She’s among the longest-serving serial performers in American media. In 1971, Slezak auditioned for the part of nurse Mary Kennecott to the ABC soap opera All My Children. In 2007, Slezak expressed strong criticism of OLTL’s then-head writer, Dena Higley. In the March 2007 version of Slezak’s fan club newsletter, she said, “Dena does not care about the rich history of the show, which is clear in what she composes” and that Higley “needs to write stories that she believes are interesting but nobody else does.” Ron Carlivati was later made co-head writer, with Higley ultimately making the show on September 10, 2007. In 2011, it had been declared OLTL was to be cancelled. Nevertheless, Prospect Park, a media firm, purchased the creative rights to the show from Disney and declared that it will be migrated to a web-based format on January 16, 2012. In September of this year, Slezak affirmed she’d be going together with the show, as well as cast members who comprise Jerry verDorn (Clint Buchanan), Kassie DePaiva (Blair Cramer), and Melissa Archer (Natalie Buchanan). On November 23, 2011, Prospect Park executives declared that they might not be financially in a position to go forward with going One Life to Live and All My Children to the World Wide Web, so, stopping the show; members of OLTL have since migrated within their former characters in continuity on ABC’s only remaining soap opera, General Hospital. In early 2013, Slezak affirmed that she’d join Prospect Park’s resurrection of OLTL reprising her role as Victoria Lord.
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Movies
, One Life to Live, Danielle Steel's Full Circle
TV Shows
One Life to Live
Star Sign
Leo
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Quote
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(describing her 5th Emmy win) "Your heart is pounding and you're holding this wonderful trophy and you're thinking how great this is and they rush you off to a press room, and the first thing that a reporter asks is 'So how does it feel, you beat Susan Lucci again, is she ever going to win this Emmy do you think?"
She has won the coveted "Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series" award at the Daytime Emmys in '1984', '1986', '1992', '1995', '1996', and '2005' for her portrayal of Victoria Lord on 'One Life to Live' (1968).
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She has won six Daytime Emmy Awards, the most wins by an actor (tied with Justin Deas) and the most wins for a single character.
Was an exceptional student who skipped the Eighth Grade.
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Despite being born and raised in Hollywood, CA., she and her siblings were raised speaking German, and did not begin learning English until she was five years old.
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Attended Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England