Robin Strasser
Encyclopedia
Robin Strasser is an American
actress.
Strasser is best known for her Daytime Emmy Award
-winning portrayal of Dr. Dorian Lord on the ABC
daytime soap opera
One Life to Live
. Strasser stepped into the role in March 1979, first appearing Friday, April 13, 1979 and left in 1987, returning from February 1993 to February 2000. She reprised the role again from 2003 to August 25, 2011.
Strasser also originated the role of Rachel Davis Matthews
on the NBC
soap opera Another World
(1967–1972), and played Dr. Christina Karras Martin on ABC's All My Children
from 1976 to April 1979. From 2000 to 2002, she appeared as 300-year-old witch Hecuba on NBC's Passions
.
surrendered in World War II
. She was raised in the New York City
borough
of Brooklyn by Martin and Anne Strasser. After graduating from the High School of Performing Arts, on full scholarship, she attended the Yale University School of Drama
. She began acting in the early 1960s. Strasser sharpened her acting abilities in theatre, acting on Broadway
, where she appeared in The Shadow Box
and Chapter Two, the latter where she met her former husband, Laurence Luckinbill
; they were married from 1965 and divorced in 1976. They have two sons, Nicholas (born 1971) and Ben (born 1975). Strasser was also married to Richard Hogan from August 27, 1983 until 1985. Robin and Erika Slezak
, who plays her former stepdaughter and frenemy Victoria Lord
, are friends in real life.
for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series in 1982 for her portrayal of Dorian, and was also nominated for the award in 1981, 1983, and 1985. Strasser has been nominated for Soap Opera Digest Awards
for Dorian in various categories in 1986, 1988, 1994, 1995 and 2005, winning in 1996 ("Outstanding Lead Actress" for Dorian) and 2001 ("Outstanding Female Scene Stealer" for Hecuba).
Annual Charity Coronation Ball, "Night of A Thousand Gowns," on March 21, 2009. She was previously made a Dame of the Imperial Court of New York in March 2007, and attended the 2008 "Night of A Thousand Gowns."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress.
Strasser is best known for her Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
-winning portrayal of Dr. Dorian Lord on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
daytime soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
. Strasser stepped into the role in March 1979, first appearing Friday, April 13, 1979 and left in 1987, returning from February 1993 to February 2000. She reprised the role again from 2003 to August 25, 2011.
Strasser also originated the role of Rachel Davis Matthews
Rachel Cory Hutchins
Rachel Cory Hutchins is a fictional character on NBC daytime soap opera, Another World.-Casting:...
on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
soap opera Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
(1967–1972), and played Dr. Christina Karras Martin on ABC's All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
from 1976 to April 1979. From 2000 to 2002, she appeared as 300-year-old witch Hecuba on NBC's Passions
Passions
Passions is an American television soap opera which aired on NBC from July 5, 1999 to September 7, 2007 and on The 101 Network from September 17, 2007 to August 7, 2008....
.
Early life
Strasser's birth name is Robin Victory in Europe Strasser, as she was born the day GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
surrendered in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was raised in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Brooklyn by Martin and Anne Strasser. After graduating from the High School of Performing Arts, on full scholarship, she attended the Yale University School of Drama
Yale School of Drama
The Yale School of Drama is a graduate professional school of Yale University providing training in every discipline of the theatre: acting, design , directing, dramaturgy and dramatic criticism, playwriting, stage management, sound design, technical design and production, and theater...
. She began acting in the early 1960s. Strasser sharpened her acting abilities in theatre, acting on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, where she appeared in The Shadow Box
The Shadow Box
The Shadow Box is a play written by actor Michael Cristofer. The play made its Broadway debut on March 31, 1977. The original cast included Simon Oakland as Joe, Laurence Luckinbill as Brian, Mandy Patinkin as Mark, Geraldine Fitzgerald as Felicity, and Vincent Spano as Steve.-Plot synopsis:The...
and Chapter Two, the latter where she met her former husband, Laurence Luckinbill
Laurence Luckinbill
Laurence George Luckinbill is an American actor.-Life and career:Luckinbill was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the son of Agnes and Laurence Benedict Luckinbill. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1956 and The Catholic University of America in 1958.He starred in the 1976 Broadway play...
; they were married from 1965 and divorced in 1976. They have two sons, Nicholas (born 1971) and Ben (born 1975). Strasser was also married to Richard Hogan from August 27, 1983 until 1985. Robin and Erika Slezak
Erika Slezak
Erika Alma Hermina Slezak is an American actress, best known for her role as Victoria Lord on the American daytime soap opera One Life to Live...
, who plays her former stepdaughter and frenemy Victoria Lord
Victoria Lord
Victoria "Viki" Lord is the principal fictional character and matriarch of the Lord family on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live...
, are friends in real life.
Awards
Strasser won a Daytime Emmy AwardDaytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series in 1982 for her portrayal of Dorian, and was also nominated for the award in 1981, 1983, and 1985. Strasser has been nominated for Soap Opera Digest Awards
Soap Opera Digest Awards
The Soap Opera Digest Awards were an awards show held by the daytime television magazine Soap Opera Digest. The awards were founded in 1984 to replace the less-lavish Soapy Award; those awards shows had run since 1977. The Soap Opera Digest Awards are meant to promote excellence in the soap opera...
for Dorian in various categories in 1986, 1988, 1994, 1995 and 2005, winning in 1996 ("Outstanding Lead Actress" for Dorian) and 2001 ("Outstanding Female Scene Stealer" for Hecuba).
Charity
Strasser was an Honorary Chair of the Imperial Court of New York'sImperial Court System
The International Imperial Court System is one of the oldest and largest predominantly gay organizations in the world. The court raises money for charity through large annual fancy-dress costume balls in communities throughout North America and numerous smaller fundraisers each year...
Annual Charity Coronation Ball, "Night of A Thousand Gowns," on March 21, 2009. She was previously made a Dame of the Imperial Court of New York in March 2007, and attended the 2008 "Night of A Thousand Gowns."