Viki were reunited and went out on their first real date. They felt awkward when they found people staring at them because of their recent notoriety. They left the Palace restaurant and wound up at Crossroads where they received a warm greeting. Viki later told Ben that she'd never been happier.
Expecting Ben for dinner, Viki was shocked when Clint showed up at her front door. Ben arrived and Viki introduced him to Clint, surprising her ex-husband when she told him that she and Ben were a couple. Viki and Ben discussed moving in together, but agreed that it was too soon.
Viki gave Jessica an engagement party at Crossroads, and, after a fight between Will and Cris, Jessica rushed out and was hit by Dorian's car. Ben comforted and supported Viki through the entire ordeal as Jessica lay in a coma. An emergency C-section was done but her baby, Megan, was brain dead and Larry asked Viki to donate Megan's corneas. The family was ecstatic when Jessica finally woke from her coma.
Viki sadly told Ben she'd been having recurring dreams about baby Megan. Sitting together in the attic where they first made love, Viki thanked Ben for dispelling so many of the demons which had haunted her for so long. Later Ben told her he was thinking of staying in Llanview.
Ben applied for a staff position at Llanview Hospital. Viki told Ben that she must attend his confirmation board meeting if he had any hope of getting hired and offered him a pair of fuzzy dice for good luck. Viki was shocked when Dorian voted in Ben's favor, after Asa and his followers had voted against him.
After Dorian confessed to hitting Jessica, Viki let her anger toward Dorian overwhelm her. Ben told Viki about a woman he had once cared for who became totally obsessed with him. He begged Viki not to let blind rage turn her into the same kind of woman she despised most, Dorian. Ben explained to Viki why it was so important for him to regain his sense of purpose by fighting to have his medical license reinstated after Asa paid off the Nevada Medical Board to have it pulled. Later that night Viki waited up for Ben with wine, and they made love once again.
As they were preparing for the Banner anniversary party, Viki finally was able to tell Ben about her father, and what his abuse had done to her. She told him that she had created alters to protect her from her father, and that she was now totally integrated. Ben was stunned, but assured her he understood and loved her. They decided that both were damaged, due to early parental influences, and that that might be one reason they fit together so well.
At the Banner party Ben admitted to Viki that he once had a relationship with Viki's newest Styles editor, Skye Chandler. Viki confronted Skye, who let her know that Ben was about to propose to her, then Skye shattered Viki by announcing that she was married to Ben.
After Viki fled the party, Ben tracked her down at Crossroads and begged her to believe that his impulsive marriage to Skye in Vegas meant nothing to him at all. He told her that they had both signed annulment papers, which Ben had left with Skye to file, but that Skye had failed to do so. Ben pleaded for a second chance to make a life with her, then proposed to Viki, but she told him she couldn't accept his ring as long as he was still married to Skye.
At the Banner Viki told Skye she would hold her to the letter of her contract Ben was upset that Viki didn't fire her. Ben calmed down after Viki revealed that she wanted Skye to see her every day and know that she and Ben were together and happy.
Jess gave Viki and Ben a trip to Palm Beach as an engagement present. Ben and Viki tried to relax in Palm Beach, and, after a young boy charmed Ben with his football Viki worried that Ben might want to have children with her. Ben assured Viki that he didn't need to father a child to be happy. They enjoyed an intoxicating evening, but Viki was forced to cut it short and return home when bad new about Jessica interrupted her. She left a letter of explanation for Ben but Skye intercepted the note. When Ben finally made it back to Llanfair, she pumped him about what happened while he was locked in with Skye. Later Viki was elated when Skye reluctantly signed the divorce document.
At Kevin and Grace's engagement party, tragedy struck when Grace drowned, and Ben held Asa responsible. Ben left Asa's alone trying to deal with his feelings, telling Viki he couldn't be with her right then. Viki tried to console him as he grieved, and he admitted that his thirst for revenge was growing. Viki interceded to prevent an ugly scene between Ben and Asa at Grace's grave site.
Viki found out that Ben had brought Max to the hospital with a ruptured aneurysm, and was operating on him. As Ben tried to save Max's life, Viki comforted Blair and berated Asa his for stupidity, then warned Asa she'd ruin him if he ever went after Ben again. Viki tried to deal with Ben's outrage when Larry bent to pressure from Asa and removed Ben from Max's case. Viki followed him home and found him in the attic, where he admitted to her that he needed her and made love to her. Later Ben told her he'd seriously considered letting Max die on the operating table but Viki assured him that he could never have done that.
Shattered by Grace's death, Kevin struck out at everyone during their Thanksgiving dinner at the Palace restaurant. Ben and Viki accepted their share of the blame for the circumstances surrounding the feud with Asa that had caused Grace's death, and returned home to share a bittersweet Thanksgiving together.
Relaxing together one afternoon, Viki and Ben discovered a young girl out near the gazebo. After Ben examined her they took her to the hospital, where she was reunited with her mother, who explained that she ran away because she was afraid of another surgery. Ben offered to donate his services free of charge in order for Emma to have the surgery she required. Emma and her mother presented Ben with a token of their undying gratitude for his skill and compassion, while Viki grew increasingly concerned about her inability to give Ben a child of his own.
When she learned that Ben had resigned from the hospital after another Asa controlled board meeting, Viki urged him to think of Emma and all the others he could still help. Ben ask Viki to stay out of it, to allow him to fight his battle by himself, but she insisted on helping him in his fight with Asa. Ben told her to stop mothering him, which devastated her, and she was even more hurt when he decided to leave Llanview for a while, alone.
After weeks of waiting with no word from Ben, Viki's holiday was saddened when Skye showed up at Llanfair bearing greetings from him in Las Vegas. Starr arrived with Dorian, who told her Skye had not found Ben, and was only trying to hurt her. Viki got her Christmas wish when Ben unexpectedly returned on Christmas Eve.
Ben told Viki what he'd learned during his time away from her and admitted that his love for her had saved him. Ben and Viki's happy reunion was later interrupted when Ben received a summons to appear before the medical board to have his medical license revoked.
While standing up for Sam and Nora at their wedding, Ben showed a thrilled Viki his final divorce papers, then, when the wedding didn't take place, took her to Crossroads for a private celebration. Ben told her he'd purchased the bar for them, to be a haven away from the rest of the world. Ben proposed and Viki accepted and they celebrated the New Year by making love. The next morning they had to admit that they had to return the real world.
During a routine physical Viki learned there was something wrong with her Mammogram. At the same time Ben found out that Asa had framed Will, and had had him arrested. Viki went to Ben for support and found him with a
Viki put Ben's bags in the attic as he pleaded with her to forgive him after he went after Asa but was prevented from doing any damage by Sam, who came after him and took the gun from him. But Viki told him that he'd chosen a gun over her and she couldn't live with that. She returned his ring and broke off their relationship.
At Dorian's going away party, a weeping Viki begged Ben to choose love over vengeance but he admitted that he could not let go of his anger towards Asa. Viki finally unburdened herself to Dorian who consoled her, as Viki revealed how frightened she was by the prospect of facing breast cancer.
Viki reeled from the news that she had breast cancer. Ben struggled with the fact that he truly was Asa's son. Viki and Ben ran into each other at the hospital, and she reached out to him, but both were conflicted about their own problems and Ben was unable to open up to her.
Viki admitted to a heartsick Joey and Jessica that she had breast cancer, then explained to her children that she did not want Ben to know about her condition as she did not want him to come back to her out of pity.
Ben and Viki shared a dance at Ben's reopening of Crossroads, but Viki insisted that she merely wanted one more lovely memory of them together, not a reunion. Later, an adamant Ben told Viki that their relationship would never be over. He tried to persuade her to take him back and then asked her to marry him once again. Viki turned him down, but they shared a passionate kiss before putting an end to their relationship.
Just before her surgery Viki called out to Ben at the hospital, but, although he was there on another matter, he did not hear her. Viki later told Joey that she had dreamt that Ben had come to see her, and Joey informed her that Ben had actually been at the hospital.
When Ben came to Llanfair to tell Viki about Nora's death, he got closer to the truth about her illness but they were still unable to open up to each other. Ben tricked her into admitting she'd been sick and at Cherryvale, and told her he'd seen her there.
Ben pressed Viki to tell him why she had been at Cherryvale, but Viki backed off from telling him the truth after she sensed that he was also hiding something. Ben and Viki admitted they still loved each other, but they both had secrets they couldn't share.Ben finally admitted his relationship to Asa, after Ben he inadvertently discovered that Viki was undergoing Chemotherapy. Viki admitted the truth about her cancer but worried that that was the only reason he wanted to returned to her. Ben convinced Viki that they belonged to each other, and he wanted to be with her no matter what she was going through. They were happily reunited and Ben once again asked Viki to marry him. After a slight hesitation, she happily accepted his proposal.
Because of her cancer Viki was reluctant to make love with Ben. Ben romanced her, dancing with her, then taking things slowly enough that he managed to help her get past her fears, and the two made love once again.
Ben accompanied Viki to her second Chemotherapy session, where she had a severe reaction. Ben sprang into action and saved her and when Colin later arrived at the hospital he was relieved that Ben had taken control and rescued Viki.
Viki persuaded Blair not to tell Sam the truth about Ben's paternity by offering her money to use in her battle against Asa. Viki tried to comfort Ben about his feelings for Renee and they discussed telling Renee that Ben was her son, but always came back to the problem of Asa. So both agreed to keep the secret for the time being.
Ben was unsuccessful in locating Will, and returned to Viki as she underwent her last Chemotherapy session. They were ecstatic when she learned she was in remission, and they celebrated by going to Palm Beach for a romantic reunion/recovery.
Charlie Banks
source: Wikipedia. Charlie Banks was portrayed by Brian Kerwin from October 25, 2007, to May 11, 2011. He re-appeared on December 12 and 13, 2011, when Viki returned to Paris, Texas.
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Charlie comes into the Bon Jour Café in Paris, Texas, in October 2007. He befriends his waitress, Victoria "Viki" Lord Davidson, and asks her out. Charlie and Viki have a date at the local drive-in. A recovering alcoholic, Charlie is looking for his son to make amends. He gets a lead and heads to the nearby Buchanan Ranch, where the Buchanans are assembling for the reading of patriarch Asa's will. Charlie is unaware that Clint Buchanan is actually Viki's ex-husband, and that her daughters are at the ranch too. By the time Charlie arrives, his son Jared has returned to Llanview, Pennsylvania. Charlie discovers an injured Dorian Lord in the bushes and follows her home to Llanview to find Jared.
Charlie ends up at Nash Brennan's vineyard, where Jared had been living, and learns that Jared is now residing at the Buchanan mansion. Nash makes no attempt to hide his disdain for Jared but wishes Charlie luck. Charlie interrupts the Buchanans as butler Nigel Bartholomew-Smythe falsely reveals that Jared is Asa's son. Once Jared steps outside to greet his visitor, he is unpleasantly surprised to see that it is Charlie. Jared berates Charlie for his past alcohol abuse and for the way Charlie had treated him and his mother. Jared then informs Charlie that he wants nothing to do with him. Dorian eavesdrops on the entire conversation.
Charlie is devastated by Jared's apparent hatred of him and falls off the wagon, drowning his sorrows at Rodi's Bar. He finds a drinking buddy in troubled Dr. Michael McBain, whose wife Marcie is on the run from the police. Charlie ends up spending the night at Michael's apartment. Michael learns from Charlie that Marcie had been in Paris, Texas, and the two fly down to Paris. Charlie continues to drown his sorrows and shows up at the Bon Jour Café drunk. Unsure of how to handle the situation, waitress Gigi Morasco calls Viki for help. Viki flies back to Paris and convinces Charlie that the fight for sobriety is worthwhile.
Charlie commits himself to protecting Jared by hiding his identity as Jared's father from everyone, including Viki. Dorian, however, knows the truth and promises to keep the secret. Caught off guard after meeting Roxy Balsom, Charlie tells Rex Balsom and Adriana Cramer that his last name is Balsom, not realizing that Rex is Roxy's son. When Rex's investigation into his own background puts his paternity in question, Roxy claims that Charlie is his father to keep him from looking into his background. She begs Charlie to go along with the ruse, suggesting that the truth of Rex's parentage is worse than any lie she could tell. A compassionate Charlie agrees, but is later guilty as he is forced to lie to Viki as well.
On February 15, 2008, Jared indicates that he has at least one sibling when he relates to Charlie the abuse they and their mother had suffered at the hands of her boyfriend after Charlie had left them. On March 21, 2008, Jared and Charlie discuss how during that time Jared's younger brother, Jimmy, had been hit by a car and killed. Though Valerie had told Charlie that it had been an accident, Jared reveals that Jimmy had actually been overwrought because of their mother's abusive boyfriend. Jared blames himself for letting an upset Jimmy run out into the street.
On December 1, 2008, Charlie reveals that he had rebuilt Carlotta's diner, which had burnt down earlier in the year, in the image of the Bon Jour Cafe, naming it the Buenos Dias. Charlie marries Viki on August 4, 2009. Their happiness is short lived, however, when Jared is murdered by Mitch Lawrence. Unable to cope, he starts drinking again and pushes Viki away. In March 2011, Charlie starts an affair with Echo DiSavoy. In April 2011, Viki goes to Echo's apartment and barges in on Charlie and Echo in bed. Charlie admits that the affair has lasted a month. When Viki asks if he loves Echo, Charlie hesitates, and Viki storms off. On April 12, Viki asks Charlie again whether or not he loves Echo; he says he does. Viki files for divorce. Charlie learns of Echo's lies and ends their relationship. Charlie learns that the Bon Jour Cafe was destroyed and wants to help rebuild it. On May 11, 2011, Charlie apologizes to Viki and the two part. Charlie returns to Texas and Viki goes to see Clint.
When Viki goes back to Texas for a pie contest, she and Charlie run into each other as Viki again becomes a waitress. Though awkward at first, Charlie apologizes for the failures in their marriage, and they reconcile a friendship. Charlie tries to understand why Viki is in Texas again. When he accuses her of running away from her problems, she protests but soon divulges her feelings for Clint and how she feels like a consolation prize in contrast to Kim Andrews, Clint's younger ex-wife. Charlie shocks Viki by revealing that, despite the love they once had for each other, he always knew Viki belonged with Clint, and that they both still love each other, citing how Clint has and will always be a big part of Viki's life. He encourages her to go after him, prove she is Clint's first prize, and win him back.
