What happened to Eric Braeden

Eric Braeden

German actor (born 1941)

Eric Braeden (born Hans-Jrg Gudegast; April 3, 1941)^[1] is a German film and television actor, known for his roles as Victor Newman on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, as Hans Dietrich in the 1960s TV series The Rat Patrol, Dr. Charles Forbin in Colossus: The Forbin Project, as Dr. Otto Hasslein in Escape from the Planet of the Apes, and as John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film Titanic. He won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1998 for Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the role of Victor Newman.^[1][2]

Early life[edit]

Braeden was born Hans-Jrg Gudegast in Bredenbek, Germany (near Kiel),^[1] a small village in northern Germany where his father was once mayor. He emigrated to the United States in 1959, and attended the University of Montana, Missoula.^{[citation needed]}

In his autobiography, titled I'll Be Damned, published by Harper Collins in 2017,^[3] Braeden said that he was a survivor of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff sinking. The ship was a German transport evacuating civilians, military personnel, and technicians as part of Operation Hannibal, which was sunk on January 30, 1945, by Soviet submarine S-13, in the Baltic Sea. An estimated 9,400 people died. It was the largest loss of life in a single ship sinking in history.

Braeden accumulated many TV and film credits during his first two decades in America, and guest-starred in 120 roles. His earliest credits were all under his birth name, Hans Gudegast.

During the 1960s, he appeared in several episodes of TV's longest-running World War II drama (19621967) Combat!, always playing a German soldier. In 1965, he appeared in a film called Morituri starring Marlon Brando and Yul Brynner, and guest-starred in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. as T.H.R.U.S.H. agent Mr. Oakes in "The Discotheque Affair", season two, episode five.

In 1966, he guest-starred as Luftwaffe Major Bentz in episode 28, "Day of Reckoning", of season two of the TV series Twelve O'Clock High (a series which was very loosely based on the classic 1949 war film with the same name) and also appeared in an episode of the 1966 espionage drama series Blue Light. His main character for the next two years was his regular starring role playing German Hauptmann (Captain) Hans Dietrich on the TV series The Rat Patrol (19661968),

He starred in the 1969 Western 100 Rifles with Raquel Welch, Burt Reynolds, and Jim Brown (noted for the first big-screen interracial love scene between Welch and Brown), once again playing a villainous German military officer opposite Fernando Lamas. This was his last credit under his birth name.

His starring role in the movie Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970), was when he first took the stage name of Eric Braeden. Lew Wasserman of Universal Pictures told him that no one would be allowed to star in an American film if he or she had a German name. After much thought, he took the name Braeden from his hometown of Bredenbek.^[4]

His other movie appearances in the 1970s included the role of Dr. Otto Hasslein in Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), and that of the arrogant but formidable race-car driver, Bruno von Stickle, in Walt Disney's 1977 Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. Throughout the 1970s, he also guest-starred in a variety of television shows, including The Six Million Dollar Man, Wonder Woman, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and also appeared in several episodes of the long-running CBS Western series Gunsmoke.

In addition to many episodic roles, Braeden also appeared as Colonel John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. Braeden told Cindy Elavsky that filming the scene in Titanic, in which his character drowned, "was one of the scariest moments in this business for me."^[5]

Victor Newman[edit]

In 1980, he was offered the role of self-made business magnate Victor Newman on the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. Initially, the role was for a 26-week run. His character imprisoned his wife's lover, and became so popular the character became a love-to-hate villain, and his contract was extended.

Braeden won a Daytime Emmy for his work in 1998. ^[6] In February 2017 he celebrated his 37th anniversary with the show.^[7] In 2020, the show marked Braeden's 40th anniversary as Victor onscreen.^[8]

In October 2009, Braeden and The Young and the Restless came to an impasse regarding contract negotiations, and press reports indicated he might leave the show. CBS later announced, though, that Braeden had inked a new three-year deal and would remain with the show, agreeing to a reduction in salary, which was the original issue.^[9]

Personal life[edit]

In 1958, Braeden, under his birth name Hans-Jrg Gudegast, won the Germany National Team Championship in track and field (discus, shot put, and javelin) with the Rendsburger TSV. Braeden later went on to win the 1973 National Challenge Cup as a fullback with the Jewish American soccer club Maccabi Los Angeles, scoring the winning goal in the semifinal game and a penalty kick in the championship game against Chicago Croatian.^[10] In the 1970s/80s, he could often be seen boxing at the Hoover Street and Broadway gyms in Los Angeles. He was a tennis player and has participated in many celebrity events.^[11]

He married his college sweetheart Dale Russell in 1966. His son, Christian, is a director who created the film Den of Thieves, starring Gerard Butler.^[11]

In April 2023, Braeden announced he was diagnosed with "high-grade" bladder cancer.^[12] He discovered his cancer diagnosis while recovering from knee-replacement surgery and while undergoing prostate-related treatment.^[13] In August 2023, Braeden revealed he was now cancer-free.^[14]

Filmography[edit]

Awards and nominations[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Eric Braeden". Soap Opera Digest. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
2. ^ "Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees: 1998". SoapOperaDigest.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2009. Retrieved July 10, 2009.
3. ^ Braeden, Eric (2017). I'll Be Damned: How My Young and Restless Life Led Me to America's #1 Daytime Drama. HarperCollins. ISBN9780062476111.
4. ^ Weaver, Tom. "Eric Braeden Interview". In I Talked with a Zombie: Interviews with 23 veterans of Horror and Sci-fi Films and Television, McFarland, 2009, pp. 1112
5. ^ Elavsky, Cindy (2012-03-16). "Celebrity Extra". Downriver Sunday Times. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
6. ^ "Daytime Emmys Central: 25th Annual (1997-1998)".
7. ^ "I'll be Damned! Eric Braeden's Life Story is Soon to Hit Shelves the Suds Hub". Archived from the original on 2016-11-08. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
8. ^ "TV Iron Man Eric Braeden Marks 40 Years on 'Young and the Restless'". 14 February 2020.
9. ^ Kate Stanhope. "Eric Braeden Returning to Young and the Restless". TVGuide.com.
10. ^ Zeller, Johnathan (June 29, 2015). "Los Angeles' Forgotten Jewish Soccer Dynasty". VICE Sports. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
11. ^ ^{a b} "Victor, Victorious". Soap Opera Weekly. 2007-02-13. p.32.
12. ^ "'Young and the Restless' star Eric Braeden reveals cancer diagnosis". MSN. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
13. ^ "'Young and the Restless' star Eric Braeden says he has cancer and reveals common symptom he had". Yahoo. 24 April 2023.
14. ^ "Eric Braeden, 'Young and the Restless' star, says he's now cancer-free". CNN. 15 August 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
15. ^ "B&B; Daily Recaps Archives - Recaps for The week of January 25, 1999". Soapcentral. Archived from the original on July 12, 2001. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
16. ^ "B&B; Daily Recaps Archives - Recaps for The week of January 25, 1999". Soapcentral. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
17. ^ "1987 Emmy Winners & Nominees". Soap Opera Digest. New York City, New York: American Media, Inc. Archived from the original on August 18, 2004. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
18. ^ "The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 1989". Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. 11 April 2003. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
19. ^ Goudas, John N. (May 26, 1990). "Emmy nominees announced". TimesDaily. Florence, Alabama: Tennessee Valley Printing Co. p.70. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
20. ^ Richmond, Ray (April 5, 1996). "'Y&R' leads Emmy nominations". ObserverReporter. Washington, Pennsylvania: Observer Publishing Company. p.11. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
21. ^ "1997 Emmy Winners & Nominees". Soap Opera Digest. New York City, New York: American Media, Inc. Archived from the original on August 18, 2004. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
22. ^ "Readers just can't cope without scoop on soaps". Sun Journal. March 28, 1997. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
23. ^ Margulies, Lee (May 18, 1998). "'All My Children' Tops Daytime Emmys". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
24. ^ "Daytime Emmy Nominees List 1". Variety. Los Angeles, California: Penske Business Media. March 11, 1999. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
25. ^ "The Soap Opera Digest Awards: 2001". Soap Opera Digest. soapoperadigest.com. 14 April 2003. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
26. ^ Havens, Candace (May 12, 2000). "Lead actress Emmy race too close to call". The Union Democrat. Sonora, California: Western Communications. p.55. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
27. ^ "The 31st Annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations" (PDF). New York: emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 4, 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
28. ^ "Soap Awards France 2017: Hlne Rolls, Les Mystres de l'amour, Ambroise Michel, Terre de passions, Eric Braeden... le palmars complet". France: toutelatele.com and Mdiamtrie. June 1, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
29. ^ ^{a b} "Soap Awards France 2018: Sharon Case, Clment Rmiens, Fanny (Elsa Esnoult), Demain nous appartient... le palmars complet". France: toutelatele.com and Mdiamtrie. March 28, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
30. ^ Montgomery, Daniel (September 2, 2020). "1st Annual Soap Hub Awards decided by fans honored 'Days of Our Lives,' Steve Burton, Sharon Case and more". Gold Derby. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved September 3, 2020.

External links[edit]

Eric Braeden of 'Young and the Restless' details early bladder cancer symptoms to break the stigma

After announcing that he was cancer-free last month, actor Eric Braeden is eager to return to regularly scheduled programming, aka his normal life.

I already am (in fighting shape). Ive already kind of forgotten about it," the star of The Young and the Restless, 81, tells TODAY.com over the phone.

It's an appropriate response from the daytime legend, who hasn't skipped a beat since he was diagnosed with bladder cancer earlier this year.

After Braeden went public with his diagnosis in April, he continued to star as Victor Newman on daytime's No. 1 rated series, and he's also kept up with his workout routine, only making slight adjustments. He still walks, runs and lifting weights regularly.

That's not to say it hasn't been a challenging road for the industry veteran, who has appeared in over 120 TV series and feature films, including "Titanic." But he's eager to share his journey because he knows prostate problems can be a tough topic for many men.

There certainly shouldnt be any (stigma)" associated with talking about your health, he says.

Eric Braeden's cancer journey

Earlier this year, Braeden says he experienced aninordinate amount of peeing at night and went to the doctor to get things checked out. He underwent a procedure toreduce the volume of the prostrate and treat the frequent urination problem.

It worked for a while, and then it started again. Obviously the prostate had regrown and was again doing its impingement work on the urethra," Braeden explains.

The star went to the urologist again, and the doctor misdiagnosed him, saying there was nothing to be concerned about. However, four months later Braeden couldn't urinate anymore.

"It's a scary feeling," he recalls.

Braeden sought a second opinion from another doctor, who took a closer look inside his bladder and found cancer. Afterward, he had yet another procedure to remove the cancer and waited for a biopsy to come back to determine the next steps.

The biopsy uncovered high-grade cancer cells, meaning the cells were more abnormal and likely more aggressive, so Braeden needed to undergo immunotherapy treatments for six weeks. Even then, he maintained his positive attitude.

"It is only uncomfortable on the day of, really. It's not bad. It burns a lot that day, and you take a little pill to reduce the burning," he says.

Afterward, Braeden's medical team checked things out once again and found no remaining signs of cancer.

"But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be vigilant," Braeden explains, adding that his team advised that he undergo three more doses of immunotherapy.

The actor describes the whole process as "manageable," and says he appreciates how "fascinating" medicine is.

"I have enormous respect for medicine because you realize it's not only a science, but it's also an art. Why, for example, did the first urologist not detect the cancer when only a few months later the other one did?" he says.

Braeden's medical team is now trying to determine if his cancer was caused by genetic or environmental factors since his older brother, who will soon be 90, had his bladder removed due to cancer.

Going public with his diagnosis

Braeden was inspired to go public with his story because of his brother's own medical journey. "Had I not heard about his story, I would have said, 'Oh, s---. What's happening now?'" he says, adding that his brother is doing well.

Once he shared his diagnosis, Braeden was overwhelmed by fans positive words of encouragement. What helped a great deal is the fact that when I was open with the public, it was wonderful support, he says. I love the audience.

He's now using his platform to remind people to stay on top of their medical care.

"Im a huge advocate of doing all these tests before (something happens). Do them regularly, he says. "I want to know my enemy. When someone threatens me, I come after them."

The more preventive we are, the easier it is to treat things, he adds.

Still 'young and restless' after all these years

Throughout his cancer treatment, Braeden continued to work on The Young and the Restless soap opera actors are in a different union from SAG-AFTRA,which is currently on strike and he says that having a routine has been therapeutic, with or without something being wrong (with your health).

The actor shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. I love my work. I still am challenged by making it as real as I can, he says.

Physical activity has also continued to be been a priority for Braeden. In fact, he believes it's particularly critical as you age.

You can make your muscles stronger to the very end of your life, he says.

Braeden recommends doing something physical every day, stressing that it doesn't have to be a hardcore workout. Sports have made me who I am. ... From early on you learn to overcome obstacles, he says.