Claire Labine
Encyclopedia

Early career

Although she originally aspired to be an actress, Labine eventually became a critically acclaimed writer. She attended the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...

 where her major was journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...

, but later she switched to playwriting major at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...

’s School of Dramatic Arts (now Columbia University School of the Arts
Columbia University School of the Arts
The Columbia University School of the Arts , also known simply as the School of the Arts or as SoA, is the division of the university that offers Master of Fine Arts degrees in Film, Visual Arts, Theatre Arts, and Writing, as well as a Master of Arts degree in Film Studies...

). After graduating, she joined the writing staff of Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo is a children's television series which aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS for nearly 30 years, from October 3, 1955 until December 8, 1984, making it the longest-running children's television program of its day...

. After writing for the show for two years, she was fired in 1968.

Labine's first foray into daytime was as a script writer for the CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime is a television programming block on CBS. It's the branding for the CBS Television Network's late morning and early afternoon programming. The block has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows, and talk shows...

 soap opera Where the Heart Is
Where the Heart Is (1969 TV series)
Where the Heart Is is an American soap opera telecast on the CBS television network from September 8, 1969 to March 23, 1973. Created by Lou Scofield and Margaret DePriest, the program ran for 25 minutes, the remaining five minutes of its timeslot ceded to a CBS news break.Scofield and DePriest...

. After only a year at the show, she was promoted to the post of Head Writer
Head writer
A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an...

 in 1971, along with fellow writer and close friend Paul Avila Mayer
Paul Avila Mayer
Paul Avila Mayer was an American television writer and producer. His father was the late screen writer Edwin Justus Mayer, and his daughter is director Daisy von Scherler Mayer.-Positions held:...

. Although the duo increased the show's ratings their stint at the show ended in 1973, when CBS chose to take the show off the air.

Soon after the end of Where the Heart Is, she became Head Writer for another CBS soap, Love of Life
Love of Life
Love of Life is an American soap opera which aired on CBS Daytime from September 24, 1951 to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation Search for Tomorrow had premiered three weeks before Love of Life, and who would go on to create The Secret Storm two and a half years...

. Once again she was paired with Mayer. The ratings for the show rose, which brought them to the attention of rival network ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...

.

In late 1974, ABC Daytime
ABC Daytime
ABC Daytime is a programming block on the ABC Network which has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows and talk shows.-Schedule:...

 approached Labine and Mayer, who were the Head Writers of Love of Life at the time, about creating a new soap opera. The network wanted a soap opera similar to General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....

- even the proposed title of the new soap, City Hospital, resembled it. Labine and Mayer added a large Irish family to ABC's vision of the show - the Ryan family - and Ryan's Hope
Ryan's Hope
Ryan's Hope is an American soap opera, revolving around 13 years of trials and tribulations within a large Irish American family in the Riverside district of New York City. It aired from July 7, 1975 to January 13, 1989 on ABC...

 was created. While they were writing it, Ryan's Hope won six Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...

s for Outstanding Writing and two Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Program. In addition to this, Labine won a Writers Guild of America Award
Writers Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...

 for each year that she wrote the show.

After ratings began to sag, Labine and Mayer were dismissed from the show in 1982 and replaced by their Associate Head Writer, Mary Ryan Munisteri
Mary Ryan Munisteri
Mary Ryan Munisteri is an American television soap opera writer. She was head writer of Ryan's Hope , Guiding Light , and Loving...

. ABC asked both of them back in early 1983 when it became apparent that Munisteri's writing was not improving the ratings. Labine and Mayer were fired once again later that year.

During her absence from Ryan's Hope, Michael Brockman, former President of CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime is a television programming block on CBS. It's the branding for the CBS Television Network's late morning and early afternoon programming. The block has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows, and talk shows...

, asked Labine to develop a new serial in 1986. Her proposal was entitled Celebration
Celebration
Celebration may refer to:* Party, a social gathering or celebration* Festival, a community gathering to celebrate something in particular*The observance of a feast day or holiday*The celebration of the Eucharist*A Southeast Alaska Native cultural event...

but never made it to the air. Had it been greenlit, Jane Greenstein would have been have Assistant to the Head Writer like she was on General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....

.

In 1987, Labine was asked by ABC to come back to Ryan's Hope. She accepted ABC's offer and remained with the show until 1989, when the show was cancelled.

1990s

In 1993, Labine returned to daytime as Head Writer of ABC's General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....

. She brought the show much critical acclaim, and won her seventh Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Writing for her work on the show. She chose to depart the show in early 1996. During this time, she created a proposed General Hospital spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...

 Heart and Soul
Heart and Soul
"Heart and Soul" or "Heart & Soul" may refer to:-Albums:*Heart & Soul, a Natalie Cole album*Heart & Soul , 2004*Heart and Soul , 2005*Heart and Soul , 1997...

, to star Wally Kurth
Wally Kurth
Wally Kurth is an American singer and television performer. He is best known for his work on the soap opera General Hospital as the second Ned Ashton, which he portrayed from 1993 until 2007, and for his role as Justin Kiriakis on Days of our Lives a role he created in 1987 and played until he...

 and Rena Sofer
Rena Sofer
Rena Sherel Sofer is an American actress, primarily known for her appearances in daytime television, episodic guest appearances, and made-for-television movies...

 in Brooklyn, NY. It was about two families, one black, one white, both show business families. The black family was three generations of jazz musicians. Next door was a theatrical family. The Brooklyn community was a big part of it, as well as a local radio station, some very colorful characters. The show was not picked up by ABC Daytime
ABC Daytime
ABC Daytime is a programming block on the ABC Network which has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows and talk shows.-Schedule:...

 or NBC Daytime
NBC Daytime
NBC Daytime is the schedule for the NBC television network's daytime television programming which consists of morning news program Today and soap opera Days of our Lives...

; Wendy Riche
Wendy Riche
Wendy Riche is an American television producer. She has been executive producer of ABC Daytime's General Hospital and the co-creator and executive producer of its spinoff show Port Charles....

's competing Port Charles
Port Charles
Port Charles was a daytime soap opera which aired on ABC from June 2, 1997 to October 3, 2003. It is a spin-off of the serial General Hospital, which has been running since 1963 and takes place in the fictional city of Port Charles, New York...

 was ABC's choice instead.

Labine co-wrote (with Judith Pinsker
Judith Pinsker
Judith Pinsker is an American television writer.Pinsker co-wrote the 1995 New York Times bestseller General Hospital tie-in novel Robin's Diary, based in the AIDS storyline between characters Stone Cates and Robin Scorpio....

) the 1995 New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...

bestseller General Hospital tie-in
Tie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...

 novel Robin's Diary, based in the AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...

 storyline between characters Stone Cates
Stone Cates
Michael "Stone" Cates is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital. Michael Sutton portrayed him from 1993 to 1995 and returned for a guest appearance from September 28 through September 29, 2010. The character died of AIDS-related illness in 1995...

 and Robin Scorpio
Robin Scorpio
Dr. Robin Scorpio-Drake is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera General Hospital and its prime time SOAPnet spin-off General Hospital: Night Shift, originated and portrayed by Kimberly McCullough since 1985. The character came to mainstream attention when she was diagnosed as HIV-positive...

.

In spring 1996, Labine was offered the Head Writer
Head writer
A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an...

 role at As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...

 but turned it down because she and Matthew Labine
Matthew Labine
Matthew Labine is an American soap opera writer, the son of Claire Labine and the brother of Eleanor Labine Mancusi.In spring 1996, Claire Labine was offered the Head Writer role at CBS Daytime's As the World Turns but turned it down because she and Matthew Labine were trying to get Heart And Soul...

 were trying to get HEART & SOUL [aka Union Place] on the air. "I had to turn it down because we were in the middle of that development. I said to Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....

, “I am gratified by this offer, but if I have any chance at all...” I didn’t think there was much chance but I thought it was worth a go to do our own show. And they were very lovely about it.

In late 1996, she was made Head Writer
Head writer
A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an...

 of ABC's One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...

because she had a year and a half left on her contract with ABC. She remained with the show until early 1998.

2000s

Most recently, Labine had a short stint at CBS' Guiding Light
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...

. She was Head Writer of the show from 2000 through 2001. Labine shared the reins of GL with her children, Matthew Labine
Matthew Labine
Matthew Labine is an American soap opera writer, the son of Claire Labine and the brother of Eleanor Labine Mancusi.In spring 1996, Claire Labine was offered the Head Writer role at CBS Daytime's As the World Turns but turned it down because she and Matthew Labine were trying to get Heart And Soul...

 and Eleanor Labine
Eleanor Labine
Eleanor Labine is an American TV writer, the daughter of Claire Labine and the sister of Matthew Labine.-Positions held:Another World*Associate Head Writer General Hospital*Associate Head Writer Guiding Light...

. Rumors abounded throughout Labine's tenure at GL that she, Executive Producer Paul Rauch
Paul Rauch
- Another World :Rauch is best known for his work on Another World, which he produced from 1971 to 1984. For much of that time, he worked in conjunction with Head Writer Harding Lemay, and the team garnered the show critical acclaim and strong ratings....

, and Executive in Charge of Production Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin
Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin
Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin is an American daytime television producer.-Biography:A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Mary Alice Dwyer had the nickname "Mickey" since childhood. Online she is commonly referred to by her initials, "MADD"...

 had frequent arguments about the show's direction. At one point, it was announced in the soap press that the Labines were departing, only to have the announcement recanted a week later. http://www.soapcentral.com/gl/news/2000/1120-labinesback.php P&G did eventually replace the Labines the following year with writer Lloyd Gold
Lloyd Gold
Lloyd 'Lucky' Gold is an American screen writer and playwright.Gold’s plays have been produced at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, the Seattle Repertory Theatre, the McCarter Theater and others. He wrote numerous film scripts for Miramax and was script doctor on Marvin's Room and Shakespeare in Love...

 and Christopher Dunn.

In November 2009, Labine gave WeLoveSoaps.net an exclusive interview during which she discussed her struggles with ABC during Ryan's Hope, her enjoyment of writing General Hospital, and her less enjoyable experiences on One Life to Live and Guiding Light. She also discussed details about her aborted project, "Union Place" and insights into her illustrious career.

Positions held

Where the Heart Is
Where the Heart Is (1969 TV series)
Where the Heart Is is an American soap opera telecast on the CBS television network from September 8, 1969 to March 23, 1973. Created by Lou Scofield and Margaret DePriest, the program ran for 25 minutes, the remaining five minutes of its timeslot ceded to a CBS news break.Scofield and DePriest...

  • Co-Head Writer: 1971 - 1973
  • Script Writer: 1970 - 1971


Love of Life
Love of Life
Love of Life is an American soap opera which aired on CBS Daytime from September 24, 1951 to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation Search for Tomorrow had premiered three weeks before Love of Life, and who would go on to create The Secret Storm two and a half years...

  • Co-Head Writer 1973 - 1975


Ryan’s Hope
  • Executive Producer
    Executive producer
    An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...

    : July 1975 - June 1982
  • Head Writer: July 1975 - June 1982, January 1983 - November 1983, February 1987 - January 1989


One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...

  • Head Writer: December 1996 - April 1998


General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....

  • Head Writer: March 1993 - March 1996


Guiding Light
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...

  • Head Writer: August 2000 - July 2001

Daytime Emmy

9 Wins
  • (1995; Outstanding Writing; General Hospital)
  • (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983 & 1984, Outstanding Writing, Ryan's Hope)
  • (1979, Outstanding Drama Series, Ryan's Hope)
  • (1977, Outstanding Drama Series, Ryan's Hope)


12 Nominations
  • (1978, 1981 & 1982, Outstanding Drama Series, Ryan's Hope)

Writers Guild Of America

Wins
  • 1995, General Hospital
  • 1994, General Hospital
  • 1980-1983, 1986–1989, Ryan's Hope


Nominations
  • 2001, Guiding Light
  • 1996, General Hospital
  • 1979, Ryan's Hope

Other

  • Honored with Evelyn F. Burkey Award by the Writers Guild of America
    Writers Guild of America
    The Writers Guild of America is a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different US labor unions:* The Writers Guild of America, East , representing TV and film writers East of the Mississippi....

     on February 19, 2005. The award was presented to her by friend Kate Mulgrew
    Kate Mulgrew
    Katherine Kiernan Maria "Kate" Mulgrew is an American actress, most noted for her roles on Star Trek: Voyager as Captain Kathryn Janeway and Ryan's Hope as Mary Ryan...

    .
  • Connecticut College
    Connecticut College
    Connecticut College is a private liberal arts college located in New London, Connecticut.The college was founded in 1911, as Connecticut College for Women, in response to Wesleyan University closing its doors to women...

     Gold Medal 1995 Inherit The Earth Award for General Hospital story line on environmental racism
    Environmental racism
    Environmental racism is a sociological term referring to policies and regulations that disproportionately burden minority communities with negative environmental impacts....

    , a ground-breaking plot for daytime about a trash incinerator about to be located in a low income area featured icon Laura Webber in fight for social justice .
  • Labine served the Writers Guild of America, East
    Writers Guild of America, East
    Writers Guild of America, East is a labor union representing writers of television and film and employees of television and radio news. The 2006 membership of the guild was 3,770....

    , as vice president for three terms, and is a recipient of the Richard Jablow Award for devoted service to the Guild.
  • She has been given Lifetime Achievement Awards by the New York Chapter of National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and Soap Opera Digest
    Soap Opera Digest
    Soap Opera Digest is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional information...

    .
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