May we discuss the various writers of the soap operas?

 

Who are your favorite writers?

 

My ten favorites are (not listed in order):

1. Irna Phillips

2. Agnes Nixon

3. Art Wallace

4. Robert Cenedella

5.C. David Cherrill

6. Gary Tomlin

7.Eugenie Hunt and Ralph Ellis

8. Jane and Ira Avery

9. Wisner Washam

10. Peggy O'Shea

I know David Jacobs is credited as "creating" Dallas and Knots, but do we know his contributions?  I see that he wrote on the first three seasons of Dallas, and he wrote the TV Movie Dallas: The Early Years. So, was he the head writer? Are there any significant episodes that we can attribute to him?  Did he adapt the source material for Dallas?  

In other words, does anyone know if he was more of a writer or a producer?

Edited August 24, 20232 yr by j swift

I am watching a rerun of To Tell the Truth, and writer Ira Avery (Love of Life, The Secret Storm, The Doctors, Search for Tomorrow, The Guiding Light, Love Is a Many Splendored Thing).

He was using the pen name Mavis Hathaway to write a new romance novel.

On 8/12/2023 at 2:11 PM, danfling said:

In 1977, Mr. Swanson joined forces with Steve Babecki and wrote a 38-page guide to Chicago-area museums, "Museums of Chicago."

interesting fact: steve babecki was the first husband of irna’s daughter, katherine. she’s credited as ‘world turns headwriter under that name from 1966-70

On 8/24/2023 at 9:35 AM, j swift said:

I know David Jacobs is credited as "creating" Dallas and Knots, but do we know his contributions?  I see that he wrote on the first three seasons of Dallas, and he wrote the TV Movie Dallas: The Early Years. So, was he the head writer? Are there any significant episodes that we can attribute to him?  Did he adapt the source material for Dallas?  

In other words, does anyone know if he was more of a writer or a producer?

I personally say he's both. But you could argue he's more of a producer.  If he worked in daytime they he would probably have the break down writer title. 

I do remember the name Katherine Babecki.   I had not realized that this was Katherine Phillips before now, I don't think.

It is a little like writer Cathy Chicos, who wrote All My Children.   She was actually Cathy Nixon, daughter of Agnes Nixon, after her marriage.

Did Agnes son-in-law also write for the show or am I confused?

Agnes mentored Wisner Washam but after he left AMC I don't think he wrote any other soap. He was pretty much de facto headwriter for many years.'

He clashed with Megan McTavish I believe and quit the show.

I have just read Agnes' book and wish she had have gone into more detail about BTS stuff.

Mr. Washam was later head writer for The Guiding Light.

He was the husband of Anne Barcroft (Ann #3) and the father of Ian Washam (Little Phillip #1).

I have never understood why he did not work on Loving.   I loved the work of head writer Ralph Ellis, but I expect that the show would have been better had Mr. Washam written it.

Edited September 2, 20232 yr by danfling

36 minutes ago, danfling said:

Mr. Washam was later head writer for The Guiding Light.

He was the husband of Ann Barcroft (Ann #3) and the father of Ian Washam (Little Phillip #1).

I have never understood why he did not work on Loving.   I loved the work of head writer Ralph Ellis, but I expect that the show would have been better had Mr. Washam written it.

He did write for GL but I don't believe he was the head writer.  Of course JFP did not like him - his writing would be too intelligent for her. 

I agree that he should have been made head writer of Loving.  He quite possibly could have been the one to make it a hit.

https://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/03/wisner-washam-interview-part-3-of-3.html

We Love Soaps: You also wrote for GUIDING LIGHT at one point.
Wisner Washam: When I was canned from ALL MY CHILDREN, I lacked six months having enough time with the Writers Guild to be covered by the health insurance plan. Back in those days you had to work 20 years, count 'em, 20 years, in order to vest. I lacked six months. At that point, Lorraine Broderick was working at GUIDING LIGHT and, bless her heart, got me a job. They hired me but I did not fit in at all. Jill Farren-Phelps was the producer and she didn't like me. At the end of six months I was let go. 

 

 

16 hours ago, danfling said:

He was the husband of Anne Barcroft (Ann #3) and the father of Ian Washam (Little Phillip #1).

Judith Barcroft.    

Thank you.   You know that no mistake was intended.

 

How long was it before Lois Kibbee left the role of Elizabeth Sanders on One Life to Live and her death?

I have wondered why she never became a writer on the that show.   I think that she appeared after the time that Henry Slesar had left his writing position on that show.   (They had written The Edge of Night together at one time.)

I wonder if she had become ill by the time that Elizabeth was written off the show.

I had long wondered about the late writer Lou Shaw.   I see his name many nights as the creator of Quincy, M. E.

I learned this afternoon that he was once the husband of the late soap opera writer Peggy O'Shea, a wonderful writer (in my opinion) of One Life to Live and the serial Capitol.

I remember that Ms. O'Shea departed from One Life to Live saying that she would never write for a daytime drama again because the networks were too interfering. 

She also wrote for Search for Tomorrow and Love of Life.   She collaborated with her husband to write episodes of the primetime Peyton Place.

Edited October 9, 20232 yr by danfling

On 9/2/2023 at 3:44 PM, Efulton said:

He did write for GL but I don't believe he was the head writer.  Of course JFP did not like him - his writing would be too intelligent for her. 

I agree that he should have been made head writer of Loving.  He quite possibly could have been the one to make it a hit.

https://www.welovesoaps.net/2010/03/wisner-washam-interview-part-3-of-3.html

We Love Soaps: You also wrote for GUIDING LIGHT at one point.
Wisner Washam: When I was canned from ALL MY CHILDREN, I lacked six months having enough time with the Writers Guild to be covered by the health insurance plan. Back in those days you had to work 20 years, count 'em, 20 years, in order to vest. I lacked six months. At that point, Lorraine Broderick was working at GUIDING LIGHT and, bless her heart, got me a job. They hired me but I did not fit in at all. Jill Farren-Phelps was the producer and she didn't like me. At the end of six months I was let go. 

 

 

In an ideal world, Wisner and Lorraine should have succeeded Nancy Curlee after she left GL. 

 

 

Donald Wallace Obituary

Wallace, Donald T.
May 17, 1922 - Dec. 16, 2015
Don was born in Iowa and grew up in Oklahoma. He graduated from the University of Michigan in May, 1943 with a Bachelor of Music degree. He served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946 where he earned the rank of Captain. Don was married to Peggy Johnson in 1946. They moved to New York where he took graduate work at Columbia. He was hired by Benton and Bowles (a New York ad agency) where he served as a radio program director and television director (The Edge of Night). In 1968 he partnered with Agnes Nixon to form Creative Horizons and brought One Life to Live and All My Children to television. He became Executive Producer, and later Head Writer, for One Life to Live. In 1971, he went on to do freelance writing and directing on numerous shows in N.Y. and L.A. He retired in 1989. Don was a member of the Directors Guild and Writers Guild of America. He received one Writers Guild award and three Emmy nominations during his career. He also served as organist/choir director for 20 years at two Long Island churches. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Peggy, three married sons, Bruce (Lois), Tom (Debbie), Gordon (Bj), seven grandchildren, and two great grandsons. He moved to Sarasota, Florida in the early 1990's. A memorial service and reception will be held at Plymouth Harbor in Sarasota on Saturday, December 19, 2015 at 3 PM. Please make a donation to Plymouth Harbor in lieu of flowers. Don will be loved and missed forever. Arrangements entrusted to National Cremation & Burial Society.

 

This is the obituary for director/writer/producer Don Wallace from 2015.  I don't remember that his death was reported.

The obituary does not mention his work as a writer on Loving, The Guiding Light and Love of Life.  He was executive producer of The Best of Everything and the serial Return to Peyton Place (both of which he collaborated with the late James Lipton). as a producer and director of From These Roots, and as a director of Search for Tomorrow.

I had not known of his musical background.