Gary Tomlin

American producer, director and actor

Gary Tomlin is an American soap opera actor, writer, producer and director.

## Career

[edit]

Tomlin's career on daytime serials began in 1973 when he was cast on CBS's Search for Tomorrow as Bruce Carson.[1][2][3] He also made a guest appearance on "The Nightwalker" episode of The Waltons (1976). He later appeared as Morgan Simpson on the NBC soap opera Another World in 1979.[4] Both series were produced in New York City by Procter and Gamble Productions.

Tomlin served as the co-head writer of NBC's Days of Our Lives, which tapes in Los Angeles, from 1980 to 1981.[5] He then returned to New York as the head writer for Another World from 1984 to 1985 (at times sharing the position with others). Tomlin next wrote scripts for the Los Angeles serial Santa Barbara (NBC) from 1987 to 1990.

At the same time, Tomlin directed episodes of Another World from 1987 to 1991, later directing on ABC's One Life to Live from 1992 to 1995.

Tomlin became a producer in New York for All My Children from 1995 to 1996, next rising to Executive Producer for the Los Angeles-based NBC serial Sunset Beach from its debut in 1997 until its cancellation in 1999. He also directed episodes of the series during its run. Following Sunset Beach, Tomlin directed episodes of NBC's new series Passions in Los Angeles from 2000 until he was hired by ABC as the new Executive Producer of One Life To Live in January 2001, replacing Jill Farren Phelps. He also directed episodes of One Life to Live during his stint there.

Tomlin's time at One Life to Live saw the return of 1980s villains Allison Perkins and Mitch Laurence in a storyline creating a secret history for events from 1986 and 1987, as well as a renewal of the on-again, off-again multiple personality storyline of character Victoria Lord, as played by multiple Emmy-winning actress Erika Slezak. The series won its first and only Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series for the 2001–2002 season. In late 2002, ABC announced that it was replacing Tomlin with Frank Valentini.

Tomlin returned to directing Passions in 2003, leaving in December 2007[6] and replacing Ron Carlivati as head writer of One Life to Live during the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike.[7] Tomlin, formerly a member of Writers Guild of America West himself, left and maintained financial core status during the strike.[8]

In April 2012, Tomlin was named co-headwriter with Christopher Whitesell of Days of Our Lives. He was previously co-executive producer, 2008–2011, before being let go from that position.[9]

## Positions held

[edit]

All My Children

* Producer (1995–1996)

Another World

* Actor: Morgon Simpson (1979)
* Associate head writer (1984)
* Co-head writer (July 1984 – January 1985)
* Head writer (January 1985)
* Director (1987–1991)

Days of Our Lives

* Head writer (with Michelle Poteet Lisanti; October 20, 1980 – October 20, 1981)
* Co-executive producer (hired by Ken Corday; September 17, 2008 – September 2, 2011)
* Co-head writer (with Christopher Whitesell; hired by Ken Corday; August 17, 2012 – August 18, 2015)

General Hospital

* Director (November 15, 2016 – present)

One Life to Live

* Director (1992–1995; 2001–2003)
* Executive producer (January 2001 to February 2003)
* Script writer (December 2007 – February 2008; May 2008 – 2008)
* Head writer (February 15, 2008 – May 1, 2008)

Passions

* Director (2000–2001; April 2003 – December 2007)[6]

Santa Barbara

* Script Writer (1987–1990)

Search for Tomorrow

* Actor: Bruce Carson (#3) (1973–1974)[2][3]
* Head writer (1982–1984; 1985–1986)[2][3]

Sunset Beach

* Executive producer (entire run, 1997–1999)
* Director (entire run, 1997–1999)

Texas

* Writer

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

* Daytime Emmy: Win (2002; Best Drama; One Life To Live)
* Daytime Emmy: Nomination (2001; Best Directing; Passions)
* Daytime Emmy: Nomination (1995; Best Directing; One Life To Live)
* Directors Guild of America: Nomination (2001; One Life To Live)

## Head writer history

[edit]

Preceded by

Michelle Poteet Lisanti

|  Head Writer of Days of Our Lives
(with Michelle Poteet Lisanti)
October 20, 1980 – October 20, 1981  | Succeeded by

Pat Falken Smith

|
|

Preceded by

C. David Colson

|  Head Writer of Search for Tomorrow
September 1982– April 1984  | Succeeded by

Jeanne Glynn and Madeline David

Preceded by

Richard Culliton

|  Head Writer of Another World
January–April 1985  | Succeeded by

Sam Hall and Gillian Spencer

Preceded by

Paul Avila Mayer and Stephanie Braxton

|  Head Writer of Search for Tomorrow
October 1985-July 1986  | Succeeded by

Pam Long

Preceded by

Ron Carlivati

|  Head Writer of One Life to Live
February 15, 2008 – May 1, 2008  | Succeeded by

Ron Carlivati

Preceded by

Marlene Clark Poulter and Darrell Ray Thomas Jr.

|  Head Writer of Days of Our Lives (with Christopher Whitesell)
August 17, 2012 – August 18, 2015  | Succeeded by

Josh Griffith
Dena Higley

## Executive producing history

[edit]

Preceded by

Jill Farren Phelps

|  Executive Producer of One Life to Live
January 2001 — January 3, 2003  | Succeeded by

Frank Valentini

|
|

Preceded by

Ken Corday
Edward J. Scott

|  Executive Producer of Days of Our Lives (with Ken Corday)
September 17, 2008 – September 2, 2011  | Succeeded by

Ken Corday
Noel Maxam
Greg Meng

## Notes and references

[edit]

1. ^ Shull, Richard K. (January 11, 1973). "In The Soap". Indianapolis News. p. 17. Retrieved July 27, 2022 - via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ a b c Schemering, Christopher (September 1985). "Search for Tomorrow". The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. Ballantine Books. pp. 190–200\. ISBN 0-345-32459-5.
3. ^ a b c Waggett, Gerard J. (November 1997). "Search for Tomorrow". The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. Harper Paperbacks. pp. 366–382\. ISBN 0-061-01157-6.
4. ^ "Soaps: Short Takes". Philadelphia Daily News. March 23, 1979. p. 63. Retrieved July 27, 2022 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ Holsopple, Barbara (October 31, 1980). "Who Decides What Debate Questions Are Asked?". Pittsburgh Press. p. B-22. Retrieved July 27, 2022 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ a b Because of DirecTV's extended broadcast schedule for new Passions episodes, shows directed by Tomlin will continue to air through Summer 2008.
7. ^ "WGA: 28 Writers Quit During Strike".
8. ^ Press, Leslie SImmons,The Associated; SImmons, Leslie; Press, The Associated (April 21, 2008). "WGA outs fi-core members". The Hollywood Reporter.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
9. ^ "As The Writing Room Turns: DAYS Ditches Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr.; Re-Hires Gary Tomlin and Chris Whitesell!". April 7, 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-04-07.

## External links

[edit]

Gary Tomlin at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

One Life to Live

(1968–2013)

Characters|

| Lord family|

* Victor Lord
* Victoria Lord
* Meredith Lord
* Tina Lord
* Tony Lord
* Todd Manning
* Richard Abbott

|

Wolek family|

* Larry Wolek
* Vince Wolek
* Anna Wolek
* Daniel Wolek
* Jenny Wolek
* Karen Wolek

Cramer family|

* Dorian Cramer Lord
* Blair Cramer
* Kelly Cramer
* Adriana Cramer
* Paul Cramer

Buchanan family|

* Asa Buchanan
* Clint Buchanan
* Bo Buchanan
* Cord Roberts
* Matthew Buchanan
* David Vickers
* Rex Balsom

Other|

* Nash Brennan and Jessica Buchanan
* Todd Manning and Blair Cramer
* Roxy Balsom
* Jared Banks
* Jessica Buchanan
* Joey Buchanan
* Kevin Buchanan
* Natalie Buchanan
* Nora Buchanan
* Nash Brennan
* Skye Chandler
* Margaret Cochran
* Cathy Craig
* Jim Craig
* Rae Cummings
* Marco Dane
* Ben Davidson
* Téa Delgado
* Echo DiSavoy
* Billy Douglas
* Destiny Evans
* Greg Evans
* Shaun Evans
* Oliver Fish
* Robert Ford
* Hank Gannon
* Rachel Gannon
* Carla Gray
* Sadie Gray
* Ed Hall
* Josh Hall
* Carlo Hesser
* Max Holden
* Jeffrey King
* Mitch Laurence
* Danielle Manning
* Irene Manning
* Jack Manning
* Starr Manning
* John McBain
* Michael McBain
* Gabrielle Medina
* Gigi Morasco
* Shane Morasco
* Alex Olanov
* Allison Perkins
* Lindsay Rappaport
* Ross Rayburn
* Riley family
* Eileen Riley Siegel
* Joe Riley
* Sarah Roberts
* Marty Saybrooke
* Cole Thornhart
* Mark Toland
* Cristian Vega
* Brad Vernon
* Marcie Walsh McBain

Lists|

* Full character list
* 1960s–1970s characters
* 1980s characters
* 1990s characters
* 2000s characters
* 2010s characters

Senior cast|

* Erika Slezak
* Michael Storm
* Robert S. Woods
* Philip Carey
* Patricia Elliott
* Robin Strasser
* Peter Bartlett
* Hillary B. Smith
* Kassie DePaiva

Executives|

| Executive producers|

* Doris Quinlan (1968–1977)
* Joseph Stuart (1977–1983)
* Jean Arley (1983–84)
* Paul Rauch (1984–1991)
* Linda Gottlieb (1991–1994)
* Susan Bedsow Horgan (1994–1996)
* Maxine Levinson (1996–1997)
* Jill Farren Phelps (1997–2001)
* Gary Tomlin (2001–2002)
* Frank Valentini (2003–2012)
* Jennifer Pepperman (2013)

|

Head writers|

* Agnes Nixon (creator)
* Lorraine Broderick
* Ron Carlivati
* Craig Carlson
* John William Corrington
* Joyce Hooper Corrington
* Brian Frons
* Josh Griffith
* Sam Hall
* Dena Higley
* Susan Bedsow Horgan
* Claire Labine
* Matthew Labine
* Leah Laiman
* Pamela K. Long
* Michael Malone
* Megan McTavish
* Peggy O'Shea
* Jean Passanante
* Thom Racina
* Gordon Russell
* S. Michael Schnessel
* Henry Slesar
* Peggy Sloane
* Gary Tomlin
* Frank Valentini
* Christopher Whitesell

Storylines|

* 1968–1979
* 1980–1989
* 1990–1999
* 2000–2013
* Todd Manning and Marty Saybrooke rape storylines

Related|

* Llanview
* Cast members
* Crew members
* ABC Daytime
* Prospect Park

* Category

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*[e]: Edit this template