The Young and the Restless - "A Christmas Carol" - 12:30 pm Thursday, December 25 on WCBS HDTV

Eric Braeden (Actor) .. Victor Newman

Born: April 03, 1941
Birthplace: Kiel, Germany

Trivia: German-born Hans Gudegast was still in his teens when he made his first film appearance in The Colossus of Rhodes (1957). Spending virtually his entire career in Hollywood, Gudegast achieved TV fame as the eternally outflanked Afrika Korps officer Hauptman on the weekly TV series The Rat Patrol (1967-1969). Sensing that he'd forever be typecast as a Nazi under his given name, Gudegast changed his professional cognomen to Eric Braeden in 1970 (he reportedly borrowed the name of his home town in Germany, though some sources indicate that he was actually born in Kiel). The actor's instincts were correct: under his new professional name, Braeden was afforded the opportunity to demonstrate his versatility as both leading man -- he was Charles Forbin in Colossus: The Forbin Project -- and villain. He was often called upon to convey insufferable arrogance, vide his memorable appearance as a media critic on an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (that's the one where Braeden received a pie in the face, courtesy of Ted Knight). Eric Braeden's best-known characterization was as the smoothly sinister Victor Newman in the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless. Braeden played a small role as the wealthy John Jacob Astor in 1997's mega-hit Titanic, and co-starred in the comedy Meet the Deedles the following year. Following a long run on The Young and the Restless, Braeden co-starred with fellow Titanic alumni Billy Zane in The Man Who Came Back (2008), and took on the role of Robin Scherbatsky, Sr. for the television series How I Met Your Mother.

Melody Thomas Scott (Actor) .. Nikki Reed Newman

Born: April 18, 1956
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Trivia: Made her film debut at age 8 in Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie. Studied ballet, tap, jazz and singing from an early age and majored in piano in college. Developed her own line of hair-care products. Longtime fan of I Love Lucy and founding board member of the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center in Lucy's hometown of Jamestown, NY. Was a cofounder of the Save the Earth foundation, which creates awareness of environmental issues. Won the Soap Opera Digest award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2001. Celebrated 30 years as Nikki Newman on The Young and the Restless in 2009.

Amelia Heinle (Actor) .. Victoria Newman Hellstrom

Born: March 17, 1973
Birthplace: Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Trivia: Actress Amelia Heinle is perhaps best known for the role of Steffi Brewster on the soap opera Loving. She played the role from 1993-1995 before moving on to reprise the role in the show's short-lived spin-off The City. Various appearances would follow over the years, but Heinle eventually returned to the world of daytime TV, joining the cast of All My Children in 2001, then The Young and the Restless in 2005.

Joshua Morrow (Actor) .. Nicholas Newman

Born: February 08, 1975
Birthplace: Juneau, Alaska, United States

Trivia: Best known for his recurring role as Nicholas Newman, heir to the Newman fortune, on the daytime drama The Young and the Restless, Joshua Morrow began life in Juneau, AK, as the son of a Coast Guard father. Morrow relocated to Oklahoma and then New Mexico with his dad and sister following his parents' divorce, and later moved to Southern California to live with his mom. An audition for the Young Artists' Ensemble theater company in Thousand Oaks introduced Morrow to stage acting, and additional dramatic experience at Moorpark College followed. The Young and the Restless brought Morrow his professional breakthrough. He auditioned for and landed the Newman part in the spring of 1994, and sustained the role for many years. In 1997, Morrow starred opposite Rachel Ward and Terry O'Quinn in the telemovie Love, Murder and Deceit.

Sharon Case (Actor) .. Sharon Collins Abbott

Born: February 09, 1971
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States

Trivia: Discovered at an L.A. modeling event at age 17; worked in Japan for five months before returning to the U.S. to pursue acting. Her 1994 casting as Sharon on The Young and the Restless marked the second time she had taken over a character originated by another. The first was in 1989 when she stepped into the role of Dawn Winthrop on General Hospital. Offered a featured part in the HBO telefilm Breast Men but turned it down because nudity was required; opted for a smaller role that did not call for her to disrobe. Has appeared onstage in Grease, The Wizard and The Nutcracker. Created a line of jewelry called Pomp.

Peter Bergman (Actor) .. Jack Abbott

Born: June 11, 1953
Died: March 09, 2012
Birthplace: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Trivia: Is the son of a U.S. Naval officer. Worked in construction for a year to earn money to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 1979, joined All My Children as Dr. Cliff Warner, a role he played for 10 years. Received 12 consecutive Daytime Emmy Award nominations (from 1990 to 2002) for Outstanding Lead Actor for his role as Jack Abbott on The Young and the Restless.

Eileen Davidson (Actor) .. Ashley Abbott Carlton

Born: June 15, 1959
Birthplace: Artesia, California, United States

Trivia: Soap opera actress Eileen Davidson began her career as a model, eventually finding her way into the acting world by working in commercials. She was cast in the role of Ashley Abbott on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives in 1982 and would stick with the show for seven years. After leaving the show in 1989, she made a series of appearances in movies like Eternity and Easy Wheels and starred in the series Santa Barbara before joining Days of Our Lives in 1993. She would remain with the soap in various roles until 1998, when she returned to Days of Our Lives (which later became The Bold and the Beautiful) to reprise the role of Ashley Abbott.

Beth Maitland (Actor) .. Traci Abbott Connolly

Born: May 12, 1958

Jess Walton (Actor) .. Jill Foster Abbott

Born: February 18, 1949
Birthplace: Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States

Trivia: Grand Rapids, MI, native Jess Walton is perhaps best known for the role of Jill Foster Abbott on the soap opera Days of Our Lives. The actress was a graduate of Loretto Abbey in Toronto when she moved to Hollywood in 1969 and joined the thriving arts scene. She made appearances on shows like Kojak and had a starring role in the series Capitol before joining the cast of The Young and the Restless in 1987, which she would stay with for more than two decades.

Jeanne Cooper (Actor) .. Katherine Chancellor

Born: October 25, 1928
Died: May 08, 2013
Birthplace: Taft, California, United States

Trivia: Actress Jeanne Cooper entered films in 1953. Though she worked often, Cooper appeared in only a handful of memorable movies, including the rare Roger Corman social-protest film The Intruder (1961) and The Boston Strangler (1968). She was seen to better advantage on television, guesting in a wide range of roles on such series as The Twilight Zone and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. From 1969 to 1970, she was seen as Grace Douglas on the prime-time "inside Hollywood" series Bracken's World. She is best known for her ongoing characterization of Kay Chancellor on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Unlike many other daytime-drama actresses, who prefer to keep their onscreen characters and actual personalities separate, Cooper has invested many of her own life experiences in the role of Kay Chancellor. She harked back on her own bout with alcoholism to realistically portray Kay's recovery from a chronic drinking problem; and, when Jeanne underwent a facelift, so did Kay -- complete with in-progress shots of the actual operation. Jeanne Cooper is the mother of actor Corbin Bernsen. She passed away at age 84 in 2013.

Kate Linder (Actor) .. Esther Valentine

Born: November 02, 1947

Trivia: Actress Kate Linder studied theater arts at San Francisco State University before launching her onscreen career, making small appearances on shows like Archie Bunker's Place and Bay City Blues. In 1982, Linder joined the cast of the daytime soap The Young and the Restless in the role of Esther Valentine. She would remain with the show for over two decades.

Lauralee Bell (Actor) .. Christine Blair Williams

Born: December 22, 1968
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Trivia: Mother and father, Lee Phillip Bell and William Bell created the hugely popular soap dramas The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Young and the Restless.Appeared in an episode of The Young and the Restless, as a non-speaking extra at age 9.Opened her own clothing boutique, a life-long dream of hers, named On Beverly Blvd. in 1999.Reprised her The Young and the Restless role of model Christine Blair for a brief run on The Bold and the Beautiful in 2007.Debuted her web series and first Webby honoree Family Dinner on which she served as actor, director, writer and executive producer, in June 2009.

Doug Davidson (Actor) .. Paul Williams

Born: October 24, 1954
Birthplace: Glendale, California, United States

Trivia: California native Doug Davidson is perhaps best known for the role of P.I. Paul Williams on the daytime soap The Young and the Restless. The young actor joined the cast in 1978 and would stay with the series for over 30 years, in addition to other projects, like hosting the short-lived The New Price Is Right from 1994 to 1995.

Michelle Stafford (Actor) .. Phyllis Summers Abbott

Born: September 14, 1968
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Trivia: Michelle Stafford launched a successful modeling career in her early twenties that led to her spending her formative years in Italy, where she quickly picked up the Italian language. She returned to the United States with a desire to act, and soon landed a part on the soap opera Tribes. She made a number of one-off appearances on television programs throughout the '90s, and also worked in theater. In 1994, the producers of The Young and the Restless cast Stafford as Phyllis Summers Newman, and she quickly became one of the most popular and respected performers in the cast, earning multiple Daytime Emmy awards and other industry accolades.

Tracey E. Bregman (Actor) .. Lauren Fenmore Baldwin

Born: May 29, 1963

Trivia: Actress Tracey E. Bregman represents one of only a handful of soap opera actresses to play the same role on multiple daytime dramas -- in this case, department store scion Lauren Fenmore Baldwin, who held court on CBS's The Young and the Restless for two separate periods and then turned up as a regular on The Bold and the Beautiful for three years. A native of Munich, Germany, raised for much of her childhood in London, England, Bregman spent her adolescence in Southern California. She received formal dramatic training under the tutelage of Francis Lederer at The Strasberg Institute and American National Academy of Theater Arts, and was subsequently mentored by Gene Bua and Steven Anderson. Bregman launched her acting career as a regular character, Donna Temple Craig, on Days of Our Lives, and endured parts in several exploitation films during the early '80s, including the slasher picture Happy Birthday to Me (1981) and the prison melodrama The Concrete Jungle (1982), before signing for the Restless role in 1983. It continued until 1985 and picked up again, 16 years later, in 2001; Baldwin's appearances on The Bold and the Beautiful spanned 1995-1998. Bregman also made guest appearances on such series as Fame, The Love Boat, and The Fall Guy.

Kristoff St. John (Actor) .. Neil Winters

Born: July 15, 1966
Died: February 03, 2019
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Trivia: Born in New York City in 1966 to a pair of working actors, Kristoff St. John followed in his parents' footsteps early in his life, landing one-off roles on a variety of television shows before becoming a teenager. In addition to appearances on Happy Days, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and Wonder Woman, the young thespian appeared on the big screen in the remake of The Champ. After working steadily throughout the 1980s on the small screen, St. John landed the role of Neil Winters on The Young and the Restless, a part that garnered him multiple Daytime Emmy nominations and other industry accolades. He went on to appear in Carpool Guy and Spiritual Warriors.St. John has also acted as the host for the Kick Butt exercise video series.

Christel Khalil (Actor) .. Lily Winters

Christian LeBlanc (Actor) .. Michael Baldwin

Born: August 25, 1958
Birthplace: Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States

Trivia: A native of Fort Bragg, NC, Christian LeBlanc has worked steadily on television ever since landing the role of Kirk McColl on the soap opera As the World Turns. He made a number of one-off appearances on shows such as Hotel, Cheers, Riptide, and Diagnosis Murder. In 1991, LeBlanc began working on The Young and the Restless as Michael Baldwin; he stayed with the series until 1993, and then left for a time before returning in 1997. His role has garnered him multiple Daytime Emmy Award Nominations as well as taking home the award in 2005.

Greg Rikaart (Actor) .. Kevin Fisher

Born: February 26, 1977
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Trivia: Soap opera star Greg Rikaart first made his presence known to television viewers with bit parts on Felicity and Gilmore Girls before landing a recurring role on Dawson's Creek in 2002. While subsequent roles in the films Wannabe and X2 hinted at feature-film aspirations, it was his Emmy Award-winning role in the long-running daytime drama The Young and the Restless that earned Rikaart the most acclaim. Cast as a young man struggling to recover from an abusive childhood, he displayed a vulnerability and natural presence that quickly won over viewers. Even with his busy soap schedule, Rikaart found time for some primetime guest spots on shows like The Closer, CSI: Miami and Bones.Rikaart graduated from Villanova University in Pennsylvania with honors, later interning on Capitol Hill before moving to Hollywood to pursue an acting career.

Judith Chapman (Actor) .. Gloria Fisher Abbott Bardwell

Born: November 15, 1951
Birthplace: Greenville, South Carolina

Trivia: A veteran soap opera actress, Judith Chapman has enjoyed starring roles on As the World Turns, Ryan's Hope, General Hospital, One Life to Live, Days of Our Lives, and The Young and the Restless. In addition to her impressive list of soap roles, Chapman has also appeared in numerous movies over the years, such as Dead Space and 28 Days.

Thad Luckinbill (Actor) .. J.T. Hellstrom

Born: April 24, 1975

Trivia: Oklahoma native Thad Luckinbill's first big break came in 1999 when he was cast as J.T. Hellstrom on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. He would stay with the show for 10 years, also playing minor roles on shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ghost Whisperer.

Michael Graziadei (Actor) .. Daniel Romalotti

Born: September 22, 1979

Trivia: New Hampshire-raised actor Michael Graziadei is best known for the role of Daniel Romalotti on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Graziadei has also appeared on shows like Grounded for Life and Criminal Minds.

Bryton James (Actor) .. Devon Hamilton

Born: August 17, 1986

Asia Smith (Actor) .. Sierra

Adrienne Frantz (Actor) .. Amber Moore

Born: June 07, 1978

Trivia: Mount Clemens, MI, native Adrienne Frantz began her onscreen career with a starring role on the series Sunset Beach, where she played Tiffany Thorne throughout 1997. She joined the cast of The Bold and the Beautiful later that same year, taking on the role of Amber Moore, which she reprised on The Young and the Restless in 2006.

Daniel Goddard (Actor) .. Cane Ashby

Born: August 28, 1971
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia

Elizabeth Hendrickson (Actor) .. Chloe Mitchell

Born: July 03, 1979
Birthplace: Northport, Long Island, New York, United States

Trivia: Actress Elizabeth Hendrickson got her big break in 2002 when she was cast as Frankie Stone (and later, as her twin sister Maggie Stone) on the daytime soap All My Children. She stayed with the show until 2007, when she accepted the role of Chloe Mitchell Abbott on another long-running soap, The Young and the Restless.

Emily O'Brien (Actor) .. Jana Hawkes

Born: May 28, 1985
Birthplace: Bedfordshire, England

Trivia: Sloe-eyed British actress Emily O'Brien attained her most pronounced visibility on American television. A native of Bedfordshire, England, O'Brien immigrated to the United States during her primary school years and received professional theatrical training from early childhood. Following a brief, two-year collegiate stint, a dissatisfied O'Brien moved to Los Angeles, where she obtained an agent and began signing for professional roles. Parts included series appearances on such programs as What About Brian and The Reality Show, and big-screen roles in features such as Séance (2006). O'Brien is best known, however, for her portrayal of the mentally ill (and homicidal) Jana Hawkes, Kevin Fisher's paramour on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless.

Ted Shackelford (Actor) .. Jeffrey Bardwell

Born: June 23, 1946
Birthplace: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Trivia: Oklahoma native Ted Shackelford is best known for the role of Gary Ewing, which he played on two different TV shows, Dallas and Knots Landing. The actor already had plenty of experience, having previously appeared on the daytime soap Another World, and even after the character of Gary Ewing was retired, Shackelford continued to become a regular fixture for TV audiences, joining the cast of The Young and the Restless to play the character of William Bardwell and his twin brother Jeffrey Bardwell.

Vail Bloom (Actor) .. Heather Stevens

Born: November 23, 1982
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Trivia: A native of Boston, MA, who grew up in Florida and Connecticut, actress Vail Bloom attended Ivy League Princeton University as an architecture major, but caught the acting bug when a friend invited her to essay a role in a short-subject film. Bloom landed her first major industry role with a part as a harried casting assistant in the 2007 comedy Finishing the Game, then signed for an ongoing portrayal of Assistant District Attorney Heather Stevens on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless.

Billy Miller (Actor) .. Billy Abbott

Born: September 17, 1979
Birthplace: Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

Trivia: Family moved to Grand Prairie, Texas when he was young and that's where he was raised.Moved to Los Angeles after graduating college and his first acting break came after he signed with the Wilhelmina modeling agency and landed commercials for JC Penney, Pizza Hut and The Sims videogame.Perhaps best known for playing Billy Abbott on CBS' The Young and the Restless from 2008 to 2014, and Jason Morgan and Drew Cain on ABC's General Hospital since 2015.Won 3 Daytime Emmy Awards for his performance on The Young and the Restless - 2 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and 1 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.Is a supporter of the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, after being a patient there for 5 years as a child.

Kevin Schmidt (Actor) .. Noah Newman

Born: August 16, 1988

Trivia: Actor Kevin Schmidt began his career with a series of guest appearances, playing small parts on shows like King of Queens and in movies like Cheaper by the Dozen. In 2008, the 20 year old landed the role of Noah Newman on the soap The Young and the Restless, remaining with the show for over a year.

Stacy Haiduk (Actor) .. Patty/Emily

Born: April 24, 1968

Michael Muhney (Actor) .. Adam Wilson

Born: June 12, 1975

John Driscoll (Actor) .. Phillip Chancellor IV

Hayley Erin (Actor) .. Abby Carlton

Born: July 13, 1994

Clementine Ford (Actor) .. MacKenzie Browning

Born: January 01, 1980

Justis Bolding (Actor) .. Sarah Roberts

Stephen Nichols (Actor) .. Tucker McCall

Born: February 19, 1951
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Trivia: Turned down an art scholarship to Ohio University. Studied to be a monk at the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple in Hollywood, where he worked as a cook and lived for three years before pursuing acting as a career. Trained as an actor at the Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy. His role as Steve "Patch" Johnson on Days of Our Lives earned him widespread recognition among television viewers and once ranked him second in the TVQ ratings (Bill Cosby was #1). Nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1988 for Days of Our Lives. Provided the voice for IKEA for a publicity campaign. Has assisted efforts for Haitian relief in the wake of the 2010 earthquake. Taking on his 2010 role as businessman Tucker McCall on The Young and the Restless, he told writer Michael Fairman, had him scrambling to learn such terms as "takeover" and "dominant market share."

Wilson Bethel (Actor) .. Ryder Callahan

Born: February 24, 1984
Birthplace: Hillsboro, New Hampshire, United States

Trivia: First role was on the television series The O.C. in 2004. His character manned a kissing booth with Rachel Bilson, with whom he stars in the CW drama Hart of Dixie. Got his big break in the 2008 HBO miniseries Generation Kill. Best known for playing Ryder Callahan in the soap The Young and the Restless. Was a contender for the starring role in the 2011 film Captain America, but Chris Evans was ultimately cast. Is a longtime DJ in New York and Los Angeles, and is an avid vinyl-record collector.

Yani Gellman (Actor) .. Rafe

Darius McCrary (Actor) .. Malcolm

Born: May 01, 1976
Birthplace: Walnut, California, United States

Jeff Branson (Actor) .. Ronan Malloy

Born: March 10, 1977
Birthplace: St. Louis - Missouri - United States

Trivia: Many know Jeff Branson for the role of Jonathan Lavery on the soap opera All My Children, which he took on in 2004. He's also played Shayne Lewis on daytime favorite The Guiding Light, in addition to numerous other roles in movies like Wolves of Wallstreet and Building Girl.

Laura Stone (Actor) .. Skye Lockhart

Trivia: Made her film debut playing Veronica in the 1998 comedy Dirty Work, starring Norm MacDonald.Notably played Skye Lockhart Newman from 2008 to 2010 on the popular soap opera The Young and the Restless.

Julia Pace Mitchell (Actor) .. Sofia Dupree

Born: September 14, 1985

Eden Riegel (Actor) .. Heather Stephens

Sean Kanan (Actor) .. Deacon Sharpe

Born: November 02, 1966

Tricia Cast (Actor) .. Nina

Sean Young (Actor) .. Meggie

Born: November 20, 1959
Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky, United States

Trivia: Tall, slender, and graceful brunette actress Sean Young has had a busy film career, but has yet to make it past mid-range stardom. This may be partially due to some of the negative publicity generated through her personal life. Before coming to Hollywood in 1980 to perform in Jane Austen in Manhattan, Young had been a New York model and a dancer. Fans of the sci-fi epic Blade Runner (1982) remember Young for playing the sympathetic "replicant" Rachael. Although she appeared in several major features by 1987, Young didn't get much notice as a potential star until after she co-starred with Kevin Costner in the thriller No Way Out (1987). Her love scenes with Costner generated considerable heat on and off the screen. In 1989, Young made entertainment news when her former co-star from The Boost (1988), James Woods, filed a harassment suit against her claiming that she had repeatedly threatened him after their affair soured. Young retaliated by hitting the talk show circuit to deny the claims, all the while continuing her acting career. That year, she was scheduled to play Vicki Vale in Tim Burton's Batman, but broke her collarbone during a riding scene with Michael Keaton and was replaced by Kim Bassinger, something she publicly disputed with Burton. Through the '90s, Young continued to appear regularly onscreen.

Maura West (Actor) .. Diane Jenkins

Born: April 27, 1972
Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, United States

Trivia: Born and raised in Springfield, MA, with three older siblings, actress Maura West studied dramatic arts at Boston University (where she earned her bachelor's), and merely a year after graduation snagged a covetable ongoing role as the conniving Carly Tenney, a gold-digging fashion designer sociopathically envious of her well-to-do-older sister, on the soap As the World Turns. The assignment began in 1995, and -- save a one-year lapse between 1996 and 1997 -- continued unabated for multiple seasons; in no time at all, Carly became a deep-seated and integral part of the series drama. In the part, West netted a 2007 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress, and also claimed numerous Emmy nominations for supporting and lead acting work.

Paul Leyden (Actor) .. Blake

The Young and the Restless: A Christmas Carol

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm, Thursday, December 25 on WCBS HDTV (2.1)

A Christmas Carol