HEART to heart

You were born near the height of World War II in Germany. What do you recall about that time?

Being put into the basement every night, burning smells and bombs, lots of bombs. I have vivid memories of the sound when the bomber approached and hit. My town was almost entirely destroyed.

How was your family affected?

I almost lost my youngest brother, because half of the top of the house exploded away and he was still there, sleeping in his crib.

You must’ve been terrified.

You grow up with an enormous loathing of warfare and those who cause it. The thing I’ve learned is: Don’t be too arrogant or underestimate people.

You moved to the U.S. at age 18. How did you get your first big break?

In German high school, you have to read aloud, and you’re graded on how you interpret things, so I was very good at all these [auditions] here. One of my first films [1965’s Morituri ] was with Marlon Brando. What a great actor! When we filmed on a ship, we’d talk politics and throw the football to each other.

You worked with another icon on a ship: Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic.

I knew he was a natural-born actor because, in between scenes, he’d imitate stars like Jack Nicholson, and I thought, This guy’s really gifted!

You became an icon yourself on Y&R. How did it change your life?

Most people don’t realize how tough a business this really is. Only around 1 percent of [professional] Hollywood actors make a living, and only a small percentage of those make a good living. It’s given me a steady job for 37 years, which, in this business, is unheard of.

What attracted you to the role?

I wasn’t interested — didn’t even know what daytime TV was! And I found it was the hardest medium. We used to shoot 80 pages a day, and now we shoot 110 to 120. I wanted to leave after a year, but my wife reminded me to look at it as a challenge…and the rest is history! I’ve also liked it because I asked [Y&R co-creator] Bill Bell to give Victor a tragic background that makes who he is understandable. We infused him with humanity.

Victor has had many wives, but you’ve been married to Dale for a half-century. What’s your secret?

A lot of forgiveness. One of the primary things is that you like the person as a human being, and then it has to do with growing up as a loyal person. Beyond that, I can’t tell you. It’s the luck of the draw.

And you’ll turn 76 in April.…

Youth is wasted on the young — you wish you could do things a little differently, though I don’t really regret anything.

Are you still racing cars?

Not anymore — your reactions slow down a bit. The last time was about three or four years ago. I was racing Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Petty, I came in second and third in two races and it still pisses me off! [Laughs] You always want to win.

So what keeps you engaged today?

Nowadays I’m more interested in what my sweet granddaughters [Tatiana, Oksana and Angelika] and my son are doing — he’s writing and directing a film with Gerard Butler. I enjoy that more than any success I’ve had. When I see the kids, those are moments when you really appreciate life enormously. — Reporting by Ilyssa Panitz

“I love America!

It’s been an extraordinary

adventure.”

— Eric “When I meet fans, I say, ‘Now I know why

I love what I do.’ ”

— Eric