Eric Braeden is a renowned German-born American actor, whose illustrious career has spanned over five decades. Born Hans Gudegast in Kiel, Germany, during World War II, he was an exceptional athlete, excelling in track-and-field events. As a teenager, he immigrated to the United States, where he worked in various jobs, including translation, cowhand, and lumber millhand, before earning a scholarship to Montana State University.
During his college days, he co-produced a documentary film, The Riverbusters, about his and friend Bob McKinnon's record-breaking attempt to navigate the Salmon River. Although the film didn't find a distributor, his athletic build and accented English caught the attention of Hollywood, and he began acting under his real name. He landed a leading role in the World War II television series The Rat Patrol (1966),playing the sympathetic German officer Captain Hans Dietrich.
The series was a huge success, and Gudegast's performance earned him recognition and popularity. He appeared in several films and television shows, including the science-fiction thriller Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970),before being typecast as a Nazi. To break free from this stereotype, he reluctantly changed his name to Eric Braeden and continued working in television movies and stage productions.
In 1980, Braeden accepted a role in the daytime drama The Young and the Restless (1973),which became a turning point in his career. As the lead character Victor Newman, he brought gravity and charisma to the show, maintaining his charm and athleticism well into his sixties. Throughout his nearly quarter-century tenure on the show, he received numerous award nominations, including five Emmy nominations and three wins.
Braeden has also made notable appearances in films, such as Titanic (1997),and has been recognized for his contributions to the German-American community. He was appointed to the German-American Advisory Board in 1987 and received the Federal Medal of Honor from the President of Germany in 1991.
