ARTICLE: ‘Days of our Lives’ Co-Executive Producer Janet Drucker Announces Retirement, Noel Maxam Named Successor

[Errol]

Janet Drucker, co-executive producer of “Days of our Lives” since 2023, has announced she’ll be retiring with her final day with the show set for Friday, May 2, 2025. She will be replaced by Noel Maxam, who has been the show’s senior producer since August 2023.

Joining the soap as a production associate in 1984, Drucker soon found herself promoted to the role of assistant to the producers in August 1988, before later being named an associate producer in December 1989. By October 1993, she would move up the ladder again when she was named the show’s coordinating producer. She would go on to become a senior coordinating producer in November 1997, a role she maintained until August 2015. At that time, she was elevated to the role of producer before again changing roles to become senior producer in September 2020.

In August 2023, she was named the show’s co-executive producer, replacing the outgoing Albert Alarr.

During her time with the show, “Days of our Lives” received 15 Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Drama Series, winning three of them. Additionally, Drucker is only the fourth woman in the show’s history to hold the title of co-executive producer, following in a line that started with the show’s co-creator Betty Corday (August 1966 – December 1987), and later Shelly Curtis (March – December 1989) and the late Lisa de Cazotte (January 2012-July 2015)

As for Maxam, he returns to the position of co-executive producer, having briefly held the title from 2011-2012. He began his daytime career as a writer on “As The World Turns” in 1995 followed by a lengthy tenure as producer/director at “The Young and the Restless” before eventually joining “Days of our Lives” in 2008, also as a producer/director.

Ken Corday
Chris Haston/NBC

Noel Maxam

 “Janet began her career with us as a production associate and steadily rose through the ranks, becoming an integral part of our leadership team. She has been a guiding presence behind the scenes, and her positive influence has left a lasting legacy,” said “Days of our Lives” executive producer Ken Corday in a statement. “We thank her deeply for her dedication, talent, and heart.”

“Noel brings with him an exceptional blend of creative vision, technical expertise, and leadership experience,” continued Corday, speaking of Maxam. “His deep understanding of the genre and steady hand behind the scenes make him the ideal choice to help lead us forward.”

“It has been an honor and the pleasure of a lifetime to make my mark in Salem over the past 41 years,” said Drucker in a statement. “I will forever consider this show and everyone involved my second home, but it is time for me to focus on my family.”

Produced by Corday Productions Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television, “Days of our Lives” streams exclusively on Peacock.

Note: The post ‘Days of our Lives’ Co-Executive Producer Janet Drucker Announces Retirement, Noel Maxam Named Successor appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website.
 

 

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[Soapsuds]

Wow, I don't recall Noel writing for ATWT.

[Khan]

Neither do I!

[Liberty City]

Let's see what his next stint as co-EP brings; it's just a shame we went from a female co-EP to a male again.

[VelekaCarruthers]

He was a script writer during the terrible Black/Stern period when they were trying out newbie writers many of whom went through the P&G writer development program. He was with the show from July to December 1996.

Edited March 28 by VelekaCarruthers

[DaytimeFan]

I will always be supportive of Noel Maxam because of his many years with Y&R. He knows what good soap opera is. 

Janet had to have endured a lot through a tumultuous time and I hope she has a fabulous retirement.

[janea4old]

Noel Maxam's LinkedIn (no guarantee of accuracy)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/noel-maxam-406a828/details/experience/
This says ATWT as "associate writer" contract Jan 1995 - Nov 1997.
It also says he was a freelance director at GH and and at Hollywood Heights; and that he worked for a period running an interior construction/design company.

[Toups]

I have never seen Maxam's name in the ATWT or GH credits, so this is the first time I've heard of him working at those shows. 

Congrats to Janet on her retirement.  Spending 41 years at one show, and climbing up the ladder, is such a great accomplishment. 

[soapfan770]

For years I’ve always wanted Maxam to return to Y&R as EP; instead we got the likes of Pratt, Mal Young, and now Griffith running the show. 

[Khan]

 

Interesting.  I guess he decided he preferred directing over writing?

Thanks, @VelekaCarruthers and @janea4old!

[VelekaCarruthers]

I went through the credits on Youtube episodes and he was listed once in April 1996 then not again until July through November 1996. He may have done occasional scripts while in the writer development program before April 1996? But I just went through the credits through Jan 1997 and his name never appears again. I thin he has his dates wrong.

[Soapsuds]

Noel was the script writer for this episode.

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