SLEZAK, Erika 1946–

PERSONAL

Full name, Erika Alma Hermina Slezak; born August 5, 1946, in Hollywood, CA; daughter of Walter Leo (an actor) and Johanna Elizabeth (maiden name, Van Rijn) Slezak; married first husband, 1968 (divorced, c. 1971); married Brian Davies (an actor), August 4, 1978; children: (second marriage) Michael Lawrence, Amanda Elizabeth. Education: Trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Addresses:

Agent—ICM New York, 40 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019. Office—ABC–TV, 56 West 66th St., New York, NY 10023–6202.

Career:

Actress. Milwaukee Repertory Company, member, 1966–69; Ally Theater, Houston, TX, member, 1969–70; previously worked at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Member:

Actors' Equity Association, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Screen Actors Guild.

Awards, Honors:

Daytime Emmy Award nominations, best actress on daytime television, 1983, 1988, Daytime Emmy Awards, best actress on daytime television, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1996, Soap Opera Digest Award nominations, outstanding actress in a leading role on a daytime serial, 1986, 1989, Soap Opera Digest Award nominations, outstanding heroine: daytime, 1988, 1990, Soap Opera Digest Award nomination (with Clint Richie), favorite super couple: daytime, 1989, Soap Opera Digest Award (with Mark Derwin), favorite couple, 2000, Soap Opera Digest Award nomination (with Derwin), favorite couple, 2001, all for One Life to Live.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

(Stage debut) Title role, Electra, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, WI, 1966.

Desdemona, Othello, Studio Arena Theatre, Buffalo, NY, 1971.

(Off–Broadway debut) Elizabeth, The Circle, Roundabout Theatre, 1974.

Also appeared as Gilda, Design for Living; title role, Hedda Gabler, Desdemona, Othello, Alkmena, Amphytrion 38, Queen Elizabeth I, Mary Stuart, Cecily, The Importance of Being Earnest, Sabina, The Skin of Our Teeth, title role, Dulcy, Masha, The Three Sisters, and Charlotte Corday, Marat/Sade, all Milwaukee Repertory Company; Marianne, Tartuffe, and Elvira, Blithe Spirit, both Alley Theatre, Houston, TX; Liz Imbrie, The Philadelphia Story; Corie, Barefoot in the Park; Marian, The Music Man.

Television Appearances; Series:

Third Victoria Lord Riley Burke Buchanan Carpenter Davidson, One Life to Live, ABC, 1971—.

Virginia Fletcher, One Life to Live, ABC, 1988.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Jean Roberts, Danielle Steel's "Full Circle," NBC, 1996.

Television Appearances; Specials:

The 14th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1987.

The 15th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, CBS, 1988.

Guiding Light: The Primetime Special, CBS, 1992.

The 20th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1993.

50 Years of Soaps: An All–Star Celebration, CBS, 1994.

The 21st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1994.

The 24th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1997.

Herself, The 26th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, CBS, 1999.

Herself, The 27th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, ABC, 2000.

Herself, Intimate Portrait: Linda Dano (documentary), 2000.

Herself, The 28th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, NBC, 2001.

Herself, The 29th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, CBS, 2002.

Herself, Intimate Portrait: Erika Slezak (documentary), 2002.

Presenter, The 30th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, ABC, 2003.

Herself, The 18th Annual Soap Opera Digest Awards, 2004.

Viki Lord Davidson, SOAPnet Reveals ABC Soap Secrets, ABC, 2004.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Herself, "Valentine's Day Special," Family Feud, ABC, 1978.

Herself, "Daytime Dynasties Week," Family Feud, ABC, 1984.

Herself, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1996.

The View, ABC, 2003.

Film Appearances:

Host/Victoria Lord Riley Burke Buchanan Carpenter Davidson, Daytime's Greatest Weddings, Buena Vista Home Video, 2004.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Daytimers Diary No. 45, 1984.

Daytime TV, August, 1976; February, 1981.

Episodes, May/June, 1990.

Life Story, 1977.

Parade Magazine, November 3, 1996.

People, September 16, 1996, p. 211.

Soap Opera Digest, March 19, 1991.

Soap Opera News, March, 1997.

Soap Opera Update, October 10, 2000.

Soap Opera Weekly, March 26, 1991, April 4, 1995.

Soaps In Depth–ABC, July 21, 1998, October 2, 2001.

TV Guide, 1979.

TV Radio Talk, November, 1974.

USA Today Weekend, April 1, 1988.

Electronic:

Erika Slezak Official Site, http://erikaslezak.com/, November 6, 2005.