When the late, great John Aniston made his Days of Our Lives debut on July 19, 1985, he was already a well-regarded daytime vet, owing to his stints on Love of Life and Search for Tomorrow. But it was the character of Victor Kiriakis that transformed him from soap star to soap icon. From day one, it was a steady stream of schemes, manipulations and dastardly deeds for Aniston’s Salem counterpart — with a little humanity and love thrown in for good measure.

The actor’s first scene on Days of Our Lives took place at an auction where Victor bid on a photo taken by Kimberly Brady. The dashing yet mysterious tycoon quickly got into a bidding war with Kimberly’s true love, Shane Donovan. And though Victor lost that battle, his war with Shane, Kimberly and the rest of the Bradys was only just beginning — and would keep viewers entertained for years.

While reflecting on Victor’s status as a villain, Aniston mused, in an interview with the Television Academy, that he’s “had some transitions. He’s tried to reform himself, so he could nail down Maggie.” Tried might be the operative word because, as his portrayer pointed out, “The thing is, being too goody-two-shoes on a soap opera is no good.”