Life and career
Erika Slezak had a theatrical background, working in repertory theatre after graduating from RADA. During her years in repertory theatre, she played a wide variety of roles, including Electra in Electra, Hedda in Hedda Gabler, Charlotte Corday in Marat/Sade, Desdemona in Othello, Queen Elizabeth in Mary Stuart and Marian in The Music Man. After graduating from RADA, Slezak joined the Milwaukee Repertory Company at age 20 as a lead, and remained with the company for three seasons. She spent a season in Houston, where she performed in several productions, including the role of Elvira in Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit with Margaret Hamilton. After Houston, Slezak took a break and planned to spend a few weeks visiting her parents in Switzerland. That break turned into roughly seven months before she was asked to perform Desdemona once again in Othello.
Slezak had previously been put on tape for the role of nurse Mary Kennicott on the daytime soap opera All My Children, and on March 16, 1971, she auditioned for One Life to Live, reading opposite Bernard Grant, who played Steve Burke. Slezak was not told that she was auditioning for the role of Victoria Lord. Present at the audition were OLTL producer Doris Quinlan, casting director Joan D'Incecco and series creator Agnes Nixon. Slezak learned that she had been cast as Victoria "Viki" Lord and was told she would begin work the following day, March 17, 1971. Slezak was the third actress to portray Viki; Gillian Spencer originated the role when One Life to Live premiered in 1968 and was succeeded by Joanne Dorian in 1970. During Slezak's tenure, Christine Jones temporarily portrayed Viki while Slezak was on maternity leave, and Judith Barcroft and during a later absence. Slezak had no previous television experience, and longtime One Life to Live director David Pressman helped her adjust her stage-trained acting style to performing for television. In 1974, Slezak appeared opposite her father, actor Walter Slezak, when he guest-starred in four episodes of One Life to Live as Viki's godfather, Lazlo Braedecker. Slezak's husband, actor Brian Davies, also appeared on One Life to Live, portraying Scott Edgar in 1983, and Danton Gordon in 1989.
During Slezak's early years on One Life to Live, she portrayed Viki's alternate personality, Niki Smith, only in flashbacks and other characters' recollections; Niki later returned as an active character.
In 1984, Slezak won her first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Viki.
In 1985, Niki Smith returned as an active alternate personality, allowing Slezak to portray both Viki and Niki in the storyline.
In 1986, Slezak won her second Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
In 1987, Viki had an out-of-body experience during brain surgery in a storyline in which she visited Heaven and encountered deceased loved ones.
In 1988, Slezak portrayed Viki and her Old West ancestor, Virginia "Ginny" Fletcher, in a time-travel storyline.
In 1990, Viki suffered a stroke in a major storyline that required Slezak to portray the character's physical and speech impairments during her recovery.
In 1992, Slezak won her third Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
In 1995, Slezak portrayed Viki with several additional alternate personalities in an expanded dissociative identity disorder storyline.
In 1995, Slezak won her fourth Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
In 1996, Slezak won her fifth Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
In 2000, Slezak portrayed Viki through a breast cancer storyline, for which she researched the illness and consulted with breast cancer survivors in preparing for the role.
In 2004, Viki underwent a heart transplant after her husband, Ben Davidson, died while comatose and his heart was donated to her.
In 2005, Slezak won her sixth Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
In 2008, Slezak reprised Viki's visit to Heaven as part of One Life to Live's 40th anniversary, with series creator Agnes Nixon appearing as "The Creator."
In 2011, One Life to Live marked Slezak's 40th anniversary as Viki with a special episode devoted to the character and her history on the series.
In 2012, Slezak remained with One Life to Live through the conclusion of its ABC run, appearing as Viki in the series' final network episode on January 13.
In 2013, Slezak reprised the role of Viki when One Life to Live was revived as an online series.
Slezak also appeared as herself on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Intimate Portrait and The View. In 2019, she was interviewed for an episode of 20/20 about the stalking and murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer, who had appeared on One Life to Live in the 1980s. In 1996, Slezak portrayed Jean Roberts in the television film Full Circle, based on the novel by Danielle Steel.
In 2018, Slezak guest-starred on The Resident.
In 2019, Slezak appeared as Helen in the film Guest Artist.
In 2019 and 2023, Slezak guest-starred on Blue Bloods.
In 2021, Slezak appeared in the Hallmark television film Next Stop, Christmas.
In 2025, Slezak returned to daytime television as Veronica "Ronnie" Bard on General Hospital, her first daytime role since One Life to Live.
