Leah Laiman
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| Leah Laiman | |
|---|---|
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| Born | August 29, 1946 Tel Aviv, Israel  |
| Occupation | Writer |
Leah Laiman (b. August 29, 1946 in Tel Aviv, Israel) is an American soap opera writer and romance novelist.
[edit] Background
This Emmy Award winning writer got her start on daytime television during the early 1980s when General Hospital's Head Writer, Pat Falken Smith, quit the show with the entire writing team. Aiming for more control, the Executive Producer, Gloria Monty, decided to replace Falken Smith and her team with daytime novices and hired Laiman, along with novelist Thom Racina. The pair began working on the show during its heyday, leading up to Luke Spencer and Laura Webber's widely publicized 1981 wedding, which famously included Elizabeth Taylor at her own request. After three years on GH, Laiman followed Racina to Days of our Lives to work with Sheri Anderson where the three wrote Bo and Hope's marriage in England, co-created the character of Steve "Patch" Johnson and John Black.
In 1986, Laiman became head writer and created the character of Jack Deveraux and developed the popular romance of Steve Johnson and Kayla Brady. After Days of Our Lives, Laiman moved to One Life To Live, where she stayed as staff writer from 1990 through 1997 and served as head writer from 1990 to 1991[citation needed] and then again from 1996 to 1997. In 1998, she took a job at the ailing NBC Daytime serial Another World. She and executive producer Christopher Goutman were credited by some with improving the show, but ultimately the show was cancelled in June 1999.
Her next job was at As The World Turns. Behind the scenes conditions quickly deteriorated when Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin, Executive in Charge of Production for the show, pressured Laiman to write many storylines that she didn't want to write. In 2000, Laiman wa fired from ATWT and turned to writing novels for five years. Laiman was rehired on As the World Turns in 2005 as an associate head writer.
[edit] Positions held
- Co-Head Writer (July 1998–25 June 1999)
- The Last AW Writing Team: Leah Laiman (Head Writer, Jean Passanante (co-Head Writer), Stephen Demorest, Melissa Salmons, Laura Maria Censabella, Judy Tate, Tom Wiggin, Tom King, Maura Penders, Richard Culliton, Shelly Altman, Carolyn Culliton, Richard J. Allen, Sofia Landon Geier, Lynn Martin, Gillian Spencer, Mary Sue Price, Edwin Klein, Gordon Rayfield, Courtney Simon, Eleanor Labine
- Associate Head Writer (3 March 2005 - end of 2005)
- Head Writer (August 1999 - August 2000)
- Co-Head Writer (Winter 2006 - January 24, 2008; April 18, 2008 - present)
- Breakdown Writer (1991)
- Head Writer (1986–1989)
- Co-Head Writer (1984–1986)
- Associate Head Writer (1981–1984)
- Breakdown Writer (1993)
- Co-Head Writer (1996–1998)
[edit] Awards and nominations
- NOMINATION (2000 & 2006; Best Writing; As the World Turns)
- WIN (2001; Best Writing; As the World Turns)
- NOMINATION (1990; Best Writing; One Life to Live)
- NOMINATION (1984, 1985, 1987; Best Writing; Days of Our Lives)
- NOMINATION (1983 & 1984; Best Writing; General Hospital)
Writers Guild of America Award NOMINATIONS
- (1998 & 2005 Season; As the World Turns)
- (1994 Season; Guiding Light)
- (1987 & 1991 Season; Days of Our Lives)
| Preceded by Sheri Anderson Thom Racina |
Head Writer of Days of our Lives 19 November 1986–16 March 1989 |
Succeeded by Anne Howard Bailey |
| Preceded by Richard Culliton and Jean Passanante |
Head Writer of Another World July 1998–June 1999 |
Succeeded by none |
| Preceded by Lorraine Broderick |
Head Writer of As the World Turns August 1999–August 2000 |
Succeeded by Hogan Sheffer |
