| Victor Kiriakis I | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| John Aniston As Victor Kiriakis I | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Days of our Lives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | John Aniston (1985-present) Christos Vasilopoulos (2016; flashbacks as Younger Victor) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current status | Present; Recurring | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1985-1997, recurring 1999-2004, 2004- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | July 19, 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Sheri Anderson, Thom Racina and Leah Laiman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Betty Corday, Ken Corday and Al Rabin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gender | Male | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | May 18, 1935 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age | 83 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Crime boss Businessman Drug lord | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Kiriakis Mansion 13201 Glen Oaks Drive Salem, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Christos Vasilopoulos as Younger Victor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Victor Kiriakis is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera, Days of Our Lives. The role has been portrayed by John Aniston since 1985. His time on the show has been since 1985 with a brief story line driven absence in 2004 when his character was "killed off" but found alive on the island of Melaswen. Originally on contract, Aniston was dropped to recurring in 1997, and has stayed recurring since then, despite his steady presence on the show.
Initially brought on as a villainous crime lord, Victor has mellowed out in recent years to the point where fans accepted his relationship with fan favourite Maggie Horton after the death of her previous husband Mickey Horton, who was also a fan favourite. Victor's scenes have become fan favorites of late due to his biting sarcasm and witty one-liners, and his general desire to see family and friends safe and happy as he rounds out his twilight years.
Caroline Brady was and always will be the love of his life.
Storylines
Victor with the love of his life, Caroline Brady
Victor came to Salem in 1985 as an old friend of the Brady clan. As time went on, it was revealed that he was not only a former paramour of Brady matriarch Caroline, and the biological father of Bo Brady, but that he was involved in various underhanded dealings around town.
Victor was born in Nafplion, Greece, and emigrated to the United States with his family as a child. He grew up and spent most of his childhood in rather modest circumstances in Salem, but then returned to Greece with his family as a young man, where he apparently made his fortune on both legitimate and illegitimate fronts.
Initially a quiet sponsor of a local drugs-and-prostitution ring, it was eventually fleshed out that Victor was a full-fledged mobster, with Mafia connections in Greece and Italy as well as throughout the U.S., partnerships and rivalries with other villains (including the nefarious Stefano DiMera), and was the subject of various investigations by the local police and a fictional crime-fighting spy agency called the International Security Alliance (ISA). Victor's organization engaged in many schemes and plots all over the world during the late 80s and early 90s, including selling military secrets to the Soviets, hiding stolen Treasury bonds in Stockholm, Sweden, and stealing a computer disk from the U.S. government that turned out to be made of an indestructible material with various potential military applications. It was during this heyday that even the music played at the beginning of Victor's scenes resembled the main theme of The Godfather.
Notably, Victor was the man most responsible for bringing the amnesiac John Black to Salem in 1986, having "outbid" corrupt ISA chief George Nickerson for Black, who was "offered up" by the DiMera organization under the guise of possibly being the believed-dead Roman Brady. Victor worked to help restore Black's memory and learn his true identity, until Black escaped. (Up to this day, it remains unclear whether Victor was aware that Black wasn't the real Roman Brady, although information contained in files in his possession ultimately led to the return of the real Roman, the "Tale of Two Romans" saga, and the surrounding Mexican caper involving the location of an ancient and mysterious Mayan treasure.)
Victor is also the father of Isabella Toscano. Eventually, Victor "semi-retired"; in an effort to win the love and respect of his children, he eventually renounced his evil ways and became a legitimate, albeit still ruthless, businessman. However, occasionally Victor will use some of his old underworld connections to help his family and friends out of a jam. The Kiriakis name still commands considerable respect (and fear) in the underworld; few criminals of standing would knowingly or willingly cross Victor Kiriakis (at least without the protection of the DiMeras or some other powerful organization.) At one point, his son Philip, young and irresponsible (probably because he grew up pampered due to his father's wealth,) foolishly became indebted through illegal gambling to a criminal gang, who injured him in a ritualistic manner as a warning to him to pay up. Victor recognized the injury from his old criminal dealings, and, as well as punishing his son Philip, warned the gang's head (who had not realized that his gang was harassing the son of Victor Kiriakis) both verbally and with violent retributory attacks to renounce Philip's indebtedness. Even before Victor began his attacks, the man was extremely respectful merely at the realization that he was speaking with Victor Kiriakis, and very frightened and apologetic when he realized that he may have harassed his son. In more recent years, it's been slowly revealed that Victor and the Kiriakis organization still maintains a very strong hand in the underworld, with deals and rivalries with the DiMera family and other criminals.
Victor was briefly married to Nicole Walker, who had saved his life when Kate Roberts was trying to have him killed during Greta's coronation. Nicole had an affair with Colin Murphy and Victor wanted a divorce. In February 2004, Nicole got Jan Spears to kill Victor by electrocuting him in his bathtub. Victor survived the attempt on his life and was held prisoner by Andre DiMera with other victims of the Salem Serial Killer. While on Melaswen, Victor kept a low profile and reconnected with his former love, Caroline Brady. Nicole was stunned when Victor returned to Salem in August 2005 and he made it his mission to get revenge.
When Phillip went missing in action during his second tour, Victor reverted to his old ways and was disowned by both his son Bo, and grandson Shawn, because he attempted to take Shawn's daughter Claire for Philip (who had raised Claire since birth, believing the child to be legally his). Victor won Philip custody, but Claire was taken out of the country by Belle and Shawn. Philip eventually found them on the island of Tinda Lau, near Australia. After surviving a typhoon in the Pacific, Philip agreed to drop the pursuit of custody if Belle and Shawn would allow him to be a part of Claire's life, to which they were okay with. This disappointed Victor, but he has since learned to accept it.
After a brief absence from Salem, Victor made a dramatic return during John Black's funeral, with an extremely moving eulogy to a man who was once his bitter enemy, but eventually became a beloved friend and trusted member of his family and inner circle. Victor made attempts to amend his relationship with Bo. Victor's relationship with Bo rebounded in early 2008 following the death of Shawn Sr. Victor's was there for Caroline and helped support her through her grief. Victor also took an active role in helping Bo overcome his illness by bringing his godson Dr. Daniel Jonas to Salem.
Victor suffered from a stroke and was incapacitated at University Hospital under the care of Dr. Daniel Jonas. Somehow, Victor was aware that Bo had received evidence that would possibly implicate Philip in the disappearance of Paul Hollingsworth. Recovering in the hospital from his stroke, Victor commiserated with Kate and expressed his fear that the worst may be yet to come for Philip.
On December 22, 2008, Victor asked his grandson Brady Black to be the Vice CEO of Titan Industries. Brady and Arianna found he was once the drug lord before selling his business to EJ DiMera.
In March 2009, Stefano started a war with Victor because he blamed Philip for the death of his son, Tony DiMera. Stefano had Philip shot, and Victor retaliated by kidnapping Stefano, and holding hom hostage. Stefano slipped into diabetic coma, and Victor gave him just enough insulin to keep him alive. Victor told EJ that if he didn't sign over DiMera Enterprises in forty-eight hours then he would let Stefano die. Victor didn't get his way though as EJ retaliate by kidnapping Philip's fiancée, Stephanie Johnson, and both Stephanie and Stefano were rescued. EJ and Philip met and soon ended the war on their father's behalfs.
In late 2010 Victor befriends and soon develops feelings for Maggie Horton. At the time, he is married to Vivian Alamain, who actually buries Maggie alive out of jealousy. However, Vivian realizes that Victor loves Maggie and not her, which drives her to leave him. Maggie and Victor are officially a couple as of March 2011, and have shared one long-awaited on-screen kiss. Victor and Maggie are married as of November 2011.
Victor's character has finally developed into that of a rather crusty "elder statesman" of Salem, maintaining his position as the head of Titan Industries and the mighty Kiriakis family, but delegating more of the "heavy lifting" on both the legitimate and "shadier" fronts to other, younger family members and associates. Victor's first attempt at finding a replacement CEO for Titan was Ian McAllister, but Ian ended up in a mental ward, after being arrested for faking Stefano's death and torturing him.
In March 2015, Victor was revealed to have had another previously unmentioned deceased brother, Titus, and his nephew, Xander, was his ward and worked for him. However, Victor was harsh with Xander and treated Brady and Daniel much better than him. This caused more friction and anger on Xander's part, since Daniel wasn't even blood related. This all came to a head when Xander tried to kill Nicole and Eric Brady. Despite Victor's hatred for Nicole, Daniel loved her, so he still considered her off limits. Furious, Victor almost had Xander killed before deciding to demote him and make him the Kiriakis' gardner. This fine last long when Theresa Donovan seduced Xander, and accused him of rape. Victor knew Theresa was lying, but refused to help Xander, and let Xander be sent to prison.
In Januray 2016, Victor's estranged brother, Deimos Kiriakis, comes to Salem. more of Victor's history is revealed, and it is revealed Victor was engaged to Helena Tasso, a woman that had looked just like Nicole. Deimos had an affair with Helena, and Helena died when she tripped and hit her head on a rock during an argument with Victor. Victor accused Deimos of murdering Helena, and sent him to prison for thirty years. Victor suffered a betrayal when he learned Deimos was blackmailing Philip into helping him get revenge on Victor, and Victor disowned Philip. Deimos drugged Maggie, and forced Victor to sign over the Kiriakis empire to him, in exchange for the cure. Victor had a heart attack during an argument with Deimos, and Nicole called an ambulance. Victor expressed gratitude to Nicole for saving his life, and warned her to stay away from Deimos.
Victor and Deimos made peace after Deimos forced famous surgeon out of retirement, and Victor made a deal to let Deimos stay in control of TITAN while he and Maggie went back to live at the mansion. Victor rationalized Deimos' role in Bo's death by laying some blame on himself. The other members of the family were hesitant to accept Deimos, but slowly grew to begrudgingly trust him when Xander, Clyde, and Orpheus all broke out of prison and showed up at Brady and Theresa's wedding.
Victor also made peace with Philip, but that peace didn't last long when Deimos drugged Philip to force him to tell Deimos the truth about Chloe Lane's baby. Philip left town in disgust when Victor refused to punish Deimos, but Victor told Deimos not to target another member of their family again. Victor mostly approved of Deimos' ruthless tactics since they didn't affect the family in a negative way.
Victor was furious when he found out Chloe was carrying Nicole and Daniel's child, named Holly Jonas. He wanted the child to remain in his and Maggie's life since the child wasn't a part of Daniel. When Eric came back to Salem, after getting an early parole, Victor was the first in town to tell Eric he wouldn't forgive him for causing Daniel's death. When Nicole kidnapped Holly, Victor was fine with Deimos doing whatever to Nicole, but warned him not to hurt Brady or the children.Crimes Committed
- Was part of the mystery of the Power, the Purse, and the Pawn [1985–86]
- Led a drug and pornography ring with Savannah Wilder and Richard Cates [1985–86]
- Threatened to expose Larry Welch's murder of Megan Hathaway [1985]
- Blackmailed Larry Welch into accepting responsibility for the drug ring [1985]
- Coerced Kimberly Brady to sleep with him [1985]
- Arranged to have Britta Englund shot and killed when she returned to Salem [1986]
- Blackmailed Britta Englund to leave town after shooting her [1986]
- Hired Steve Johnson to harass Shane Donovan; also threatened Shane's life [1987]
- Forged a legal document proclaiming he was sterile at the time of Bo's conception [1987]
- Arranged a jail break to get Harper Deveraux' money [1988]
- With Serena Colville, attempted to steal Diana Colville's fortune [1988]
- Staged Serena Colville's kidnapping in order to extort $10 million from Diana [1988]
- Drugged Justin Kiriakis, causing him to become impotent [1989]
- Framed Kayla Brady for the murder of Marina Toscano [1989–1990]
- Withheld crucial evidence in Marina Toscano's murder case [1990]
- Forged notes between Bo Brady and Carly Manning to keep them apart [1991]
- Repeatedly tried to kill Bo to keep Carly Manning tied to him [1991]
- Faked his own death to have Bo blamed with the crime [1991]
- Plotted the murder of Sami Brady with Kate Roberts
- Deliberately concealed Nicole Walker's role in Colin Murphy’s death to hold over her head [2003]
- Hired a woman to kidnap Claire [2007]
- Paid-off witnesses and judges in Claire's custody case [2007]
- Convinced Bo to destroy police evidence that would incriminate Philip Kiriakis in Paul Hollingsworth's disappearance [2008]
- Kidnapped Stefano DiMera and denied him necessary insulin [May 2009]
- Tried to blackmail EJ DiMera into signing over DiMera Enterprises [May 2009]
- Hid evidence that Vivian Alamain poisoned Melanie Jonas [Mar 2010]
- Accessory to false imprisonment; Kept Vivian locked in the coffin after Brady Black buried her alive [Oct 2010]
- Conspiracy to cover up a crime; withheld information about the events on the night Brady assaulted E.J. [Jun 2011]
- Ordered a hit on Clyde Weston [Jan 2015]
- Nearly had his nephew, Xander Cook, killed [Jul 2015]
- Threatened his brother Deimos Kiriakis [Jan 2016]
- Suspect in the kidnapping of Tate Black; arrested and later released [Jul 2016]
- Stangled Ben Weston [Sept 2019]
Gallery
DAYS Villain Ranks
Main Article: DAYS Villain Ranks