Eric Braden

Eric Braden is a German-American television and film actor who is best known for his role as Victor Newman on the CBS Daytime Serial, The Young and the Restless.  He was born, Hans-Jorg Gudehast on April 3, 1941.  He is also best known for his role as Hans  Dietrich in the 1966 television series The Rat Patrol (while he was still Hans Gudehast); and as John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic.  He won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless.

 EARLY LIFE

He was born Hans-Borg Gudenhast in Bredenbek, Germany (near Kiel) where his father was once mayor.  He immigrated to the US in 1959 and attended the University of Montana in Missoula.

CAREER

Braden has had a long successful run in television and films:

1966 (as Hans Gudehast), Luftwaffe Major Bentz, episode 28, "Day of Reckoning"

Season 2 of the TV series, "Twelve O'Clock High"--based on the 1949  war film of the same name

German Hauptmann (captain) Hans Dietrich TV series "Rat Patrol" (1966-1968)

He had a starring role in movie "Colossus:  The Forbin Project" (1970), where he took stage name,  Eric Braden; it was Lew Wasserman, of Universal Pictures, who convinced him could not act in an American film with German name; Braden derived his stage name from his hometown of Bredenbek

He starred with Jan Michael Vincent in "Airwolf"

Braden had a supporting role in the 1971 movie,  "Escape from the Planet of the Apes."

He guest- starred during the 1970s in " The Six Million Dollar Man", "Wonder Woman", "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", and several episodes of long-running "Gunsmoke".

In 1977,  Braden starred in "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo", as an arrogant but formidable race car driver, Bruno Van Stickle.

In 1978, Braden also appeared, uncredited, as Brad Dillman's stunt double; he was originally cast as Dillman's character, Paul Grogan, even shooting underwater footage, before role recast--Braden's footage ended up in film anyway.

In 1980, Braden was offered the role of Victor Newman, self-made business magnate, daytime soap opera "The Young and the Restless"; it was originally only for a 26-week run, where his character imprisoned his wife's lover,however, his character became so popular as a love-to-hate villain, his contract was renewed, and remains on show currently. 

He won a  Daytime Emmy award in 1998 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series as Victor Newman.

In the 1997 blockbuster film, "Titanic", as John Jacob Astor IV, the powerful billionaire, Braden told Cindy Elavsky that the scene where his character drowned was the  "scariest moment in business" for him.

In 2008, came "The Man Who Came Back", an independent Western film, that was written and directed by Louisiana's Glen Pitre.

Braden guest-starred in 2008 in the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother", as  Robin Sherbatsky Sr., Robin's (Cobie Smulders) father, who tries to get her to be son he never had.

On October 18, 2009, in an article written by  Dan J Kroll, Braden announced he was leaving The Young and the Restless, due to contract negotiations impasse, according to interview with Braden EW.com.  His last airdate was scheduled for November 2, however, on October 23, 2009, Braden inked new contract for few more years.

PERSONAL  LIFE

Braden is an avid tennis player.  He and his wife Dale Gudehast, were guests at the wedding of Bob Crane and Sigrid Valdis on the set of "Hogan's Heroes".  His son, Christian Gudehast, a screenwriter, has co-written the film, "A Man Apart" which starred Vin Diesel and was nominated for a Teen Choice Award in 2003.

AWARDS, HONORS, AND NOMINATIONS

Braden has earned the following awards for his work:

Distinguished German-American of the Year, 1990

July 27, 2007, received star, Hollywood Walk of Fame

2007, Gilmore Award, Pacific Pioneers, radio/television industry group

2009, Friend of German Award, American Associated Teachers of German

Nominated Daytime Emmy Awards, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, The Young and the Restless--1987, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004

Won, Daytime Emmy Awards, Favorite Male Performer in a Daytime Serial, The Young and the Restless, 1992

Won, Daytime Emmy Awards, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, The Young and the Restless, 1998

OTHER ROLES

1963:  Combat!--Hans Gruber

1965:  Combat!--Ecktmann

1965:  Morituri--Actor

1966–1968:  The Rat Patrol--Hauptmann (Captain) Hans Dietrich

1969:  Hawaii Five-O--Dr. Paul Farrar; 100 Rifles--Lt. Franz Von Klemme

1970:  Hawaii Five-O--Klaus Marburg; Colossus: The Forbin Project--Dr. Charles A. Forbin; The Mask of Sheba-Dr. Morgan

1970:  The Young Rebels--Major Zanker

1971:  Escape from the Planet of the Apes--Dr. Otto Hasslein

1971:  Gunsmoke's, episode Jaekel--Carl Jaekel

1971:  Gunsmoke's, 3-part episode,The Bullet--Jack Sinclair

1971:  Bearcats!--Col. Reinert

1972:  The Judge and Jake Wyler--Anton Granicek

1972:  Hawaii Five-O--Djebara

1973:  The Adulteress--Hank Baron; The Six Million Dollar Man--Findletter

1974:  Kolchak: The Night Stalker--Bernhardt Stieglitz; Banacek--Paul Bolitho; The Ultimate Thrill--Roland

1975:  Wonder Woman--Evan Donaldson

1977:  The Mary Tyler Moore Show--Karl Heller; Kojak--Kenneth Krug; Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo--Bruno von Stickle

1979:  CHiPs--Senator Lerwin

1980–present:  The Young and the Restless--Victor Newman

1981:  Charlie's Angels--John Reardon

1986:  Airwolf--Nick Kincaid

1990:  Lucky/Chances--Dimitri Stanislopolous

1990:  The Ambulance--The Doctor

1994:  The Nanny--Frank Bradley, Sr.

1995:  Diagnosis: Murder--Himself

1997:  Titanic--John Jacob Astor IV

1998:  Meet the Deedles--Elton Deedle

1999:  The Bold and the Beautiful--Victor Newman

2008:  The Man Who Came Back--Reese Paxton

2008:  How I Met Your Mother--Robin Scherbatsky, Sr.

REFERENCES

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Braeden