Ron Carlivati
Ronald David "Ron" Carlivati (born November 25, 1968) is an American soap opera writer, known for his work on the ABC Daytime serials One Life to Live and General Hospital.[1]
Career
It was announced in the February 27, 2007, edition of Soap Opera Digest that Carlivati was promoted to Co-Head Writer of One Life to Live alongside Dena Higley. On June 4, 2007, Frank Valentini announced that Carlivati would be promoted to head writer effective immediately. The first episode with Carlivati as Head Writer aired September 11, 2007.
Due to One Life to Live's cancellation on ABC, and later the show's abandoned transition to online distribution via production company Prospect Park, it was announced on December 1, 2011, that Carlivati would be taking over as head-writer on ABC's one remaining soap, General Hospital effective January 9, 2012. The first episode with Carlivati as head writer aired February 21, 2012.
One Life to Live
In the months that followed Carlivati's promotion to head writer, the show experienced a creative resurgence, receiving great critical acclaim for revitalizing characters, routinely incorporating and honoring the show's long history, and improving dialogue. However, the show's ratings continued to slide, a problem that all daytime soap operas have been experiencing in recent years.
Carlivati's work aired until February 14, 2008, when the WGA strike forced a new headwriter (Gary Tomlin) to take over. Once the WGA strike was settled, Carlivati returned as headwriter, with his post-strike episodes hitting the air waves on May 2, 2008.
On June 20, 2008, Carlivati and his writing team won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for his work on OLTL.
With the end of One Live to Live's television run in January 2012, Carlivati joined the writing team at General Hospital.[2]
General Hospital
Following the end of One Life to Live in January 2012, Carlivati was appointed head writer of General Hospital, and his material began airing towards the end of February.
In an effort to bring over fans of One Life to Live, who were now without a soap to call their own, Carlivati brought over Kristen Alderson (Starr Manning), Kassie DePaiva (Blair Cramer), Michael Easton (John McBain), Roger Howarth (Todd Manning) and Florencia Lozano (Tea Delgado) to bring their signature roles to General Hospital. While DePaiva and Lozano only appeared in a guest capacity, the other three became contract cast members. When copyright issues intervened, dictating that the show could not use the characters of Starr Manning, Todd Manning, and John McBain; the three actors under contract at the time were recast as Kiki Jerome, Robert "Franco" Frank, and Silas Clay.
In addition to casting the former One Life to Live actors shortly after his arrival, Carlivati also made a point of re-introducing a wide variety of fan favorite veterans to the canvas, including Tristan Rogers (Robert Scorpio) Genie Francis (Laura Spencer), Lynn Herring (Lucy Coe), Finola Hughes (Anna Devane), Sean Kanan (A.J. Quartermaine) and Kin Shriner (Scott Baldwin) for extended runs. Many of them helped make the 50th anniversary a success during the aforementioned transitional absence of the contracted actors brought over from One Life to Live. On July 24, 2015, ABC announced their decision to replace Carlivati as head-writer of General Hospital with Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante.[3]
Personal life
Carlivati was born in Rochester, New York, and attended McQuaid Jesuit High School.[4] After graduating high school in 1986, Carlivati attended College of the Holy Cross for undergraduate studies and later went to George Washington University for graduate school, earned a law degree, and currently lives in New York City.[5] He is openly gay.[6][7]
Awards and nominations
- WINS: (2008 ~ Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, One Life to Live)
- NOMINATIONS: (2002 and 2006 ~ Best Writing, One Life to Live)
- NOMINATIONS: (2003 and 2006 ~ One Life to Live)
Positions held
| Show | Occupation | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| General Hospital | Head Writer | February 21, 2012 to October 5, 2015 |
| One Life to Live | Head Writer Co-Head Writer Breakdown Writer Script Writer Writer's Assistant | September 11, 2007 to January 13, 2012 May 8, 2007 to September 10th, 2007 2001 to 2007 1998 to 2001 1996 to 1998 |
Head writing tenures
| Preceded by Dena Higley |
Head Writer of One Life to Live (with Dena Higley: May 8-September 10, 2007) May 8, 2007 - February 14, 2008 |
Succeeded by Gary Tomlin (WGA Strike) |
| Preceded by Gary Tomlin |
Head Writer of One Life to Live May 2, 2008 - January 13, 2012 |
Succeeded by Thom Racina Susan Bedsow Horgan |
| Preceded by Garin Wolf Shelly Altman |
Head Writer of General Hospital February 21, 2012 - October 5, 2015 |
Succeeded by Jean Passanante Shelly Altman |
References
- ↑ "Home - McQuaid Jesuit" (PDF). McQuaid Jesuit.
- ↑ (9 June 2011). 'One Life to Live' head writer jumps to 'General Hospital', Entertainment Weekly
- ↑ SOD (July 24, 2015). "HEAD WRITER SWITCH AT GH". Soap Opera Digest. United States. American Media, Inc. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- ↑ McQuaid Jesuit Cauldron (June 2008)
- ↑ Justia Inc. "Lawyer Ronald David Carlivati - Legal Experience, Education, Professional Associations & Jurisdictions - Justia Attorney Profile". justia.com.
- ↑ "Gay Kishmet". out.com.
- ↑ "TV Guide Magazine - Soaps - Was OLTL Too Gay For America?". tvguidemagazine.com. Archived from the original on 8 April 2010.