Actors who successfully transitioned to behind-the-scenes roles

[LoyaltoAMC]

Not sure this topic was ever done. Was thinking about daytime actors who managed quite successfully to make the leap to roles behind the scenes (EP, writer, director). There would probably be some debate as to whether "very successful transition" is an applicable term to some of these individuals. I'm sure I'm missing a ton, but these are the ones that first came to mind.

Chris Goutman

Ellen Wheeler

Pam Long

Doug Marland

Francesca James

Megan McTavish

Meg Bennett

Stephanie Braxton

Dan Hamilton

Mary K. Wells

Clarice Blackburn

Gary Tomlin

James Houghton

Michael Conforti

Lois Kibbee

Martha Byrne

Marie Masters

[All My Shadows]

Fran Myers

David Cherrill (aka C. David Colson)

Gillian Spencer

Louise Shaffer

[DRW50]

I don't know about "successful", in terms of long-term, but Don Hastings wrote for GL for several years, and James de Paiva and David Forsyth have both directed soaps.

And Roger Newman.

[DeeeDee]

Darnell Williams

Larkin Malloy

Susan Flannery

[DRW50]

Lisa Brown

Richard Backus

[Cheap21]

Gary Tomlin was an actor? Did not know that.

Id add John Loprieno. I knew he did some writing for OLTL.

[Sylph]

Elizabeth Harrower.

[Khan]

Lewis Arlt

Don Chastain

Hal Cooper

Roni Dengel

John Driver

Sofia Landon Geier

Kenneth Harvey

Trent Jones

Gail Kobe

Steve Lehrman (aka Steve Carlson)

Bethel Leslie

Courtney (Sherman) Simon

[remos]

Jane Elliot (both in front and behind the camera on The City)

Also...

Kimberly McCullough

Sarah Brown

[R Sinclair]

How are we qualifying "successful transition?"

[Sylph]

They wrote more than one script.

[Khan]

I know I, for one, would not include Martha Byrne. ;-)

[remos]

That would be a judgement call, now wouldn't it.

I'd keep it basic - where they paid for a different job than acting, yes or no. When we try to place something as substantive as "successful" on this, it goes to hell in a handcart.

[R Sinclair]

Well, that's, in part, why I'm asking. For instance, I would consider Gillian Spencer having a successful transition from in front to behind the camera. There's a substantial amount of work there in both areas. Martha Byrne, however?

However, if it's just about people who have done work and/or have dabbled in both areas, then that's a different story.

[SFK]

**As an appendage, Agnes Nixon (Northwestern), Harding Lemay and Paul Rauch (both under Sandy Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse) trained as actors before finding their success BTS.