Before he was Victor Newman, the brooding billionaire heartthrob of Genoa City, he was Hans-Jörg Gudegast—a sharp-eyed German immigrant with a penchant for philosophy and sports cars. Fast-forward a few decades, and boom—he's soap opera royalty, sipping champagne on set at CBS Television City, flanked by his elegant wife Dale and their film-directing son, Christian.

February 1st, 2005 marked the 25th anniversary of Eric Braeden playing Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless. But behind the tuxedos, flashbulbs, and soap opera glam, there was a family story that could rival any Y&R plotline.

Meet Dale: The Woman Behind the Legend

While Victor romanced half of Genoa City onscreen, offscreen, Eric Braeden only ever had eyes for one woman—Dale Russell Gudegast. Interior designer, pillow artisan, and professional privacy enthusiast, Dale has stayed largely out of the public eye for over five decades.

"People think I'm the decision-maker," Eric once joked in an interview, "but most of the time, I just ask Dale what I'm allowed to say."

Cue knowing chuckles from anyone who's been married for more than five minutes.

The article is not finished. Click on the next page to continue.