Award-winning American actress Susan Lucci was born on December 23, 1946 in Scarsdale, New York. She’s always dreamed of being a performer since she was young, and spent her teenage years taking voice and dance lessons, and participating in community theater productions. She also took part in several school plays before taking a degree in theater arts at the Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, eventually graduating in 1968.
During the late 1960s, Lucci started dabbling in small acting roles, playing bit roles in shows such as Love Is A Many Splendored Thing and As The World Turns. She also played stand-in work for movies and understudy roles in off-Broadway plays. In 1970, she signed on a role in the daytime soap All My Children, which was yet to premiere. She played the role of Erika Kane, a role which she would be best known for. Her character started off as a model with a close relationship with her mother (Frances Heflin). During her run, which continues to this day, she’s been through numerous marriages, somewhat outrageous cir!$#!#stances, and most notably, the first legal abortion on television after the Roe v. Wade decision.
Lucci’s run on the daytime soap made her synonymous with daytime television itself. Consequently, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy a total of 21 times, and finally won one in 1999, after her image of not having won an Emmy has been lampooned by the media. Her victory nevertheless came as a surprise, and her teary-eyed acceptance speech—and a long standing ovation in honor of her win—made headline news.
Lucci also had a notable presence on prime time television. Aside from several television movies, she played several guest roles in the television series Dallas, and also hosted an edition of Saturday Night Live. She also starred in the Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun, taking on a role from 1999 to 2000.
Susan Lucci has also been slated as a contestant on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars, teaming up with Tony Dovolani. Joining 13 other couples, the two are set to perform various types of dances that will enable them to win the much-coveted mirror ball trophy. The show is hosted by Emmy Award-winning game show host Tom Bergeron, and features Len Goodman, Carrie Anne Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli as the panel of judges.