Viki - 1960s

Source: ABC writing team

When Michael Malone joined One Life to Live in 1991, Walter was asked if he would send them our Looking at Llanview summaries that were included in our newsletters throughout the years. While of course ABC kept story records, they were primarily interested in Victoria Lord. Here are the first few pages of what the writing team documented. Walter took note of …”Of all our central characters, she (Victoria) is number one in importance, both in terms of story and in the hearts of our viewers…”

BACKGROUND

Victoria Lord, the elder daughter of Victor Dalby Lord and Eugenia Randolph Lord was born Victoria, so named by her father Victor, was doted on by both her parents. Victor and Eugenia supposedly had an idyllic marriage until Victor became obsessed with his newspaper, the Banner, and his many other business activities within the Lord empire. A self-made multi-millionaire tycoon, Victor lived in his estate of Llanfair with Eugenia and their small daughter. Because Victor became preoccupied with running his publishing and financial empire, Eugenia soon grew bored and restless. She had an affair, became pregnant by her lover, and then tried to pass off the baby as Victor's.

Victor was ecstatic about the new baby, and desperately hoped for a son, to carry on the Lord name. Eventually, however, Victor realized his wife had deceived him. A very intense and integral scene in the first year or so of OLTL involved a flashback Viki experienced. As a five year old she had witnessed the tragic accident which led to the death of her beloved mother. Unknown to Victor and Eugenia Viki overheard and watched a terrible argument between her parents taking place at the top of the stairs. Victor livid with anger, confronted his wife with the truth, about her unborn child being fathered by another man. Eugenia admitted she had been unfaithful to Victor, and the child she was carrying was not his. Due to the intensity of their rage neither one noticed Eugenia moving too close to the top of the stairs. She lost her balance and fell to the bottom, but to the small, frightened Victoria, it may have appeared that the father pushed her mother to her death.

Eugenia, who was seven months pregnant at the time of the accident, gave birth by Cesarean to a tiny little girl, and soon afterward Eugenia died. Viki was devastated by the loss of her mother at such an early age, but Victor sincerely mourned Eugenia too. He had loved her deeply.

Viki's baby sister was named Meredith and referred to as “Merri”. The child, always frail and in poor health, later grew up to have a chronic blood disorder which continually endangered her life.

After losing the love of her mother, Victoria became attached to her little sister, and although only five years older, she assumed a motherly role toward Merri. Meredith idolized her older sister and a deep bond developed between the two, but both were experiencing feelings of guilt. Merri blamed herself for their mother's death, and thought Viki resented her for taking her beloved mother away. These feelings eventually caused emotional problems for Meredith later. Viki felt guilt-ridden because Victor obviously favored her over Merri since Viki was his biological child. Although, Victor accepted Merri as his child, and he sincerely loved her, it was apparent that Viki was his pride and joy. Although appearing not to notice, Meredith was hurt by her father's behavior.

As a result of Eugenia's death, Victor threw himself into his work even more, and he concentrated on grooming Victoria (he never referred to her as Viki) to become his “heir” apparent, to eventually take over the reins of the Banner and the entire Lord empire. Victor had hoped to have a son to follow in his footsteps, but he turned Viki into the son he never had. Actually Victor, at this time, secretly knew he had an illegitimate son - somewhere, as a result of a war-time liaison with a woman named Dorothy Randolph, but he could not locate the boy. He tried many times, but was always unsuccessful. So, he accepted Victoria as his heir, and consequently put her through years of rigorous training and emotional pressure, to perform up to the best of her ability, to learn to live up to the high standards of the Lord name, and to be flawless professionally as well as personally. He instilled in her a strict moral and ethical code which Viki still lives by today.

Due to the lack of a mother, as Victor did not remarry after Eugenia's death, Viki's only parental influence was Victor, and she worshipped him and put him on a pedestal. Victor loved Viki deeply and wanted only the best for her and her younger sister. For all the faults Victor may have had, his love for Viki and Meredith was perhaps his most noticeable attribute. Victor once commented that Viki, who resembled Eugenia strongly, had inherited her mother’s beauty and elegance, whereas Meredith had inherited Eugenia’s personality - that of a gentle, soft-spoken nature.

During Viki's college years she was a very serious student and had little time, or inclination, for romance. Since Victor would have vehemently disapproved of any young man Viki would have dated, she started repressing her desire to becone involved in a romantic relationship, despite the fact that she was a very beautiful young woman. Viki eventually earned a Master's degree in Journalism from Radcliffe.

HISTORY

1968

When Viki returned to Llanview after graduation, she began to work at the Banner as a reporter. She was thrust, head to head, in a working relationship with the dynamic, “hard-drinking, hard-living” reporter Joe Riley. Sparks flew as the charismatic Joe and the well-bred, elegant Victoria began working together on stories and their head-strong, stubborn personalities began to clash, thus drawing them together romantically.

Joe's interest, and obvious attraction to the Lord heiress, began to irritate Viki's father, who did not want a man such as Joe, a Catholic from a working class family, from the "wrong side of the tracks", to become a candidate as a possible son-in-law. Victor, therefore, began pressuring Victoria to end her blossoming romance with Joe. Joe received the same "advice" from his boss, who warned him to stay far away from his beloved daughter.

As Victor applied more and more pressure on Viki to thwart her romance with Joe, Viki became even more attracted to this fascinating man, and couldn't deny the passion he aroused in her, a feeling she had never experienced before. Due to Viki's willingness to try and please her father as much as possible in all situations, and to always do what he asked of her, she fought, her deep sexual and romantic feelings for Joe. Joe would not let Victor stand in the way of making Viki his wife, and he continued to pursue her relentlessly while Victor tried to keep them apart.

This tug of war in Viki's psyche, between pleasing Victor and loving Joe, led to her bout with a split personality.

Normally reserved, sophisticated, and innocent, Victoria would don cheap biond wig, wear 1ots of make-up, and flashy clothes, and appear nightly at a seedy riverfront hang-out, Ernie’s Bar and Grill. Viki’s alter-ego, Nicole Smith, known as Niki to the regulars in the bar, was every bit as sexy and flamboyant as any vixen ever to inhabit the town. Niki Smith was notorious for flirting with men in the bar and picking them up, taking them back to her apartment, which was located in the area.

Niki Smith became acquainted with a young man, a truck driver named Vinnie Wolek, the older brother of Dr. Larry Wolek, and Vinnie also happened to be Joe Riley's best friend. Vinnie fell hopelessly in love with the unpredictable Niki, unaware that she was really Victoria Lord, a young woman totally out of his grasp socially.

1969

Victoria became aware of her illness when she'd find herself dressed in totally outlandish, whorish clothing. She'd also find trashy clothes in her closet as well as cigarettes in her purse. Then Victoria began receiving hate letters, from a woman named Niki, whom she later learned was a part of herself. Months of torment then ensued for Viki, as Niki, hateful and spiteful, and totally aware of Viki's existence and dominance, tried to destroy Viki's life, and the lives of her loved ones. One night night at Llanfair, Niki even appeared and shot Victor Lord, shooting him in the arm. Of course Victor did not press charges against his daughter.

Months went by until Joe, Victor, Meredith, and Vinnie all realized the extent of Viki's illness, and Joe and Vinnie's friendship was put to a serious test, as a result of the two men being in love with two parts of the same woman. Viki began therapy in order to destroy Niki, who became a very tough adversary, not allowing Viki to make much progress.

Despite Viki's illness, Joe and Viki were madly in love and set a wedding date. Their love for one another overcame Victor's intense disapproval, and Niki's resistance, for the moment. They decided to wed at Llanfair, but during the ceremony, Viki flipped into Niki, and ran away with Vinnie Wolek, leaving a jilted Joe standing at the altar. Vinnie Wolek still wanted Nikl, despite her true identity. It took Joe and Viki weeks to find their way back to each other after this ill-timed event. Viki even contemplated suicide after the disgrace of Niki destroying her wedding. While Niki was in love with Vinnie, Viki had also gotten to know Vinnie through Joe, and her attraction to Vinnie complicated an already impossible situation. Viki felt that Joe would not want to be married to a woman so emotionally frazzled, and at times, she turned to Vinnie, who would listen and comfort her. Vinnie loved Niki, but fell in love with the with troubled beauty Viki too knowing a relationship with either Viki or Niki was doomed, but never giving up hope.