2011: The Directors and Writers Thread

[Khan]

If that were true, then I wouldn't blame him one bit for making PASSIONS campier and more outrageous. Much of the show's faults lied with the calibre of its acting, but aside from an almost complete cast overhaul, what could be done?

[RavenWhitney]

Is Lloyd Gold jinxed.

Guiding Light writer until cancellation September 17, 2009

As The World Turns writer until cancellation September 18, 2010

All My Chldren writer until cancellation September 23, 2011..

Who's next..Will he get hired by Garin Wolf? and be there until September __, 2012

But good for him for staying employed in soaps when he came back in 2002! He must not get depressed working on dying shows!

[RavenWhitney]

Now that Tomlin is out, word is the Cullitons may be next..

Can Darryl's facebook friend, Jodie Scholz, be on her way back? Or Mcpherson's FF, Liz Snyder or Sally Morina? Stay Tuned

FYI: Maree Cheatam (Sister Marie Horton) is friends with McPherson...maybe Sister is on her way back to Salem for the big party...

[RavenWhitney]

Is Ron Carlivati cutting back his duties at OLTL before the show ends? I'm hearing that he's penning the final story projection but others on the staff are going to see it through and they may be adding a staff member to help...Leah Laiman anyone?

[Toups]

DAYS:

- Christopher Whitesell last listed as Co-Head Writer on June 13

- Christopher Dunn first listed as Associate Head Writer on June 14

Higley solo material for the next 2.5 long and excruciating months.

I doubt that. I would bet that Ron will write the final breakdown, possibly even the final script. Knowing Ron's history with OLTL, I can't see him letting his associate writers doing the final layouts and breakdowns without him.

[dannigold]

Please tell me Days would not be stupid enough to fire the Culliton's

[RavenWhitney]

The Cullitons are Tomlin hires and are probably the most expensive scriptwriters on the team. Don't be surprised if they exit and are replaced my other Passions writers. Peggy Schibi, Pete Rich and N. Gail Lawrence all have a history with the new headwriters and two of the three previously worked on DOOL.

As far as Ron working at OLTL. The reason it was announced now is that he will be working on the GH now or in the very near future. The only reason Robin Strasser knew is that it was going to be obvious that he was taking on the new role. If he wasn't going to be working on GH until December or so, they would have kept the whole thing a secret. Ron is under contract with Disney and makes a lot of money. He will be true to OLTL but he will comply with the terms of his employment agreement. And GH needed him now. He had alreay written a bible into July when the cancellation was announced. And it doesn't take rocket science to determine the wrap up to all the stories. Mark my words: even if other writer's names aren't added to OLTL credit crawl, you will hear about other writers wrapping up the stories. Jean P and the other breakdown writers have a long history with the show; they know what they are doing. I personally want to see Ron's name at GH now to salvage that horrid show. But ultimately I'm disappointed that the Bell family didn't move heaven and earth to get him on Y&R where he's desperately needed. That show SUCKS. They have jumped the shark anew with this Caleb plot.

[Chris B]

I doubt Ron had a choice in terms of going to a non-ABC soap. When ABC signed Ron and Frank to multi-year contracts, that was already knowing they were cancelling OLTL. A move to GH was obviously what they had in mind. I do wonder exactly what Ron will be doing at GH. Eventually a Co-Headwriter? People make his role there seem more important than the press release suggests.

[RavenWhitney]

So where will AMC and OLTL writers land after cancellations? My predictions and what we know.....

AMC

Agnes Nixon, retires to Cornith

Lorraine Broderick, returns to private life, could be consultant to Sony on Y&R but I doubt she will join another team

Addie Walsh, doesn't work on one of the remaining soaps

Lisa Conner, no room at Y&R, disappears from soap writing

Lloyd Gold, finds a position on whichever soap is next for cancellation...his specialty...no, he will go bye bye

Chip Hayes, possibly GH or Real Housewives

Jeff Beldner, never really had successful run on another soap, disappears.

Brown/Estensen, retires

Dave Ryan, no room for a newbie on any soap, too green, was cut loose on GH in favor of Nathan Fissell

Rebecca Taylor, possible trial run at Y&R (Mandy Beall will suggest it)

Joanna Cohen, disappears

Kate Simon Hall (courtney simon's daughter)...B&B trial run, won't get hired

OLTL

Ron Carlivati, GH we know

Jean Passanante, no new soap for her

Chris Van Etten, no new soap

Shelly Altman, GH for sure (Phelps hired her at OLTL)

Anna Cascio, no soap transfer

Leah Laiman (she's ghostwriting OLTL with Passanante, I believe it!) She is done with daytime

Kathryn Schock, no soap transfer

Melissa Salmons, possibly GH or DOOL if Nancy Watt recommends her to McPherson

Courtney Simon, retires

Elizabeth Page, definitely GH with Carlivati

Scott Sickles, no more soaps for the hairy bear

Aida Croal, possibly GH,

[Toups]

Y&R:

- Christopher Whitesell first listed as Breakdown Writer on June 17

Agreed. I especially don't want to lose Richard. I can't wait to see what he does with the new material and better scenes to write for.

[LeClerc]

I agree with pretty much with all the AMC ones except I think Kate Hall could get picked up by GH. She wrote one of the Nightshift episodes before she started at AMC so she must have some connection there.

[RavenWhitney]

True that about Kate Hall, but her AMC episodes are inconsistent; some have been cringeworthy, like she's trying to be Mandy Beall or something. Mamma Courtney is the better writer; JFP should hire CS. Her GL scripts under Curlee/Demorest were fantastic. She was up there with Patrick Mulcahey. Inspired.

Now one offspring who's better than the mother is John Newman. I think for a young person his DOOL scripts are mostly fabulous. Maybe not as sophisticated as RC but crisp nontheless. I hope McPherson keeps him on the team at DOOL.

I think DOOL team will look like this in Jan 2012

Written by

Marlene McPherson

Darryl Ray Thomas

Chris Dunn

Rick Draughon

Nancy Gail Lawrence

Jeanne Marie Ford

Fran Myers

John Newman

Jodie Scholz

Pete T. Rich

Nancy Watt

Peggy Schibi or Rebecca Taylor

[~bl~]

Who is John Newman's mom? Is he the kid of the late soap writer Roger Newman and Fran Myers or someone else? Sometimes I feel like I need a map to keep up with all of these things.

[R Sinclair]

At this point, I doubt it's about connections -- it's about who does more on the cheap. Now, more than ever, everyone seems to be tossing "connections" and loyalties by the wayside in order to save their own asses.

[Toups]

Correct.