Eric Braeden: An Actor Biography

Name: Eric Braeden
Occupation: Actor (Portrays Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless)
Date of Birth: April 3, 1941
Marital Status: Married Dale Russell (1966 – present) 1 child – Christian

Biography
Born Hans-Jörg Gudegast on April 3, 1941, in Kiel, Braeden grew up in nearby Bredenbek, Germany. As a high school student-athlete, his wins in discus, javelin, and shot-put contributed to his team winning the National German Youth Championship.

Leaving his native Germany, Braeden emigrated to the US in 1959. He settled in Texas, where a cousin found him work as a translator. After a few months, he left for Montana, to work on the ranch of a fellow German ex-pat.

He earned a partial athletic scholarship to the University of Montana (then Montana State University) and worked part-time at a lumber mill. It was in Montana where Braeden met Bob McKinnon.

No long after, McKinnon convinced him to join a sponsored motorboat trip up and down the treacherous Salmon River. The idea was to film a documentary of the journey and take it to California.

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Y&R: Victor vs. Jack

While Life magazine showed interest, the duo missed the publication’s deadline. They took their finished product, The Riverbusters, on the L.A. talkshow circuit.

Braeden decided to remain in California and worked odd jobs at restaurants, while studying Political Science at Santa Monica State, which is where he met and fell in love with his future wife. He began working in TV and film and a few years later, the professional became a full fledged actor.

Career Highlights

Made first appearance on TV in 1961
Appeared in more than 30 shows
Awarded Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1998 for his role as Victor Newman on Y&R
Nominated for Awarded Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1990, 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2004 for his role as Victor Newman on Y&R
Received a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame on July 20, 2007.

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