Hogan Sheffer dies at 61

[Soaplovers]

I think Carolyn Culliton should have stayed his co-headwriter... once she was replaced by Passante as co-head writer... the quality of the soap changed.

 

Hogan needed a strong co head writer to keep his tendencies in check... someone rooted in soap opera structure... sort of how Griffith was for Malone in their 90s heyday.  

 

Was he the one to do the EJ/Sami 'rape' thing on DAYS?

[P.J.]

Whatever his talent and use/misuse of it---61 is too young.

[AbcNbc247]

RIP. His work on Days was all I saw of him. I thought he had some good ideas, but I'm not sure what happened with the execution of them.

 

Yes, that was him. But I don't think he was the one that actually put them together as a couple.

[Toups]

Hogan had such a funny personality and seemed like a nice guy.  Loved his Emmy speeches.  He and Carolyn Culliton were such a good team.  I agree that Carolyn should've stayed as his Co-HW.   But instead he got Chris Whitesell and Jean Passanante.   I enjoyed the beginning of his DAYS.   He definitely was the last big daytime "newbie" to make a huge impact on soaps.   RIP Hogan.

[Soapsuds]

Agreed...not sure what the cause was but his weight more than likely a lot to do with it...yet you have these fully fit guys having medical problems as well...probably in the genes....like in the case of the trainer fitness guru Harper.

[Franko]

Yup. And isn't it something that was nearly 20 years ago?

[lucaslesann23]

How was hogan on YR? 

[Faulkner]

 

[beebs]

I'm unfamiliar with his plans for DAYS, though I know the outcome. What were they? 

[EllenP]

This is shocking. RIP, Hogan. I loved his ATWT. He infused the show with humor and gothic elements. More importantly, he raised the stakes in the show’s storytelling. It was obvious that he was dealing with network interference in 2004 and onward. In fact, Rose’s death was to have sparked a huge umbrella story involving Holden, Lily, Dusty, and Molly, but the network nixed it. The show had to scramble, and I’m guessing that’s why the Cabot story dragged out. Whatever the case was, I loved most of his stories and how he wrote Barbara, Carly, Jessica, Jack, Hal, and so many others.

 

I also enjoyed his years at Y&R, but it’s hard to know who was really in charge when Hogan was there. I think Hogan would have given Y&R a much needed shot in the arm and would have been a better replacement than Griffith, but obviously that could not happen as we now know.

 

I’ll be spending the evening watch YT clips of Hogan’s ATWT ca. 2000-early 2002.

[Vee]

Sheffer's skill atrophied at ATWT around '03-'04 (and the show is unwatchable after that thanks to Chris Goutman), and his ambitious DAYS plans were mostly wrecked by external creative interference as well some very poor choices on his part (Sami's rape by E.J.). From there he never recovered as a writer in soaps. But when he was great, he was controversial but incredibly watchable and compelling. Good or bad, he was a breath of fresh air. RIP.

[BetterForgotten]

61 is way too young, I am sorry for his friends and family.

 

But yes, he had only one good year at ATWT and it sure as he’ll wasn’t “classic ATWT” by any means. Those consecutive Emmy wins were a misrepresentation of his work and sadly probably his undoing as a soap writer.

[Contessa Donatella]

I thoroughly enjoyed the spa storyline and I thought it was a very creative way to deal with having three leading ladies all pregnant at the same time. I loved Lily & Rose. I loved his work with Barbara Ryan.

[BetterForgotten]

It’s hard for me to rewatch most of that time now, especially how diluted and thin the characters seem upon another look. There is also a general unpleasantness and highly problematic view of women in particular running though much of his work that I can’t look past (on all 3 soaps he contributed to).

 

I’ll give him credit for sparking renewed interest in ATWT for a brief moment though...

[Faulkner]

Flashback to Hogan Sheffer’s 2002 New Yorker profile.

The infamous quote from the above piece: