1979 Part 1 - Full Episode - February 26, 1979

1979 was a landmark year in Llanview, filled with heartbreak, groundbreaking performances, and stories that defined One Life to Live for years to come. These episodes — many of which once existed only in fragments — have been preserved, restored, and carefully pieced back together from multiple sources to bring them as close as possible to their original broadcast form. At the heart of the year was Viki Lord Riley (Erika Slezak), whose life was shattered when her husband Joe Riley (Lee Patterson) tragically died, just as she discovered she was pregnant with their second child. This bittersweet storyline gave fans some of Erika Slezak’s most moving performances and marked a turning point for Viki’s journey. The year also gave daytime one of its most unforgettable moments: Judith Light’s Emmy-winning courtroom confession as Karen Wolek. In a raw and devastating performance, Karen revealed her secret life as a prostitute, shattering illusions and raising the bar for realism on daytime television. Other key threads in 1979 included: • Dr. Larry Wolek (Michael Storm) at the center of both hospital drama and family struggles. • Dorian Lord (Claire Malis) scheming her way through Llanview society, long before Robin Strasser made the role her own. • Marco Dane (Gerald Anthony) continuing his manipulations and cons. • The fabric of Llanview’s working-class community, with The Banner and the Woleks grounding the show in everyday life. Through this restoration, fans can once again experience 1979 as it was meant to be seen — a year remembered for its tragic loss, its groundbreaking honesty, and the performances that made daytime television history.