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Leah Laiman (b. August 29, 1946 in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv-Yafo , usually Tel Aviv, is the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country List of cities in Israel in Israel, with an estimated population of 390,100....
, Israel
Israel

Israel officially the State of Israel , is a country in the Middle East located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area....
) is an American soap opera
Soap opera

A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in Serial format on television or radio. Programs described as soap operas have existed as an entertainment long enough for audiences to recognize them simply by the term soap....
 writer and romance novel
Romance novel

The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and Romance between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late 20th and early 21st centuries, these novels are co...
ist.

Background
This Emmy Award winning writer got her start on daytime television during the early 1980s when General Hospital
General Hospital

General Hospital is an United States soap opera broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company television network during the day and on SOAPnet each weeknight....
's 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, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an executive producer....
, Pat Falken Smith
Pat Falken Smith

Patricia Falken Smith was a television writer, most famous for her stints as head writer of several soap operas, including General Hospital and Days of our Lives....
, quit the show with the entire writing team. Aiming for more control, the Executive Producer
Executive producer

The title of executive producer , or executive in charge of production, typically describes a film producer, television producer, radio producer, record producer, or similar Stakeholder who doesn't participate in the technical operations of the production process, but who is still responsible for the success of a project....
, Gloria Monty
Gloria Monty

Gloria Monty was an United States TV Television producer working primarily in the field of Soap opera. Monty attended the University of Iowa, New York University, and Columbia University, where she earned her master?s degree in drama....
, decided to replace Falken Smith and her team with daytime novices and hired Laiman, along with novelist Thom Racina
Thom Racina

Thom Racina is an American television writer and novelist....
. The pair began working on the show during its heyday, leading up to Luke Spencer
Luke Spencer

Lucas Lorenzo "Luke" Spencer Sr. is a fictional character on the popular American Broadcasting Company soap opera, General Hospital, and has been played by Anthony Geary since 1978....
 and Laura Webber
Laura Spencer

Laura Spencer is a fictional character on the American Broadcasting Company soap opera, General Hospital. Laura was portrayed by Stacy Baldwin from 1974 to 1976, and since then has been played by Genie Francis, first from 1976-1982, and then from 1993-2002 ....
's widely publicized 1981 wedding, which famously included Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor

Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, Order of the British Empire , also known as Liz Taylor, is an England-born American actress.Known for her acting skills and beauty, as well as her Cinema of the United States lifestyle, including many marriages, Taylor is considered one of the great actresses of Hollywood's golden years, as well as a la...
 at her own request.






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Leah Laiman (b. August 29, 1946 in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv-Yafo , usually Tel Aviv, is the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country List of cities in Israel in Israel, with an estimated population of 390,100....
, Israel
Israel

Israel officially the State of Israel , is a country in the Middle East located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area....
) is an American soap opera
Soap opera

A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in Serial format on television or radio. Programs described as soap operas have existed as an entertainment long enough for audiences to recognize them simply by the term soap....
 writer and romance novel
Romance novel

The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and Romance between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late 20th and early 21st centuries, these novels are co...
ist.

Background


This Emmy Award winning writer got her start on daytime television during the early 1980s when General Hospital
General Hospital

General Hospital is an United States soap opera broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company television network during the day and on SOAPnet each weeknight....
's 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, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an executive producer....
, Pat Falken Smith
Pat Falken Smith

Patricia Falken Smith was a television writer, most famous for her stints as head writer of several soap operas, including General Hospital and Days of our Lives....
, quit the show with the entire writing team. Aiming for more control, the Executive Producer
Executive producer

The title of executive producer , or executive in charge of production, typically describes a film producer, television producer, radio producer, record producer, or similar Stakeholder who doesn't participate in the technical operations of the production process, but who is still responsible for the success of a project....
, Gloria Monty
Gloria Monty

Gloria Monty was an United States TV Television producer working primarily in the field of Soap opera. Monty attended the University of Iowa, New York University, and Columbia University, where she earned her master?s degree in drama....
, decided to replace Falken Smith and her team with daytime novices and hired Laiman, along with novelist Thom Racina
Thom Racina

Thom Racina is an American television writer and novelist....
. The pair began working on the show during its heyday, leading up to Luke Spencer
Luke Spencer

Lucas Lorenzo "Luke" Spencer Sr. is a fictional character on the popular American Broadcasting Company soap opera, General Hospital, and has been played by Anthony Geary since 1978....
 and Laura Webber
Laura Spencer

Laura Spencer is a fictional character on the American Broadcasting Company soap opera, General Hospital. Laura was portrayed by Stacy Baldwin from 1974 to 1976, and since then has been played by Genie Francis, first from 1976-1982, and then from 1993-2002 ....
's widely publicized 1981 wedding, which famously included Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor

Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, Order of the British Empire , also known as Liz Taylor, is an England-born American actress.Known for her acting skills and beauty, as well as her Cinema of the United States lifestyle, including many marriages, Taylor is considered one of the great actresses of Hollywood's golden years, as well as a la...
 at her own request. After three years on GH, Laiman followed Racina to Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives

Days of our Lives is an United States soap opera, which has aired nearly every weekday since November 8, 1965 on the NBC network in the United States, and has since been syndicated to many countries around the world....
 to work with Sheri Anderson
Sheri Anderson

Sheri Anderson is an American television writer and producer who has worked primarily on Serial and in international film and television development....
 where the three wrote Bo and Hope's marriage in England, co-created the character of Steve "Patch" Johnson
Steve Johnson (fiction)

Steven Earl "Patch" Johnson is a fictional character on NBC's daytime drama Days of our Lives. He has been portrayed by Stephen Nichols from June 13, 1985 to October 23, 1990 and since June 9, 2006....
 and John Black
John Black (fiction)

John Black is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives, played by Drake Hogestyn from 1986 to October 26, 2007 and from January 8, 2008 to January 23, 2009....
.

In 1986, Laiman became head writer and created the character of Jack Deveraux
Jack Deveraux

Jack Harcourt Deveraux is a fictional character on the soap opera Days of our Lives. He is most famously played by Matthew Ashford....
 and developed the popular romance of Steve Johnson and Kayla Brady
Steve Johnson and Kayla Brady

Steve "Patch" Johnson and Dr. Kayla Brady Johnson are a supercouple on the United States soap opera Days of our Lives. Steve Johnson is portrayed by Stephen Nichols and Kayla Brady is portrayed by Mary Beth Evans....
. After Days of our Lives, Laiman moved to One Life to Live, where she stayed as staff writer from 1990 through 1997 and served as head writer from 1990 to 1991 and then again from 1996 to 1997. In 1998, she took a job at the ailing NBC Daytime
NBC Daytime

NBC Daytime is a programming block on NBC. It is run by NBC Universal. Its main competitors are CBS Daytime and ABC Daytime....
 serial Another World
Another World (TV series)

Another World is a television soap opera that ran on the NBC network from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It was created by legendary serial creator Irna Phillips along with William J....
. She and executive producer Christopher Goutman
Christopher Goutman

Christopher Goutman is an American soap opera producer, writer, actor, and director. He has played minor roles on Search for Tomorrow, Texas and The Edge of Night....
 were credited by some with improving the show, but ultimately the show was cancelled in June 1999.

Her next job was at As The World Turns
As the World Turns

As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that airs each weekday on CBS.Set in the fictional town of Oakdale , the show debuted on Monday, April 2, 1956 at 1:30pm Eastern Time Zone....
. Behind the scenes conditions quickly deteriorated when Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin
Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin

Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin is an United States daytime television producer....
, Executive in Charge of Production for the show, pressured Laiman to write many storylines that she didn't want to write. In 2000, Laiman wa fired from ATWT and turned to writing novels for five years. Laiman was rehired on As the World Turns in 2005 as an associate head writer.

Positions held

Another World
Another World (TV series)

Another World is a television soap opera that ran on the NBC network from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It was created by legendary serial creator Irna Phillips along with William J....
  • Co-Head Writer (July 1998–25 June 1999)
  • The Last AW Writing Team: Leah Laiman
    Leah Laiman

    Leah Laiman is an American soap opera writer and romance novelist....
     (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, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an executive producer....
    , Jean Passanante
    Jean Passanante

    Jean Passanante is an United States television scriptwriter best known for her work in soap opera.Passanante got her start as an actress doing bit parts in the 1980s, including John Sayles's Return of the Secaucus 7....
     (co-Head Writer), Stephen Demorest
    Stephen Demorest

    Stephen Demorest is an American soap opera writer. He is married to Nancy Curlee....
    , Melissa Salmons, Laura Maria Censabella, Judy Tate, Tom Wiggin
    Tom Wiggin

    Tom Wiggin is an American actor and writer....
    , Tom King
    Tom King

    Tom King or Thomas King may refer to:* Tom King , English highwayman* Thomas Butler King , American politician from Georgia* Thomas Starr King , American Unitarian minister, influential in California politics during the American Civil War...
    , Maura Penders
    Maura Penders

    Maura Penders is an United States television soap opera writer....
    , Richard Culliton
    Richard Culliton

    Richard Culliton is an American television writer known for his work on soap operas. He has won four Writers Guild of America Awards, including one as a Head Writer, and two Daytime Emmy Awards....
    , Shelly Altman
    Shelly Altman

    Shelly Altman is an American soap opera writer....
    , Carolyn Culliton
    Carolyn Culliton

    Carolyn Culliton is an American daytime Serial writer and an alumnus of Northwestern University. Her husband is acclaimed writer for American daytime serials, Richard Culliton....
    , Richard J. Allen
    Richard J. Allen

    Richard J. Allen is an United States television soap opera writer. He is the chairman and professor of the film department at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth....
    , Sofia Landon Geier
    Sofia Landon Geier

    Sofia Landon Geier is a television soap opera writer and actress. She is also credited as Sofia Landon or Sophia Landon. She was married to Michael Van Landingham from 1977 to 1982....
    , Lynn Martin
    Lynn Martin

    Lynn Martin may refer to:*Lynn Martin , U.S. TV writer*Lynn Morley Martin , U.S. politician...
    , Gillian Spencer
    Gillian Spencer

    Gillian Spencer is an United States soap opera actor and writer.She has had roles on soaps such as The Edge of Night, The Secret Storm, Guiding Light, As the World Turns, and on One Life to Live as the original Victoria Lord/Niki Smith 1968-1970....
    , Mary Sue Price
    Mary Sue Price

    Mary Sue Price is an United States television script writer for the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital....
    , Edwin Klein, Gordon Rayfield
    Gordon Rayfield

    Gordon Rayfield is an American television writer....
    , Courtney Simon
    Courtney Simon

    Courtney Simon is an United States writer and actress. Simon is sometimes credited as "Courtney Sherman" or "Courtney Sherman Simon"....
    , Eleanor Labine
    Eleanor Labine

    Eleanor Labine is an American TV writer, the daughter of Claire Labine and the sister of Matthew Labine....


As The World Turns
As the World Turns

As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that airs each weekday on CBS.Set in the fictional town of Oakdale , the show debuted on Monday, April 2, 1956 at 1:30pm Eastern Time Zone....
  • Associate Head Writer (3 March 2005 - end of 2005)
  • Head Writer (August 1999 - August 2000)
  • Co-Head Writer (Winter 2006 - January 24, 2008; April 18, 2008 - present)


Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives

Days of our Lives is an United States soap opera, which has aired nearly every weekday since November 8, 1965 on the NBC network in the United States, and has since been syndicated to many countries around the world....
  • Breakdown Writer (1991)
  • Head Writer (1986–1989)
  • Co-Head Writer (1984–1986)


General Hospital
General Hospital

General Hospital is an United States soap opera broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company television network during the day and on SOAPnet each weeknight....
  • Associate Head Writer (1981–1984)


Guiding Light
Guiding Light

Guiding Light is an United States television program credited by the Guinness World Records as being the longest-running soap opera in production and the longest running drama in television and radio history....
  • Breakdown Writer (1993)


One Life to Live
One Life to Live

One Life to Live is an American soap opera which has been broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company television network since July 15, 1968....
  • Co-Head Writer (1996–1998)


Awards and nominations

Daytime Emmy Awards
  • NOMINATION (2000 & 2006; Best Writing; As the World Turns)
  • WIN (2001; Best Writing; As the World Turns)
  • NOMINATION (1990; Best Writing; One Life to Live)
  • NOMINATION (1984, 1985, 1987; Best Writing; Days of our Lives)
  • NOMINATION (1983 & 1984; Best Writing; General Hospital)


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....
 NOMINATIONS
  • (1998 & 2005 Season; As the World Turns)
  • (1994 Season; Guiding Light)
  • (1987 & 1991 Season; Days of our Lives)