“General Hospital” has promoted Chris Van Etten to the role of co-head writer. He replaces recently retired Jean Passanante in the position.
Jean Passanante, who has spearheaded “General Hospital” alongside Shelly Altman since July 2015, officially retires from soap opera writing.
“The 43rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” nominations were announced today live on CBS’ “The Talk,” but several categories were not included during the television broadcast including Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team.
After three go-rounds in Port Charles, he’s back on set for a fourth. Michael Easton, who previously portrayed John McBain, Caleb Morley and Silas Clay, has returned to work at “General Hospital” and announced his first air date.
As previously reported, the “General Hospital” writing team consisting of former head writer Ron Carlivati, and writers Anna Theresa Cascio, Andrea Archer Compton, Suzanne Flynn, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Elizabeth Page, Jean Passanante, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles and Chris Van Etten, took home the Writers Guild Award on Saturday, February 13 in the category of Daytime Drama. The soap beat out CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful,” the only other series nominated in the category. At press time, Carlivati’s acceptance speech was unavailable. That has since changed.
Congratulations are in order for former “General Hospital” head writer Ron Carlivati. The writer, along with his team consisting of Anna Theresa Cascio, Andrea Archer Compton, Suzanne Flynn, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Elizabeth Page, Jean Passanante, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles and Chris Van Etten, took home the WGA Award in the category of Daytime Drama for their writing work on the anniversary episode of the soap opera.
In the newest issue of CBS Soaps In Depth, on newsstands now, Nathan Varni, manager, current series, ABC Entertainment, reveals that despite all the fan chatter on message boards, Facebook, Twitter and the like, offline viewers of the network’s “General Hospital” continues to thwart online viewers when it comes to storyline direction.
With four soaps remaining on the air only ABC’s “General Hospital” and CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful” were able to eek out nominations for the 2016 Writers Guild Awards in the category of daytime drama.
As previously reported, “General Hospital” will soon be saying goodbye to scribe Ron Carlivati and hello again to co-head writers Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante when the team officially takes over writing duties next month, with material not expected to fully hit the screen until mid-October, according to insiders. But what forced ABC to make a change in its writing regime? Ratings, of course! Thirteen consecutive weeks of ratings lows that is.
With 13 consecutive weeks of record low ratings in the key Women 18-49 sales demo, ABC announced today that it has decided to oust “General Hospital’s” current head writer, Ron Carlivati, and replace him with newly appointed co-head writers Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante. The duo, who will officially take over writing reins beginning Monday, August 10, previously served together in the same capacity at CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” up until January of this year. They won two consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for their work on “Y&R” during their tenure.
