<TABLE> <S> <C>




<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information
extracted from the Scudder Variable Life Investment
Fund Balanced 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> 4
  <NAME>  SCUDDER VARIABLE LIFE INVESTMENT FUND
          BALANCED 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>                  78,217,037
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                 88,773,889
<RECEIVABLES>                             778,106
<ASSETS-OTHER>                              1,492
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                            0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                         89,553,487
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                1,150,199
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                         0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                  60,451
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                     1,210,650
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>               72,316,232
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                   7,608,722
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                   6,206,064
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                 672,177
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                          0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                 4,797,576
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                        0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>               10,556,852
<NET-ASSETS>                           88,342,837
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                         580,951
<INTEREST-INCOME>                       2,099,138
<OTHER-INCOME>                                  0
<EXPENSES-NET>                            471,342
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                 2,208,747
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                4,899,761
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>               1,635,671
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                   8,744,179
<EQUALIZATION>                                  0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>             (2,028,500)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>              (1,925,657)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                           0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                 2,336,335
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>           (1,294,203)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                       360,527
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                 20,417,048
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                   483,837
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>               1,831,568
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                         0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                      0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                     372,176
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                           471,342
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                   78,257,738
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                       10.95
<PER-SHARE-NII>                              0.31
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                      0.93
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                         0.30
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                    0.30
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                            0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                         11.61
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                              0.60
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                          0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                            0
        

</TABLE>