Eric Braeden wasn’t supposed to stay on The Young and the Restless forever — when he first walked onto the Genoa City set in 1980 as Victor Newman, it was meant to be just a short stint. But something changed. He fell in love with the character, the storytelling, and the world, and decided to stick around — for 45 years and counting. Over those decades, he became more than an actor on a soap — he became the face of Victor Newman and a cornerstone of the show itself.
Key Takeaways
- Eric Braeden immigrated to the U.S. as a teen, earned a track-and-field scholarship, and became a naturalized citizen while in college.
- His adventure documentary The Riverbusters led him to Los Angeles, where he began landing TV roles, including a 1966 guest spot on Mission: Impossible.
- Braeden broke out as Captain Hans Dietrich on The Rat Patrol and later earned Germany’s Federal Medal of Honor for promoting a positive image of Germans in America.
- Since joining Y&R in 1980, he has become iconic as Victor Newman, winning a Daytime Emmy in 1998 and remaining a champion of the soap genre.
Track Record
Born Hans Gudegast on April 3 in Kiel, Germany, during World War II, the future star was a standout athlete from an early age. Excelling in track and field, he honed his skills before immigrating to the United States as a teen. In Texas and Montana, Gudegast worked as a translator, cowhand, and lumber mill laborer, showcasing his grit and determination. His athletic talent eventually earned him a scholarship to Montana State University, setting the stage for a remarkable journey in sports and beyond. While in college, Braeden became a naturalized citizen.
Bit By The Acting Bug
While in college, Braeden teamed up with friend Bob McKinnon to create The Riverbusters, a documentary chronicling their daring journey as the first men to navigate a boat from the source to the mouth of the Salmon River and back. Hoping to find a distributor in Los Angeles, he instead discovered that his striking looks and distinctive accent made him a natural for the acting world. Braeden was a guest star on Mission Impossible during the show’s first season, in 1966, as Andrei Fetyukov. He is pictured with Barbara Bain.
Hero Complex
After landing small roles under his real name, he broke through with the lead antagonist role of Captain Hans Dietrich on the World War II–themed TV series The Rat Patrol, establishing himself as a memorable screen presence. Braeden was awarded the Federal Medal of Honor by the president of Germany for promoting a “positive, realistic image of Germans in America”.
Mad Scientist
In 1971 Braeden starred in the film Escape from the Planet of the Apes as Dr. Otto Hasslein a villainous science advisor who is determined to kill the apes. Braeden also starred as John Jacob Astor in the film Titanic.
Daytime Leading Man
Braeden joined the cast of Y&R as one of daytime’s most iconic characters, self-made tycoon Victor Newman, in 1980. His work on the soap has earned him numerous Daytime Emmy Award nominations, and he brought home the trophy for Outstanding Lead Actor in 1998. He published a best-selling memoir, I’ll Be Damned, in 2017. The actor is also a cancer survivor and is a big defender of the soap genre. Braeden and his wife, Dale, are parents to a son, Christian, and he is a doting grandfather.
