TORONTO — Few actors can boast about being in the homes of millions of TV viewers for more than three consecutive decades.
Eric Braeden is one of those actors.
The 72-year-old, who has been playing Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless since 1980, says he’s not sure why his character — and the show — have endured.
Braeden, who was born Hans-Jörg Gudegast and left his native Germany as a teen to pursue a new life in America, has appeared on such iconic TV shows as The Rat Patrol, the original Hawaii Five-O, Wonder Woman, Kojak and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
He also had a role in one of the biggest movies of all time, Titanic.
Braeden said working on a film is much easier than doing a daytime drama.
How does he manage all that intense soap-opera dialogue?
“You either have a facility to remember or you don’t,” Braeden replied.
The actor — a former track and field athlete and soccer champion who still plays tennis — fondly recalled a recent dinner in Toronto with Canadian boxing icon George Chuvalo.
“He is as about as tough a guy as you can encounter,” said Braeden. “In and out of the ring.
“I have nothing but the deepest respect for him.”
The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on Global.
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