<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information
extracted from the Scudder Variable Life Investment
Fund Global Discovery Portfolio Annual Report for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1996 and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
  <NUMBER> 5
  <NAME>  SCUDDER VARIABLE LIFE INVESTMENT FUND
          GLOBAL DISCOVERY PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                                           <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                     DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                        JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                  16,244,126
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                 16,904,247
<RECEIVABLES>                             273,377
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                371
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                       28,401
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                         17,206,396
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                  363,526
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                         0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                  85,606
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                       449,132
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>               16,054,634
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                   2,647,089
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                         100
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                  44,728
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                          0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                  (18,886)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                        0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                  676,788
<NET-ASSETS>                           16,757,264
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                          39,856
<INTEREST-INCOME>                          73,358
<OTHER-INCOME>                                  0
<EXPENSES-NET>                            124,360
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                  (11,146)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                   36,987
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                 676,788
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                     108,629
<EQUALIZATION>                                  0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                        0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                           0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                 3,107,414
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>             (460,425)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                 16,756,664
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                       0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                         0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                      0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                      81,029
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                           124,360
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                   12,382,531
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                        6.00
<PER-SHARE-NII>                              0.01
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                      0.33
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                         0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                    0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                         0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                          6.33
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                              1.50
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                          0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                            0
        

</TABLE>