Melody Thomas Scott: 30 Years As Nikki

Melody Thomas Scott will celebrate her 30th anniversary as Nikki on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS this Friday. It's hard to believe she has been around that long but I can barely remember a time when she wasn't on the show. She was married to Michael Altman when she first debuted on the show as Melody Thomas. She married Y&R producer Ed Scott in 1985 and added the "Scott" to her name.

Of course, Scott hasn't been the only actress to play the character of Nikki. Erica Hope was the original Nikki Reed in 1978 but left the show the next year. Nikki was a wild child in the early days and even gave Paul Williams a venereal disease. She later became a stripper and that's when she met Victor Newman. The rest is soap opera history.

Scott spoke to the Jamaica Gleaner in 2006 about her longevity: "As an actor, you feel lucky just to have a job after the first 13 weeks. When I started, I didn't understand the idea of becoming a fan favorite - especially after replacing the original actress (Erica Hope), which many people don't even realize. It's good to know as an actor."

Happy Anniversary! In a tribute to the actress, here are some classic Melody and "Nikki" clips.