Days Of Our Lives
John Aniston’s Final Days of our Lives Episode Reminds Us There Was Nothing Better Than His Delivery of Victor’s One-Liners
Monday’s Christmas episode of Days of our Lives brought it with it plenty of laughter and plenty of tears as this would be the final appearance of John Aniston in his iconic role of Victor Kiriakis.
The Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award winner in 2022, passed away in November at the age of 89. Aniston’s Victor had been a key character on the Salem canvas since he first appeared in the role back in 1985.
Courtesy/CordayProductions
So just how did Aniston’s final appearance stack up with how we love to see Victor? IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE EPISODE YET, PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE SPOILERS BELOW.
As fate would have it, Victor’s final on-screen foil would be none other than Leo Stark (played to the hilt by Greg Rikaart). In the Christmas set up, Leo stayed overnight at the Kiriakis mansion unbeknownst to Victor. When Leo greets Victor on Christmas morning in his holiday jammies, he is not one bit amused. Leo asks, “So when do we open the presents?” To which Victor replies, “About an hour after we throw you out on your sugar-plum ass.” When Victor tells his longtime butler, Henderson to throw Leo out the front door, including demanding that Leo “scamper back to Whoville”, in walks Sonny (Zach Tinker).
Victor is horrified to learn that his nephew invited Leo to stay. Then, Victor reads off a laundry list of Leo’s crimes to Sonny as only he can: “Have you completely lost your senses? The man blackmailed you into marriage … almost destroyed our company with a fraudulent lawsuit … it was just last year that he drugged you and took comprising pictures of you and then sold them to the tabloids … why in God’s name would you forgive this creep!?””
Eventually, Victor gives Sonny an ultimatum: either get rid of Leo or he would fire him from his job at Titan. Sonny stands up to Victor! Telling his Uncle that he forgave Leo for his past transgressions just like many people have forgiven Victor for his over the years. Sonny goes on to say that he and Leo are starting over and that, in fact, he would call them “friends” to which Victor, in the best dead-pan delivery, says, “That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.”
Soon after, Victor reneges and not only allows Leo to stay, but allows Sonny to keep his job, stating, “I changed my mind because I have a heart of gold.” And, ain’t that the truth, that is why we have always loved Victor and John’s portrayal of the Greek tycoon. Leo promises Victor he will not hurt Sonny ever again, to which Victor replies, “I don’t know how you expect me to take you seriously when you are sitting there in baby jam jams.” In an ominous warning to Sonny and in Aniston’s last scene, Victor says, “Tell me Sonny, what does your husband think of your little sleep over party?”
Courtesy/CordayProductions
As the episode came to its conclusion, Days of our Lives included a heartfelt montage as a tribute to John and the complex character of Victor Kiriakis. From clips with Vic’s many wives including: Carly, Vivian, Kate, Nicole, Maggie, to his classic one-liners, to some of his most villainous turns, to illustrating that Victor at his core was an enduring family man, the series captured the essence of this one-of-a-kind actor.
In very moving fashion, the end of the montage featured a younger Victor sailing away on his yacht named, “Victor”. No word yet on how and when DAYS will deal with the death of Aniston on-screen.
Aniston’s final scenes truly showcased all of his strengths, that classic delivery, his humor, his strength, and most of all his humanness.
To pay tribute to John throughout Monday on the Days of our Lives YouTube page and their social platforms, looks for special messages from the cast honoring the late actor’s memory and legacy. You can check out one below from John’s on-screen son, Peter Reckell (Bo Brady).
So, what did you think of John Aniston’s final episode of Days of our Lives? The montage? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
The tribute at the end was great. I loved seeing the Victor/Stephano scene. Joe and John at thier finest. Also, you can tell by on the tributes from different cast members what an impact he had on them personally. These tributes are truly heartfelt.
Honestly Michael, no wonder you don’t cover Days Of Our Lives much. 1 comment at the time of my writing! That’s ridiculous. Maybe we don’t deserve you.
The tribute today was perfect. I loved seeing Victor at sea on his boat. I’ll truly miss the character. His final jab at Sonny today about Will was flawless.
Thanks, Michael! I appreciate this review and your coverage of the DOOL.
It was a very nice episode! We will miss him greatly… love watching days on peacock and can’t wait to see what they do in February! Thank you Michael for your coverage! Sorry I read everything just don’t always comment I will try and do better!
Most of his scenes were in the first half of the show and I so wanted to see more of him in the second half. Still, it was vintage! I loved the tribute at the end. So much to cover. Well done!
I know a lot of people were so broken up about watching his last scenes. It makes me wonder where Victor was going to be for the next four or five months if they taped so far ahead and this was his last day of shooting before he passed.
He cannot be replaced; Victor cannot be recast. NO ONE could play Victor ever again.
I’m confident they’ll do a wonderful storyline to usher the character off to the great beyond.
John Aniston made DOOL worth watching
Though it was obvious the last couple of years that John wasn’t physically doing all that well (all his scenes were shot with him sitting) mentally, he never lost a step even up until his last day on the job, delivering those one liners, and I’d be willing to bet a few souls that some of those were ad-libbed. Why not? It’s not like anybody was going to cut them from the scenes, as great as they were.
Just as it was with Joe Mascolo before him, John leaves a hole in the Salem canvas that isn’t going to filled anytime soon. It was great to see them on screen together one last time, even if it was a flashback.
A Great Actor Period.
Hi Michael,
I thought the tributes to Mr. John Aniston were extremely moving and touching. He was such a presence that will be forever missed on Days. But Days honors their character’s so I am sure John and Victor will not be forgotten thankfully.
Just a note, that although I don’t comment a
lot, it does not mean that I, and I am sure many others, don’t appreciate all of your coverage, especially on Days. We do. Thank you for all the hard work you do.
Hope you are feeling better and wishing you a very happy, healthy,, and peaceful New Year. Sincerely, Iris
I wish they would air this on regular peacock just for this episode
Beyond the Gates
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the full list of nominees for the upcoming 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and it was CBS daytime’s The Young and the Restless and broadcast television newest soap opera, Beyond the Gates that racked up the most nominations with 18 and 16, respectively.
The full reveal on Tuesday follows the announcement of several major categories including Lead Actor and Actress on Monday via Extra and Entertainment Tonight and The View today revealing Daytime Drama Series and more.
The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmys ceremony is set to take place on Friday, October 30 at the historic Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California.
Photo: CBS
In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS expressed, “We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television, As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
“Each year, the Daytime Emmy Awards celebrate the creativity, passion, and dedication that drive this vibrant community of storytellers,” said Rachel Schwartz, Head of the Daytime Emmy Awards. “Congratulations to this year’s nominees, whose work continues to entertain, inspire and connect with audiences every day. We look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements in Hollywood this October.”
The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of genres, including daytime dramas, talk series, entertainment news, culinary, adventure, instructional and legal/courtroom programming.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Gold & Silver Circle Inductees, and ceremony host will be announced at a later date.
Now below, check out the nominees in the daytime drama, talk show, entertainment news series and creative arts categories and congratulations to all!
Photo: JPI
Outstanding Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Stacy Haiduk (as Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives
Karla Mosley (as Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Michelle Stafford (as Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless
Heather Tom (as Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful
Tamara Tunie (as Anita Williams Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Eric Braeden (as Victor Newman), The Young and the Restless
Steve Burton (as Jason Morgan), General Hospital
Scott Clifton (as Liam Spencer), The Bold and the Beautiful
Thorsten Kaye (as Ridge Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful
Christian Jules Le Blanc (as Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Linsey Godfrey (as Sarah Horton), Days of Our Lives
Camryn Grimes (as Mariah Copeland), The Young and the Restless
Beth Maitland (as Traci Abbott), The Young and the Restless
Trisha Mann-Grant (as Leslie Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Amanda Setton (as Brook Lynn Quartermaine), General Hospital
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Sean Dominic (as Nate Hastings), The Young and the Restless
Timon Kyle Durrett (as Bill Hamilton), Beyond the Gates
Michael Graziadei (as Daniel Romalotti), The Young and the Restless
Roger Howarth (as Matt Clark), The Young and the Restless
Mike Manning (as Bradley “Smitty” Smith), Beyond the Gates
Lawrence Saint-Victor (as Carter Walton), The Bold and the Beautiful
Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series
Braedyn Bruner (as Emma Scorpio-Drake), General Hospital
Al Calderon (as Javier Hernandez), Days of Our Lives
Alice Halsey (as Rachel Black), Days of Our Lives
Giovanni Mazza (as Gio Palmieri), General Hospital
Ambyr Michelle (as Eva Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Arielle Prepetit (as Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series
Jasmine Burke (as June Hughes), Beyond the Gates
Jeff Kober (as Cyrus Renault), General Hospital
Eva LaRue (as Natalia Rogers-Ramirez), General Hospital
Christopher Sean (as Paul Narita), Days of Our Lives
Ray Wise (as Ian Ward), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
Outstanding Directing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Casting for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series
3rd Hour of TODAY
The Drew Barrymore Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Live With Kelly and Mark
TODAY With Jenna & Friends
The View
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host
Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin & Ana Navarro, The View
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall
Jennifer Hudson, The Jennifer Hudson Show
Sherri Shepherd, Sherri
Outstanding Entertainment News Series
Access Hollywood
Entertainment Tonight
Extra
Outstanding Daytime Personality (Daily)
Mona Kosar Abdi, Derek Hough & Terri Seymour, Extra
Cassie DiLaura, Denny Directo, Kevin Frazier, Rachel Smith & Nischelle Turner, Entertainment Tonight
Scott Evans, Zuri Hall, Kit Hoover & Mario Lopez, Access Hollywood
Star Jones & Corey Jovan, Divorce Court
Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program
Beyond the Gates: Welcome to the Neighborhood — An Entertainment Tonight Special
Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter
Variety & CNN Actors on Actors
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Working In the Theatre
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Daytime
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
Have Guitar Will Travel World
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Let Frankie Cook,” Getting the Band Back Together
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Outstanding Technical Direction and Video for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 104
The Bold and the Beautiful,” Episode 9511
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade”
The Jennifer Hudson Show, ” Episode 4041
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”
Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
General Hospital, Episode 15719
The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Episode 5033
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13273
So, what do you think of the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations? Who are you happy to see receive a nomination and who do you think was snubbed? Weigh-in via the comment section.
Monday on Entertainment Tonight, the second set of nominations for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced which included the highly-coveted Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actress and Outstanding Daytime Talk Series.
ET followed suit after Extra announced the nominees, as previously reported, in the Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actor and Outstanding Daytime Talk Host.
Now, five leading ladies of the soaps are vying for the gold for Lead Actress and the category marked the first-ever nominations for CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates when two actresses made the final cut. Only General Hospital is not represented among the actresses this year after Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) took home the trophy last year.
Photo: NATAS
THE FIVE LEADING LADIES OF THE SOAPS ARE …
The 2026 Lead Actress nominees are: Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives, Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless, Heather Tom (Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree), Beyond the Gates.
This marks the first Daytime Emmy nominations for Karla Mosley and Tamara Tunie. In addition, this marks the first-time in her career that Stacy Haiduk had received a Lead Actress nod after two Supporting Actress nominations.
Meanwhile, Michelle Stafford had previously won 3 Emmys – 2 for Lead Actress and 1 for Supporting, but this recognition makes it her 11th overall nomination.
Heather Tom currently is tied for the most all-time Daytime Emmy wins with One Life to Live alum and General Hospital guest star, Erika Slezak. The B&B star has 19 nominations throughout her career.
Photo: ABC
DAYTIME TALK SERIES
In the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series category, the nominees are: 3rd Hour of Today, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, Today with Jenna and Friends and The View.
“We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television,” NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement on the nominations. “As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
The rest of the nominations will be revealed tomorrow on Tuesday July 14 starting on The View and then the full list of nominees in both the main and creative arts will be released by NATAS. The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are slated for October 30th in Hollywood, California.
So, what do you think about the women who are vying for the Lead Actress Daytime Emmy? Happy with who got in? Who do you feel got snubbed? What do you think of the nominees for Daytime Talk Series? Weigh-in via the comment section.
It’s Daytime Emmy nomination week, and as previously reported things kick-off on Monday, July 13 when Entertainment Tonight (7pm ET) will announce the nominees for Lead Actress category and Daytime Talk Series for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. In addition on Monday, Extra (7pm ET) will reveal the nominees for Lead Actor and Daytime Talk Host.
On Tuesday, The View (11am ET) starts things off with their announcement of Daytime Drama, Entertainment News program and Outstanding Daytime Personality-Daily. That is followed by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) full reveal of all the categories beginning at 12noon ET/9am PT on their website and their official social handles on X and Instagram.
Then, Tuesday night at 8pm ET/5pm PT join Michael Fairman as he hosts his 12th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Special 2026 live on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel where he will chat with some of the just announced nominees as we celebrate the hard work of the men and women in front of the camera who will be going for gold.
WHEN ARE THE DAYTIME EMMYS?
This year, the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be handed out on October 30 in ceremonies in Hollywood, California (Venue yet to be revealed). At that time, as like last year, both the major categories and creative arts will be presented. There is no word yet on a broadcast partner for the annual celebration of daytime programming, or if it will soley be streamed on NATAS’ watch.theemmys.tv and various apps and platforms.
WHO WILL BE APPEARING ON THE DAYTIME EMMY NOMINATIONS SPECIAL 2026?
Throughout Tuesday, keep an eye on Michael Fairman TV’s social media handles on X, Facebook and Instagram, for updates of who will be expected to appear on our live show.
If you have a question or comment for one of the nominees, or on the nominations, we can encourage you to join us in the live chat on Tuesday night.
So, who are you hoping lands a nomination from Beyond the Gates, General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, The Bay, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless? Let us know via the comment section. More Tuesday!
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16
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53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress Drama Series
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GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers Promo: Jason’s Back, Drew Begins to Make His Move, Portia Goes Into a Labor
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