ONE LIFE TO LIVE THROUGH THE YEARS: 1968 - 1979
With it's legacy of romance and adventure, ONE LIFE TO LIVE has been captivating viewers for over 25 years. Here are some of the highlights.
1968
Sparks flew when Victoria Lord, daughter of Victor Lord, went to work at her father's family-owned newspaper, the BANNER, and meets the tough-as-nails- reporter Joe Riley. Against her father's stern wishes, Viki fell in love with Joe, and the pressure induced her split personality, Niki Smith, to emerge. (Trying to be the ideal daughter took its toll on young Viki. To escape from her father, she developed an alter-ego, the brash and flirtatious Niki.) Hanging out at seedy waterfront bars, Niki met and became involved with Vince Wolek, who was Joe's best friend!
Carla Gray, a light-skinned black woman, tried to pass as white while romancing both Dr. Jim Craig and Dr. Price Trainor.
1969
Handsome young Dr. Larry Wolek was severely burned in a fire. His face was wrapped in bandages, and when they were removed, he looked completely different! (That's because a new actor was playing the role!)
1970
Viki was devastated when the car of her husband, Joe Riley, careened off a cliff. Steve Burke became editor of the BANNER and fell in love with her.
Cathy Craig the troubled teenage daughter of Llanview Hospital's beloved chief of staff, Dr. Jim Craig, horrified her family when she became hooked on drugs. To overcome her addiction, Jim had Cathy admitted to Odyssey House, a rehabilitation center in New York City. Scenes featuring real-life recovering drug users were incorporated into Cathy's chillingly authentic therapy sessions.
1971
At the BANNER, a jealous secretary, Marcy Wade, became obsessed with her boss, publisher Steve Burke. However, she could not win his affection because Steve was still deeply in love with Viki. So Marcy concocted a vicious scheme to drive them apart and drive Viki over the edge by donning a red wig and impersonating Niki Smith. When "Niki" began to appear, Viki nearly went insane. Dressed as Niki, Marcy pulled a gun on Steve, and in a struggle, it went off -- killing Marcy! Steve was indicted for murder!
1972
Meredith Lord Wolek, wife of Larry and daughter of Victor, gave birth to twins, one of whom died. Deeply upset by the tragedy, Meredith fell into a deep depression forcing Larry to call upon Dr. Joyce Brothers to consult with his ailing wife.
A skid row bum found Marcy Wades's purse in the street -- which was just the evidence needed to prove Steve Burke innocent of Marcy's murder. The bum turned out to be Viki's "late" husband, Joe Riley! Suffering from amnesia and a potentially deadly aneurysm, Joe passed out in a diner, where he was befriended by kindly waitress Wanda Webb. Wanda fell in love with Joe, but the feeling was not mutual because Joe still loved Viki. Hiding her pain, Wanda was instrumental in convincing Joe to see Viki. After Joe had a life-saving operation, Viki was faced with an agonizing decision - which husband should she choose? Despite her love for Steve, Viki chose to return to her first love, Joe.
1973
One of Llanview's most beloved citizens, kindly Meredith Lord Wolek was killed when thieves broke into her family home, Llanfair. Trying to escape from the robbers, Meredith hit her head and died from a cerebral hemorrhage. Meredith's tragic death left her grieving husband, Larry, to raise their infant son, Danny.
Dr. Dorian Cramer and her neurotic sister Melinda arrived in Llanview. Melinda, once a piano prodigy, saw her budding career end when a fall from a horse paralyzed her arm. Devoted to her sister's care and her job at Llanview Hospital, Dorian spurned romance -- until she entered into an affair with fellow doctor, Mark Toland. Dr. Toland warmed up to his fellow doctor when his own wife, Julie, became sexually frigid.
1974
While Viki was still married to Steve, Joe began an affair with Cathy Craig, who became pregnant. Feeling obligated, Joe offered to marry Cathy, who stoically refused, claiming she loved him too much to trap him into a loveless marriage. Viki divorced Steve Burke, and finally free to marry the man of her dreams, became Mrs. Joe Riley for the second time.
1975
She was a single, independent, decidedly blue-collar waitress. He was a tough talking former trucker-turned-policeman. After a long, poignant and often hilarious courtship, Vinnie Wolek married his sweetheart, Wanda Webb.
Victor befriended newly arrived Tony Harris unaware that Tony was actually his vengeful illegitimate son. Soon after, Viki and Joe hired Pat Kendall to work as an editor at the BANNER. Pat arrived in Llanview with her young son, Brian, who believed that Paul Kendall, a former radical believed to be dead, was his father. But Pat was keeping a secret -- years earlier, she had an affair with Tony Lord and he was Brian's father!
The courts unjustly convicted Larry for patient Rachel Wilson's mercy-killing murder. Larry was set free when Dorian finally confessed that she was partially responsible. Dorian had given Rachel an injection, but forgot to record it on her chart. Later that night, Dorian's lover, Dr. Mark Toland, unknowingly administered a second dose, killing the patient. Dorian was dismissed for her negligence and Mark fled town in disgrace.
The romantic story of Llanview's youngest lovers, Tim Siegel and Jenny Wolek, captivated viewers. Jenny, a novice nun, fell deeply in love with Tim, the son of Joe Riley's sister Eileen, and her late lawyer husband, Dave Siegel. Jenny's decision to leave the sisterhood and marry Tim infuriated her cousin, Vince. In a hospital stairwell, Vince and Tim were involved in a vehement argument when, suddenly, Tim lost his balance and tumbled down the steps. Critically injured in the fall, Tim held on to life just long enough to exchange deathbed wedding vows with his beloved Jenny.
1976
Joe was overjoyed when his wife, Viki, gave birth to their first child, Kevin. However, joy turned to panic when Joe's jilted lover, Cathy Craig, kidnapped the baby boy from the hospital. Cathy, whose mind had become unbalanced after the death of her own daughter, took Kevin away and fantasized that he was her baby. Agonizing weeks passed before Kevin was safely returned, and Cathy was captured and hospitalized.
Bedridden by heart problems, Victor was cared for by his new wife, Dorian, who loved Victor's family fortune more than she loved her husband. After Dorian got Victor to change his will, he suffered a stroke and died, but rumors persisted for years that Dorian had murdered her husband.
1977
Larry discovered love again when he met his distant cousin, Karen. They began dating and before long, they married. Karen settled into life as Larry's wife, but found the life boring and unsettling. She searched for something to satisfy her thirst for excitement, which she rarely had since her husband spent long hours at the hospital.
Brad Vernon was charged with the murder of nurse Lana McClain, but later he was cleared of the crime.
Joe and Viki's marriage endured another serious crisis when, after the safe return of their kidnapped son, Kevin, Joe began experiencing searing pain in his head. Suspecting a brain tumor, Joe listened to Dorian's advice and kept the news secret from Viki. Dorian had an ulterior motive -- she wanted to break up Joe and Viki and thus did anything she could to turn their problems to her own advantage. Finally coming to his senses, Joe underwent surgery for the tumor which turned out to be benign.
1978
Lowlife pimp Marco Dane arrived in Llanview and opened what he claimed was a modeling agency. Seeking young and nubile "models," Marco offered a contract to Viki Riley's sweet and innocent goddaughter, Tina Clayton. Marco took Tina's photos, then doctored the images to make it seem as though the teenager had posed in the nude. Marco threatened to make the photos public unless Viki gave in to his blackmail attempts.
Bored by her marriage to hard-working Larry Wolek, Karen began secretly seeing several different men around town. At first, Karen's suitors gave her expensive gifts, but she soon discovered that the men expected some "gift" from Karen in return. She became a prostitute. Though Karen desperately wanted out, her pimp, Marco Dane, forced her to remain in "the life," and she prayed that her upstanding husband would not discover her secret.
1979
Viki was shocked to discover the dead body of Marco Dane. She was even more shocked to be indicted for Marco's murder. When Viki stood trial for the murder, an anguished Karen took the stand and revealed the sordid truth of her life as a hooker. (Later, it was revealed that Marco's brother, Mario, was actually the victim).
Joe Riley put his life in order when he learned that he was dying of a brain tumor. Joe hired a hand-picked successor, Clint Buchanan, to become editor of the BANNER when he died, leaving his pregnant wife to mourn his passing. In time, Clint's father, Asa, moved his business interests from Texas to Llanview.
When Karen and Marco witnessed the death of the baby of Karen's sister, Jenny Vernon, they knew that the devastating tragedy would destroy her. To save Jenny the anguish, Karen and Marco sneaked into the nursery and switched Jenny's dead baby with the healthy baby girl delivered by hooker Katrina Karr. The crime went undetected, and Katrina was told that her child had died. Jenny unknowingly raised Katrina's baby girl as her own flesh and blood. When the scam was exposed years later, a heartbroken Jenny gave the child back to her rightful mother.