. ▁Gra ves ▁deb uted ▁July ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁and ▁played ▁the ▁role ▁until ▁he ▁left ▁the ▁series ▁and ▁last ▁appeared ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁Series ▁cre ator ▁Ag nes ▁N ixon ▁and ▁executive ▁producer ▁Dor is ▁Qu in lan ▁subsequently ▁rec ast ▁Victor ▁to ▁She pp erd ▁Str ud wick , ▁who ▁first ▁appeared ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁and ▁played ▁the ▁role ▁until ▁the ▁character ' s ▁initial ▁on screen ▁death ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁Character ▁background ▁ ▁Con ception ▁Series ▁cre ator ▁and ▁then - script writer ▁Ag nes ▁N ixon ▁originally ▁created ▁the ▁character ▁of ▁Victor ▁Lord ▁based ▁on ▁her ▁father , ▁Harry ▁E ck hardt . ▁She ▁craft ed ▁the ▁role ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁understand ▁the ▁reserved , ▁dom ine ering ▁E ck hardt ▁patri arch , ▁an ▁entrepr ene ur ▁who ▁finan cially ▁th riv ed ▁during ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression ▁manufact uring ▁fun eral ▁gar ments . ▁ ▁Cast ing ▁and ▁development ▁Ernest ▁Gra ves ▁played ▁the ▁role ▁from ▁show ' s ▁first ▁episode ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁through ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁She pp erd ▁Str ud wick ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁role ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁playing ▁Victor ▁contin ually ▁through ▁the ▁character ' s ▁on screen ▁death ▁June ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁Tom ▁O ' R our ke ▁briefly