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Ronald David Carlivati (born November 25, 1968) is an American screenwriter. He is best known for his tenures as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital. He is currently serving a position as head writer for the Peacock soap opera Days of Our Lives.[1][2]

Career

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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. [citation needed] 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.[3]

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.[4]

Days of Our Lives

On January 23, 2017, Carlivati was announced as the newly appointed head writer for Days of Our Lives, replacing former co-head writers Dena Higley and Ryan Quan. Per reports, this change is said to be "effective immediately".[5][6] Carlivati's first credit as head writer began on July 19, 2017.[7]

Personal life

Carlivati was born in Rochester, New York, and attended McQuaid Jesuit High School.[8] 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 Juris Doctor degree, and currently lives in Manhattan.[9] He is openly gay.[10][11]

Awards and nominations

Daytime Emmy Award
Writers Guild of America Award

Positions held

Show Occupation Duration
Days of Our Lives Head Writer July 19, 2017 to present
General Hospital Head Writer February 21, 2012 to October 5, 2015
One Life to Live Head Writer September 11, 2007 to January 13, 2012
Co-Head Writer (with Dena Higley) May 8, 2007 to September 10, 2007
Breakdown Writer 2001 to 2007
Script Writer 1998 to 2001
Writer's Assistant 1996 to 1998

Head writing tenures

Preceded byDena Higley Head Writer of One Life to Live(with Dena Higley: May 8–September 10, 2007) May 8, 2007 – February 14, 2008 Succeeded byGary Tomlin (WGA Strike) Preceded byGary Tomlin Head Writer of One Life to Live May 2, 2008 – January 13, 2012 Succeeded byThom RacinaSusan Bedsow Horgan Preceded byGarin WolfShelly Altman Head Writer of General Hospital February 21, 2012 – October 5, 2015 Succeeded byJean PassananteShelly Altman Preceded byDena HigleyRyan Quan Head Writer of Days of Our Lives July 19, 2017 – December 1, 2023 Succeeded byWGA Strike

References

  1. ^ Evans, Greg (January 23, 2017). "NBC's 'Days Of Our Lives' Taps Soap Writing Vet Ron Carlivati". Deadline. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  2. ^ Fairman, Michael (January 23, 2017). "Ron Carlivati IN as Head Writer At Days of our Lives; Dena Higley OUT!". Michael Fairman Soaps, Inc. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  3. ^ Rice, Lynette (June 9, 2011). "'One Life to Live' head writer jumps to 'General Hospital'". Entertainment Weekly.
  4. ^ "HEAD WRITER SWITCH AT GH". Soap Opera Digest. American Media, Inc. July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  5. ^ "Breaking News: Higley Out, Carlivati In At DAYS". Soap Opera Digest. United States: American Media, Inc. January 24, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  6. ^ Fairman, Michael (January 23, 2017). "Ron Carlivati IN as Head Writer At Days of our Lives; Dena Higley OUT!". On-Air On-Soaps. Michael Fairman Soaps, Inc. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "Ron Carlivati Announces First DAYS Airdate". Soap Opera Digest. American Media, Inc. Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. June 21, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  8. ^ McQuaid Jesuit Cauldron (June 2008)
  9. ^ Justia Inc. "Lawyer Ronald David Carlivati - Legal Experience, Education, Professional Associations & Jurisdictions". Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  10. ^ "Gay Kishmet". Out. July 28, 2009. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  11. ^ Fairman, Michael. "Was OLTL Too Gay For America?". Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  12. ^ a b Bowe, Jillian (April 29, 2018). "Days of Our Lives Wins Daytime Emmy For Outstanding Writing Team". Daytime Confidential. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  13. ^ Kerr, Luke (February 16, 2016). "WGA Winner Ron Carlivati: "I Consider Being Called The Writer a Badge of Honor" (VIDEO)". Daytime Confidential. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
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