Joe Riley is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera One Life to Live originated on the debut episode by actor Lee Patterson. Patterson regularly appeared in the role from the inception of the serial July 15, 1968, through 1970, from 1972 through October 3, 1979, and briefly in 1987. Casting Series creator Agnes Nixon cast Patterson as one of the leading protagonists on One Life to Live in 1968. After two seasons with the show, Patterson departed the role in 1970, filming Chato's Land opposite Jack Palance and making guest television appearances including on ABC's The Immortal during his absence from the serial. The actor reprised the role on-contract with the series in 1972, playing Joe until the character's onscreen death October 3, 1979. In 1986, Patterson returned to One Life to Live in the contract role of Joe's long-lost twin brother, Tom Dennison. The actor made his final appearances on the series as Joe in episodic dream sequences aired in March and April 1987. Storylines In 1968, reporter Joe Riley clashes with icy heiress Victoria "Viki" Lord (originally Gillian Spencer), who had little interest in romance and focused her time and energy on her work at The Banner. They soon start to fall in love, but publisher Victor Lord (Ernest Graves) disapproves of his daughter becoming involved with the working-class Riley and does all he can to keep them apart. Torn between pleasing her father and following her heart, Viki begins getting headaches — and mysterious, threatening notes telling her to end her relationship with Joe. Secretly plagued by multiple personality disorder, Viki (as alter ego "Niki Smith") becomes involved with Joe's best friend, Vince Wolek (Antony Ponzini). In love with "Niki", a heartbroken Vinny learns the truth and told Viki about her other personality. Viki seeks psychiatric treatment, and with her mental illness apparently under control, goes ahead with plans to marry Joe. But during the initial wedding ceremony, "Niki" reemerges and flees the ceremony with an ecstatic Vinny. When Joe urges "Niki" to marry him, however, "Niki's" own panic resulted in Viki regaining control, and Viki returns to Joe. During more intensive therapy, Viki remembers apparently writing the threatening notes as "Niki", and finally recalls the childhood memory that had apparently caused her personality to splinter. Now freed by the truth, Viki marries Joe December 11, 1969. In 1970, Joe begins investigating Llanview's increasing drug