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Erika Slezak Shares Holiday Letter & Fan Club Milestone Expressing: “I Thank All Of You For Sticking With Me All These Years”

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: JPI

Every year, Six-time Daytime Emmy winner and iconic soap star, Erika Slezak, shares a holiday letter on her website to her enduring fan club over the holidays and this year was no different.

But what made this year’s communication so special, is it marked the 50th anniversary of the Erika Slezak Fan Club and her decades long partnership with its president, Walter Miller.  Together, they have delighted daytime viewers who watched Erika as the one and only Victoria Lord on One Life to Live, to keep abreast on her life, and her career.

Photo: Hallmark

As Christmas approaches and we ring a new year, Erika took a moment to write her thoughts looking back at a year which saw her: appear in Hallmark’s holiday movie, Next Stop, Christmas, dealing as we all have with life in a pandemic, and her husband Brian’s recent emergency surgery.

Here is what Erika shared:  “Dear Friends: This has been a year for the books, my friends, and I most sincerely hope that all of you are well and healthy, and have survived this monstrous year. I thank God that my family and I are completely vaccinated and boostered and healthy. Unfortunately though, Brian had a bad fall a few weeks ago, and had to have emergency surgery on his back. He is now finally in a wonderful rehabilitation hospital and is working hard to regain the strength in his legs. I come to see him every day, and Michael and Amanda alternate days to visit. It’s been a somewhat busy year: As most of you know, I was pleased to shoot a Hallmark Christmas movie called Next Stop, Christmas. It was great fun and was shot fairly close to where we live, so I could come home everyday. The people on the movie were all so wonderful, and my trailer, where I was keeping my things and resting between shots, was called Rudolph. All the trailers were named after reindeer, but unfortunately mine didn’t have a red nose on the front. The only hard part of the movie was that it was shot in August when it was 95 degrees outside, and we all had to pretend that it was December, so we were wrapped up in coats and boots and gloves, and really really hot!”

Photo: JPI

When speaking on her fan club’s milestone: Slezak offered up: “As difficult as this year has been, the bright spot for the the fan club is that we celebrated the “Golden Anniversary” this last October, and you can see the letter I signed back in 1971 to permit Walter to start it. It’s completely amazing that he and I have known each other for 50 years! I don’t know how that is possible since I’m only 39 years old � . Of all the things we have to be thankful for, I include my many, many years of friendship with Walter, and the fan club that he created. And even though “One Life to Live” has ended, the club is still going, thanks to the wonderful folks who run it and take care of it. A great big thank you to Walter and Kit and AJ for their time and patience with me. I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season, and I thank all of you for sticking with me all these years. Sending you hugs and best wishes for a Happy New Year and healthy 2022.”

Share your well-wishes to Erika as we say goodbye to 2021 and ring a new year in the comment section, and congratulations to Walter and Erika for a fan club well-done… 50 years! Wow!  In addition, in case you missed it, check out the Michael Fairman Channel’s chat with Erika from May of 2020 below.

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Erika Slezak is such a gracious lady. It’s always such a joy hearing from her. I can’t believe it’s been 50 years since she took over the roll of Viki on your beloved One Life to Live. What a wonderful turn of events that was for all of us fans. Bravo, Erika!!!!!!!!!

So happy to hear that she and her family are fully vaccinated and boosted and staying as safe as possible during the pandemic. I’m so sorry to hear of her husband, Brian’s, accident and surgery. I wish him a very speedy recovery.

A gigantic thank you to Erika for sharing her remarkable talent with all of us. I wish her and her entire family a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and very Happy and Peaceful New Year.

Erika, such an amazing lady with such grace and charm, not to mention extraordinary talent. I remember when you first started on OLTL and you were such a good sport when things got a little far-fetched. Can we say Ginny and Eterna? At any rate, I’ve always been a fan and thank God you were never possessed by the Devil like Deidre Hall. That’s not jumping the shark. That’s levitating above it. Anyway, you are beloved by so many and it’s definitely not a case of out of sight, out of mind. We carry you in our hearts daily. Always remembering our Viki and the wonderful woman who played her so brilliantly for so many years.

I miss you & OLTL so much! I felt like I lost most of my family the day it went off air 🙁 Glad to hear you are doing well and I pray for a speedy recovery for your husband. Have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy, Healthy New Year!

– EXTRA’ORDINAIRE – “this” Genre extraordinary!!!! EriKa Slezak puts a cap on it

so do we…. i’m 4 decades PLUS… @MichaelFairman… i bet… 5…. COME ON! IN My heyday.. i recorded from 11 a.m. to 3or4 pm… i just knew I had 5 hours to COME

Long distal ride distal? i don’t know…

BEING AN ON LINE defibrilator;… keeping “IN” check ? … my nuts screw yours

Cheers for the Tune in; “Ms. Vicki Lord”

Dear Erika,

It was a joy to see you on screen again, and in these degrading times, I hope you limit your availability.

The movie you were in had a lovely message, but the writing was so bad, and quickly paced, that most of, just about all of the actors looked like blubbering fools. You flubbed a bit, but were Awesome.

Just don’t, anymore Lady. There comes a time where you just have to let poop fester, and we are in those times.

My entire family loves you.

Oh, Erica Slezak. There is NOBODY like you!

Erika I really miss OLTL and you.
You were a great asset to the show.
Only soap now I watch since OLTL & AMC have been gone is GH.
It we ould great if you were on there now

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Susan Flannery and Ian Buchanan Visit the Set of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’; Daytime Emmy Winners Reflect on Show Then and Now

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Susan Flannery and Ian Buchanan

The one and only Susan Flannery (ex-Stephanie Forrester) dropped in to see her former co-stars on The Bold and the Beautiful at their Sunset Las Palmas Studio in Hollywood, along with her good friend and another B&B co-star Ian Buchanan (ex-James Warwick) on Tuesday October 20.

It was the first time in a very long time that The four-time Daytime Emmy winning actress was reunited with Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke), Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy), executive producer and head writer, Brad Bell, Jennifer Gareis and even her TV sister, Alley Mills (Pam, B&B now Heather, GH) showed up for the day too!

Flannery played the Forrester matriarch from 1987 until 2012. It was then that after playing the part of Stephanie for 25 years that Susan made the decision to retire from acting and in one of the most heartbreaking sendoffs, passes away from lung cancer in Brooke’s arms in November of 2012. During her B&B tenure, Flannery won 3 of her 4 Daytime Emmys, the other being for her first soap role as Laura Horton on Days of our Lives back in 1975.

Susan and Kelly

Photo: Bell-Phillip TV

As for Ian Buchanan, he played Dr. Warwick, psychiatrist, from 1993 to 1999.  He returned for other runs in 2014 and 2017.  Buchanan took home his Daytime Emmy in 1997 for his work as James. Soap fans also remember, Ian as mobster Duke Lavery on General Hospital, and Dr. Greg Madden on All My Children,

Both Susan and Ian shared their thoughts on coming back to The Bold and the Beautiful, for Susan 14 years later since he exited and for Ian close to 9 years since his last appearance below.

Susan said, “It’s definitely like coming home in a way, even though it’s not the same studio. It’s really lovely to see old faces and old faces with new faces. It takes you back mentally. You start remembering what it was like back then, even things like how much your feet would ache at the end of the day from wearing six-inch heels. It was just lovely to be back and see everybody.”

Susan Flannery and cast

Photo: Bell-Phillip TV

Ian expressed, “It’s a mind trip, you know. When I was sitting looking at the big Forrester set, it was like stepping back in time, almost. It takes you back mentally, and you start remembering what it was like when you were here before.”

“It’s lovely to see all these people again, even if you don’t know everybody,” explained soap vet Buchanan. “There’s something really special about coming back and seeing the show and the people who have been part of it for so long.”

So, happy to see Susan and Ian with some of their former castmates? Do you think Stephanie and Brooke is one of the greatest frenemy stories in daytime history? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Beyond the Gates

Tabitha Brown and Kandi Burruss Guest Star on ‘Beyond the Gates’ for Dani’s ‘Welcome to Your Life’ TV Special; What Could Go Wrong?

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Kandi Burress, Tabitha Brown, Karla Mosley

As previously announced, Beyond the Gates is bringing chef, author and actress Tabitha Brown and Grammy Award-winning songwriter, singer and actress Kandi Burruss to Fairmont Crest in a special episode of the CBS daytime drama airing Thursday, October 22.

In the episode, Dani’s (Karla Mosley) best friend Pamela Curtis (Cady McClain), arranges a “Welcome to Your Life” television special for her. As it turns out, Brown will play the show’s host, Tia Allen, while Burruss takes on the role of Dani’s first modeling agent, Kalista Kilroy, who turns the celebration of her life into a bad trip down memory lane.

Dani’s parents Anita and Vernon (Tamara Tunie, Clifton Davis), sister Nicole (Daphnee Duplaix), and daughters Chelsea (RhonniRose Mantilla) and Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) all join the show to celebrate and support her but also witness how things so south. Also appearing in the episode are Molly Figueroa as Tatum Stewart and fan-favorite Anita Williams (Tunie) impersonator Jackie Tyree!

Beyond the Gates

PhotoL JPI

THE 411 ON TIA AND KALISTA

Speaking with TV Insider, about their soapy experience in Fairmont Crest, Tabitha Brown previewed about her host with the most, “Tia is very professional, but she’s a girl’s girl. She is a protector of women and wants to tell their stories in a beautiful way, but she also wants to make sure they’re seen in a very good light.”

However, Burruss previews that Kalista arrives with a score to settle. “She’s spicy,” shared the recording artist. “I always love playing somebody that has come to start trouble. It’s always fun to play a villain of sorts, but Kalista feels like she’s been done wrong and she’s hurt by what she feels has been done to her. So Kalista is stirring up trouble, but she feels justified putting Dani on blast. Kalista is ready for some payback.”

Beyond the Gates is produced by CBS Studios, as part of the CBS Studios/NAACP Venture, in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. Created by head writer Michele Val Jean, executive producers include Val Jean, Sheila Ducksworth, Julie Carruthers, Tracey Thomson, Leon W. Russell, Derrick Johnson, Anna Saalfeld and Lela Coffey.

Beyond the Gates is broadcast weekdays on CBS (2:00-3:00 PM, ET/1:00-2:00 PM, PT) and is available to stream on Paramount+**.

So, looking forward to this special episode of Beyond the Gates when Dani is put on a blast during a blast from her past and Welcome to Your Life TV special? Share your thoughts via the comment section.

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Days Of Our Lives

‘Days of our Lives’ Reveals Kyle Pryor Cast as Dominic Marino

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Kyle Pryor

For months now, Days of our Lives has teased the character of Dominic Marino. In recent weeks, viewers learned that Marino is on the down low working with Sami Brady’s (Alison Sweeney) apparent fiancé ‘Dante Vitali (Franco LoPresti), and that he is the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall)!

Up until now, the Peacock streaming soap opera has never revealed his face, but that all seemed to change on the Tuesday, October 2o episode of DAYS. In story, Dante met Sami’s parents for the first time, Roman (Josh Taylor) and Marlena.

He shows them a photo of Dominic, which he happened to have on his own phone and even commented he kind of looked like he could be Marlena’s son. The photo, which has quickly made it around Soap Twitter/X, revealed that British-born actor Kyle Pryor is the man in the photo and eagle-eyed viewers actually located said photo on Pryor’s Instagram.

Dominix

Photo: Peacock

Deadline revealed Pryor started taping at the end of 2025 and will first be seen in the role, on air Monday, November 2.  In addition, Days will celebrate its 61st Anniversary with two special episodes featuring Dominic’s arrival, as well the returns of Tony and Anna DiMera, played respectively by Thaao Penghlis and Leann Hunley, on Friday, November 6 and Monday, November 9.

Those in the know, are are that Pryor previously held series regular roles on Australia’s Home and Away, and the UK’s Hollyoaks and guest starred on Emmerdale. In an ironic twist, Pryor appeared in the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand which is the same action series his apparent TV brother, Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera), once appeared in before coming to DAYS.

So excited to see Kyle Pryor take on the role of Dominic Marino as Days of our Lives sets its anniversary story to kick-off with is arrival in Salem? Share your thoughts in the comment section. And in case you missed our latest conversation with Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera) he weighs-in on how Dominic’s appearance will shake things up in Salem. You can check that out below.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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