Addictions, kidnappings, attempted murder, prison time, oh my! The shenanigans of Erica Kane could put any Jerry Springer talk show guest to shame; the way she weaves vulnerability and treachery would titillate even the most hardened producers. “Picture it,” the producer would say during a pitch to show execs, “a group of our audience members hurling insults towards the petite temptress. The crowd gasping, as we rattle out a list of Erica’s hellish stunts; her plots to have an abortion behind her husband’s back, threats of suicide to snag a man, child abduction, an affair with her brother-n-law, her addiction to pain killers and alcohol, the stabbing of the eighth of her ten husbands—yes, ten—insider trading and so on and so forth.
"And then," the producer continues, " a teary-eyed Erica fights to elevate her voice over her critics; feverishly trying to convince them she’s not the queen of manipulation but indeed the queen of perseverance—someone who’s pulled herself up by her own bootstraps to become a success; a person who’s triumphed over the aftermath of a rape-related pregnancy at age 14; a woman who kept her head up even when her face was disfigured after a car accident. Imagine what a memorable show it would become after the rants of sarcasm are overthrown by empathetic awes, says the producer. The audience would leave the show craving more!”
The chants of an encore are just what All My Children’s Susan Lucci envisioned as she played dress-up in her Scarsdale, N.Y., home as a child.
“I always knew I wanted to be a performer,” said Susan, who’s been with "All My Children" since its 1970 inception. “My mother would let me play in her dresser and I would pull out her scarves and tiaras. I would listen to music and then learn the lyrics. I made up stories and acted them out using different voices. I would also recruit the kids in the neighborhood to be in the plays,” she said.
Whilst a visionary, Susan didn’t imagine she’d one day become an Emmy award- winning actress, reach icon status, land a star next to some of her very own idols on the Holly wood Walk of Fame or become the highest-paid actor in daytime television, according to published reports.
Yes, the continuing trials and tribulations of her character, Erica, have catapulted Susan to sky-scraping success. For 38 years, Erica has kept fans on the edge of their seats wondering what trouble she will get into next and how she’ll finesse her way out of it. For example, Erica is currently sitting in prison accused of insider trading.
Despite the demands of playing such a complex character, and those of a grueling work schedule, Susan said her passion for entertaining is just as intense, if not more, as it was when she was a kid.
“I keep going because I love it. If you don’t love it (your career) you can’t keep it up,” said the woman who was nominated for an Emmy 18 times before capturing the award in 1999.
Regardless of the debates and satires about her lack of Emmy wins, Susan steadily proved she had the Midas touch. In 1991, the actress successfully launched her very own line of hair care products dubbed the Susan Lucci Collection. The release of the collection was followed by many lucrative skin care, fashion, jewelry and makeup lines currently selling on the Home Shopping Network (HSN).
After earning the reputation of a multicfacted television actress and a savvy business woman, one would think Susan would take a break to relish in her successes. But not a chance. In 1999, she decided to take on Broadway. She starred in the Broadway revival of "Annie Get Your Gun . " Even her harshest critics were impressed. She also grabbed the attention of another legend, Regis Philbin. Regis thought she’d be a perfect opening act for his cross-country musical performances.
“After making my Broadway debut, Regis asked me if I’d ever wanted to work with him. I was so flattered and excited because I didn’t have a club act, and he highly suggested I get one together. So when I finished with "Annie Get Your Gun, " I continued to work with my voice teacher and then debuted my cabaret show at ‘Feinstein’s at the Regency.’ When Regis asked me again to team up with him, I said yes.”
Nine years later, the pair continues to mesmerize sold-out crowds. But more profound than her fervor for entertaining and designing is the love Susan has for her family. In a day and age where marriages are becoming extinct—usually quicker in Hollywood—Susan realizes she hit the jackpot when she married Austrian businessman Helmut Huber.
“I got very lucky. I was young and wasn’t even sure I wanted to get married,” said Lucci. However, she said, it was Helmut’s sense of humor and swagger that helped to seal the deal.
“My husband was very sure of himself and that self-assuredness has been very good because he’s never been competitive with me or felt threatened in any way. He knows who he is; he’s smart and I look to him for his opinions,” she said.
The couple has two children, Andreas and Liza Huber. Liza is best known for her work as Gwen Hotchkiss on the daytime soap, "Passions." She recently gave Susan the best birthday gift ever when she gave birth to a baby boy on December 23, 2006. With the arrival of little Royce Alexander and the relocation of his parents to New York, Susan feels her life has come full-circle.
“It’s truly amazing. Now things are the way they really should be. When they were in Los Angeles we’d go there and they would come here, but it is very different when you’re visiting than when you’re living close by. And this baby is so happy and fabulous, just a sweetheart. My daughter’s wonderful with him as is her husband. This is just a blessing multiplied,” said Susan.
For more information on Susan’s future endeavors, and those of her character, Erica Kane, please visit www.susanlucci.com or abc.go.com. The "All My Children" star will unveil her new line of clothing and fragrances on HSN on Tuesday, July 8 at 1 p.m.
This interview obtained by chinika.com may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Chinika, LLC .
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Susan Lucci: The Midas Touch
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