Erika Slezak

• Name — Erika Slezak • Born — 5 August 1946 • Birthplace — Hollywood, California, U.S. • Education — Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1971–present • Children — 2 • Parents — Walter Slezak Johanna Van Rijin • Relatives — Margarete Slezak (aunt) Leo Slezak (grandfather) • Known for — Victoria Lord • Television — One Life to Live • Awards — Daytime Emmy Award (1984, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2005) Soap Opera Digest Award (2002) • Website — http: www.erikaslezak.com/

Slezak was born in Hollywood, California, of Czech, Austrian, German-Jewish and Dutch descent, the daughter of Tony Award-winning Austrian actor Walter Slezak and Johanna "Kaasi" Van Rijn, and the granddaughter of opera tenor Leo Slezak. Her godmother was Alma Mahler-Werfel. She was born two months after her grandfather died. Raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, Slezak attended high school at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Eden Hall in Torresdale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At age 17, she became one of the youngest individuals ever accepted into London's prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, later graduating in 1966. Establishing a noteworthy reputation in theater, she performed in Milwaukee, Chicago and Houston.

In 1971, Slezak auditioned for the role of nurse Mary Kennicott on the ABC soap opera All My Children. She was not cast on that show, but the network offered her the role of Victoria "Viki" Lord Riley on One Life to Live (OLTL). In her 42 years in the role, Slezak won six Daytime Emmy Awards, which is an Emmy record for a female performer. In 2007, Slezak voiced strong criticism of OLTL then-head writer, Dena Higley. In the March 2007 edition of Slezak's fan club newsletter, she stated, "Dena doesn't care about the rich history of the show, which is evident in what she writes" and that Higley "wants to write stories that she thinks are interesting but nobody else does." Ron Carlivati was subsequently made co-head writer, with Higley ultimately leaving the series in September 2007. In August 2007. OLTL celebrated its 10,000th episode. In April 2011, ABC announced that OLTL would be cancelled, with its final airdate in January 2012. However, media company Prospect Park licensed the creative rights to the show from ABC in July 2011 and announced that they would migrate the series to an online format. In September 2011, Slezak confirmed she would be participating in the new version show, along with other regular cast members. The Prospect Park project stalled in November 2011, and OLTL ended its run on ABC as scheduled. In early 2013, Prospect Park announced it was moving forward with their online versions of One Life to Live and All My Children, with Slezak confirmed on board. The revived series, taped in Stamford, Connecticut, premiered on Hulu, Hulu Plus, and iTunes on April 29, 2013, and ran through August 19, 2013.

Slezak portrayed Jean Roberts in the 1996 made-for-TV movie adaptation of Danielle Steel's novel Full Circle. In 2000, Slezak was on The Rosie O'Donnell Show to talk about her career. In 2002, she was on Intimate Portrait as herself about her career. In 2005, Slezak was on The View to talk about her career. In April 2018, she appeared as Dr. Eileen Jacoby on the Fox series The Resident, in the episode "Haunted". The following year, Slezak starred alongside Jeff Daniels in the film Guest Artist. She was interviewed for an episode of the ABC news program 20/20 which focused on the murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer, who appeared on One Life to Live in the 1980s. Slezak further guest-starred on the CBS police drama Blue Bloods; she returned to series in 2022. In 2021, Slezak was in the television movie Next Stop, Christmas as Aunt Myrtle. In June 2025, it was announced she signed a short-term deal to appear on General Hospital; she filmed the role of Ronnie Bard for three weeks, concluding on September 26, which also coincided with her first episodic appearance. She exited the role on November 6, 2025.

Slezak married Robert Daniel Mooney in 1968 in Milwaukee and divorced in 1971. She married Brian Davies on April 4, 1978, and is the mother of two children, Michael and Amanda. In 2003, Amanda Davies played a teenaged version of her mother's character Victoria in flashback scenes on One Life to Live. Amanda Davies died on January 29, 2024.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1971–2013 — One Life to Live — Victoria Lord — Series regular • 1977 — A.M. Chicago — Self — Episode dated November 3, 1977 • 1978 — Donahue — Self — Episode dated March 21, 1978 • 1978–83 — Family Feud — Self–Celebrity contestant — 3 episodes • 1996 — Full Circle — Jean Roberts — Made-for-TV movie directed by Bethany Rooney • 1996–2002 — The Rosie O'Donnell Show — Self — 4 episodes • 2000–02 — Intimate Portrait — Self — Episodes: "Linda Dano", "Erika Slezak" • 2001 — Special Unit 2 — Nick's Mother — Episode: "The Years" • 2003–2012 — The View — Self — 4 episodes • 2018 — The Resident — Dr. Eileen Jacoby — Episode: "Haunted" • 2019 — Guest Artist — Helen — Drama film directed by Timothy Busfield • 20/20 — Self — Episode: "Your Biggest Fan" • 2019, 2022 — Blue Bloods — Donna Duvall — Episodes: "Identity" and "Nothing Sacred" • 2021 — Next Stop, Christmas — Aunt Myrtle — Made-for-TV movie directed by Dustin Rikert • 2025 — General Hospital — Veronica Bard — Role held from September 26 to November 6, 2025