Rita Lakin, the boundary-pushing TV writer and showrunner who worked on Peyton Place, The Doctors and Mod Squad and created series including The Rookies and Flamingo Road, has died. She was 93.
Lakin died March 23 of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Novato, California, her son, writer-producer Howard Lakin, told The Hollywood Reporter. “Before her, they hadn’t thought about writing television from a woman’s point of view,” he noted.
Lakin also penned a groundbreaking 1975 episode of CBS’ Medical Center centered on a transgender character; served as a showrunner/executive producer on the 1976-77 CBS drama Executive Suite; and wrote such popular telefilms as 1971’s Death Takes a Holiday and 1973’s Message to My Daughter and A Summer Without Boys.
After she met some people from Texas whom she didn’t like, she rejected an offer in 1978 to create the pilot for a show about an oil family in the Lone Star State.
Lakin died March 23 of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Novato, California, her son, writer-producer Howard Lakin, told The Hollywood Reporter. “Before her, they hadn’t thought about writing television from a woman’s point of view,” he noted.
Lakin also penned a groundbreaking 1975 episode of CBS’ Medical Center centered on a transgender character; served as a showrunner/executive producer on the 1976-77 CBS drama Executive Suite; and wrote such popular telefilms as 1971’s Death Takes a Holiday and 1973’s Message to My Daughter and A Summer Without Boys.
After she met some people from Texas whom she didn’t like, she rejected an offer in 1978 to create the pilot for a show about an oil family in the Lone Star State.
- 4/21/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
1975: Another World expanded to an hour full-time.
1983: Felicia Gallant arrived in Another World's Bay City.
1986: General Hospital's Monica was at odds with Alan.
1997: Aaron Spelling's Sunset Beach premiered on NBC."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."
― Anselm Kiefer
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1966: On Peyton Place, Rodney Harrington (Ryan O'Neal) visited Allison Mackenzie (Mia Farrow) at Doctors Hospital. She had told Rodney she loved him on the day of his arraignment but she no longer remembered her feelings for him. The episode was written by Sonya Roberts and Rita Lakin.
1983: Felicia Gallant arrived in Another World's Bay City.
1986: General Hospital's Monica was at odds with Alan.
1997: Aaron Spelling's Sunset Beach premiered on NBC."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."
― Anselm Kiefer
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1966: On Peyton Place, Rodney Harrington (Ryan O'Neal) visited Allison Mackenzie (Mia Farrow) at Doctors Hospital. She had told Rodney she loved him on the day of his arraignment but she no longer remembered her feelings for him. The episode was written by Sonya Roberts and Rita Lakin.
- 1/15/2019
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
1975: Another World expanded to an hour full-time.
1983: Felicia Gallant arrived in Another World's Bay City.
1986: General Hospital's Monica was at odds with Alan.
1997: Aaron Spelling's Sunset Beach premiered on NBC."History is a vast early warning system."
― Norman Cousins
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1966: On Peyton Place, Rodney Harrington (Ryan O'Neal) visited Allison Mackenzie (Mia Farrow) at Doctors Hospital. She had told Rodney she loved him on the day of his arraignment but she no longer remembered her feelings for him. The episode was written by Sonya Roberts and Rita Lakin. Lakin went on to become head writer of daytime soap opera The Doctors.
1983: Felicia Gallant arrived in Another World's Bay City.
1986: General Hospital's Monica was at odds with Alan.
1997: Aaron Spelling's Sunset Beach premiered on NBC."History is a vast early warning system."
― Norman Cousins
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1966: On Peyton Place, Rodney Harrington (Ryan O'Neal) visited Allison Mackenzie (Mia Farrow) at Doctors Hospital. She had told Rodney she loved him on the day of his arraignment but she no longer remembered her feelings for him. The episode was written by Sonya Roberts and Rita Lakin. Lakin went on to become head writer of daytime soap opera The Doctors.
- 1/14/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
Directed by Tom Donovan
Written by Rita Lakin
Starring Bradford Dillman, Lois Nettleton
ABC, 1974
Review By Amanda Reyes
This Toronto-lensed, shot-on-video thriller originally aired under the ABC Afternoon Playbreak moniker all the way back in 1974. The Playbreak series, which ran from October 31st, 1973 – February 13th, 1975, was a cycle of 90 minute stand alone episodes that would air once a month, preempting the daytime soap programming, and there were about 4 to 5 episodes per season. The afternoon movie format proved to be popular and many of the Playbreaks won Emmys, including The Last Bride of Salem which garnered an award for TV stalwart Bradford Dillman...
It's a little sad and strange that Playbreak hasn’t been documented better, it wasn’t until I attempted to research this film that I discovered the series. Luckily, Bride has a bit of cult following and after watching it I can certainly see why. It’s eerie,...
Written by Rita Lakin
Starring Bradford Dillman, Lois Nettleton
ABC, 1974
Review By Amanda Reyes
This Toronto-lensed, shot-on-video thriller originally aired under the ABC Afternoon Playbreak moniker all the way back in 1974. The Playbreak series, which ran from October 31st, 1973 – February 13th, 1975, was a cycle of 90 minute stand alone episodes that would air once a month, preempting the daytime soap programming, and there were about 4 to 5 episodes per season. The afternoon movie format proved to be popular and many of the Playbreaks won Emmys, including The Last Bride of Salem which garnered an award for TV stalwart Bradford Dillman...
It's a little sad and strange that Playbreak hasn’t been documented better, it wasn’t until I attempted to research this film that I discovered the series. Luckily, Bride has a bit of cult following and after watching it I can certainly see why. It’s eerie,...
- 1/25/2010
- by Amanda By Night
- Planet Fury
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