Claire Labine
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Claire Labine is an American soap opera writer. She received Writers Guild of America, East's Evelyn F. Burkey Award for contributions that have brought honor and dignity to writers everywhere.
Although she originally aspired to be an actress, Labine eventually became a critically-acclaimed writer. After graduating from the University of Kentucky, she joined the writing staff of Captain Kangaroo. After writing for the show for two years, she was fired in 1968.
Labine's first foray into daytime was as a dialogue writer for the CBS soap opera Where the Heart Is. After only a year at the show, she was promoted to the post of headwriter in 1971, along with fellow writer Paul Avila Mayer. Although the duo brought up the show's ratings their stint at the show ended in 1973, when CBS chose to take the show off the air.
Labine was did not remain out of work for long. Soon after the end of Where the Heart Is, she became headwriter of another CBS soap, Love of Life. Once again she was paired with Mayer. The ratings for the show rose, which brought them to the attention of rival network ABC.
ABC lured both Labine and Mayer away from CBS and offered them their own show. Together, Labine and Mayer created Ryan's Hope, which made its debut in 1975. While they were writing it, Ryan's Hope won six Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing and two Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Program. In addition to this, Labine won a Writers Guild Award 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 headwriter, Mary Ryan Munisteri. 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, Labine developed a soap for CBS that was entitled Celebration. This soap never made it to the air.
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.
After RH's demise, Labine wrote several television movies.
In 1993 Labine returned to daytime as headwriter of ABC's General Hospital. She brought the show much critical acclaim, and won her seventh Emmy for Outstanding Writing for her work on the show. She chose to depart the show in early 1996.
Labine was not gone from daytime for long. In late 1996, she was made headwriter of ABC's One Life to Live. She remained with the show until early 1998.
Most recently, Labine had a short stint at CBS' Guiding Light. She was headwriter of the show from 2000 through 2001. Labine shared the reigns of GL with her children, Matt and Eleanor. Rumors abounded throughout Labine's tenure at GL that she, Executive Producer Paul Rauch, and Executive in Charge of Production Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin had frequent verbal arguments about the show's directions. One time it was even announced in the soap press that the Labines were departing, only to have the announcement recanted a week later.[citation needed]
Contents |
[edit] Writing/Creative Positions
- Co-Head Writer (1971-1973)
- Script Writer (1970-1971)
- Co-Head Writer (1973-1975)
- Co-Head Writer (1973-1975)
- Executive Producer (1975-1982)
- Head Writer (July 7th, 1975-February/March 1982; January 1983-November 1983; April/May 1987-January 1989)
- Head Writer (December 1996 - April 1998)
- Head Writer (1993-1996)
- Head Writer (August 2000 - July 2001)
[edit] Awards
[edit] Daytime Emmy
8 WINS
- (1995; Best Writing; General Hospital)
- (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984; Best Writing; Ryan’s Hope)
- (1977; Outstanding Drama Series; Ryan’s Hope)
NOMINATIONS
- (1978, 1981, 1982; Outstanding Drama Series; Ryan’s Hope)
[edit] Writers Guild Of America
- Writers Guild NOMINATION (For 2001 season; Guiding Light) - Writers Guild NOMINATION (For 1996 season; General Hospital) - Writers Guild WIN (For 1994 & 1995 season; General Hospital) * - Writers Guild WIN (For 1980-1983; 1986-1989 season; Ryan’s Hope) *
| Preceded by Barbara Esenstein and James Harmon Brown |
Head Writer of Guiding Light 2000-2001 |
Succeeded by Lloyd Gold |
