Jean Passanante

Last updated
Jean Passanante
Born
(1953-06-26) June 26, 1953 (age 70)

St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Alma mater Dartmouth College
Occupations
  • Actress
  • screenwriter
Years active1980–2017
Known for
Spouse
Jack Shannon
​
(m. 1985)​
Children1
Writing career
Genre Soap Operas

Jean Passanante (born June 26, 1953) is an American television screenwriter, best known for her work in daytime soap operas. Passanante got her start as an actress doing bit parts in the 1980s, including the John Sayles' films Return of the Secaucus 7 and Lianna . She later became a soap opera writer. [1]

Contents

Early life

Passanante was born on June 26, 1953, in St. Louis, Missouri, one of three daughters born to [2] to Bart, a physician, and Alberta Passanante. [3] Her sisters are Joy and Judy. [2] [3]

She graduated from Ladue Horton Watkins High School in 1971. [4] She attended Dartmouth College. [2]

Career

Acting

Passanante was in Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980) and Lianna (1983), both John Sayles films. [5] [6]

Writing

Passanante got her start on soaps working as a staff writer on the ABC Daytime drama One Life to Live from 1992 to 1996. In 1996, she was promoted to the top position of Head Writer, only to be replaced in 1997. She remained as a staff writer until 1998, at which time she was made co-Head Writer of the ailing soap opera Another World .

Passanante wrapped up the show's 35-year run in June 1999. The next month, she relieved All My Children creator Agnes Nixon of head writing duties after Nixon was called in to temporarily replace Megan McTavish.

Passanante's contract with All My Children expired in 2001, and she was replaced by Richard Culliton. She was then hired by CBS' As the World Turns in 2001, where she served as co-Head Writer (second in command to Hogan Sheffer) until she was promoted to Head Writer in early 2005; she continued in that role through the show's 2010 cancellation.

Following the cancellation of As the World Turns, Passanante returned to One Life to Live as Associate Head Writer, a role she held until 1998, until its television cancellation in January 2012. From January 25, 2008, through April 17, 2008, ATWT episodes were written by non-union writers due to Passanante and her team participating in the WGA strike. Passanante's post-strike episodes hit the airwaves on April 18, 2008.

Passanante was one of the writers who followed Ron Carlivati to General Hospital as breakdown writer from May 3, 2012, until November 25, 2013, when Passanante was named head writer of The Young and the Restless , working alongside Shelly Altman. Passanante's tenure was from December 23, 2013, to March 18, 2015, Passanante was also a breakdown writer for the show under Charles Pratt, Jr. from March 23, 2015, to June 18, 2015.

In July 2015, Passanante and Altman returned to General Hospital as its co-head writers, replacing Carlivati. [7] [8]

On June 6, 2017, Passanante announced her decision to retire from General Hospital, stating: "It gets to be a time when it’s just time. [...] And it seemed like the right time. I do have other things that I’m interested in pursuing and I have a daughter who lives in Europe, who I want to visit whenever I can. I have been pondering it for a long time. It’s a pretty consuming kind of job and you need to get your head clear of it every once in a while. It’s been a great 27 years, or something like that — it’s a long time!". [9] Her retirement was reported in 2017, [10] but in 2020 she was one of the recruits for a fiction app named "Radish" which had $63m of funding and it was opening an office in LA. The soap writers recruited included Passanante, Janet Iacobuzio, Addie Walsh, Lisa Connor and Leah Laiman. [1]

Personal life

In 1985, Passanante married writer Jack Shannon. They have one daughter, Ruth Shannon. [2]

Filmography

Acting

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1980 Return of the Secaucus 7 Irene Drama film written and directed by John Sayles [5]
1983 Lianna RoseDrama film written and directed by John Sayles [6]

Writing

Television

Years heldTitlePosition heldNotesRef.
1993–96 One Life to Live Associate Head Writer
1996–97Co-Head Writerwith Leah Laiman and Peggy Sloane
1997–98Associate Head Writer
July 1998 – June 25, 1999 Another World Co-Head WriterThe Last AW Writing Team:
  • Leah Laiman (Head Writer), Jean Passanante (Co-Head Writer), Stephen Demorest, Melissa Salmons,
July 1999 – January 2001 All My Children
January 2001 – August 2001Head Writer
September 2001 – May 24, 2005 As the World Turns Co-Head Writer
May 25, 2005 – January 24, 2008Head writer
April 18, 2008 – October 5, 2009with Leah Laiman
October 6, 2009 – June 4, 2010with David Kreizman
June 7, 2010 – September 17, 2010with Lloyd Gold
September 10, 2010 - January 13, 2012One Life to LiveAssociate Head Writer
May 3, 2012 – November 25, 2013 General Hospital
December 23, 2013 – March 18, 2015 The Young and the Restless Co-Head Writer
March 23, 2015 – June 18, 2015Breakdown Writer
October 6, 2015 – October 6, 2017General HospitalCo-Head Writerwith Shelly Altman [7] [10]

Awards and nominations

Daytime Emmy Awards:

Writers Guild of America Awards (WGA)

Related Research Articles

<i>General Hospital</i> American television soap opera

General Hospital is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after Guiding Light. Concurrently, it is the world's third longest-running scripted drama series in production after British serials The Archers and Coronation Street, as well as the world's second-longest-running televised soap opera still in production. General Hospital premiered on the ABC television network on April 1, 1963. General Hospital is the longest-running serial produced in Hollywood, and the longest-running entertainment program in ABC television history. It holds the record for most Daytime Emmy Awards for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, with 14 wins.

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 three Daytime Emmy Awards. He is an alumnus of Northwestern University. His wife, Carolyn Culliton, is also a veteran writer for soap operas.

Hogan Sheffer was an American screenwriter.

Leah Laiman is an American soap opera writer and romance novelist.

David Kreizman is an American writer known for his work on television soap operas. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia. He was signed as a head writer at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) from March 21, 2013, to August 15, 2014. He is the founder of Gen Z Media. His debut book "The Year They Fell" was published in 2019.

Michelle "Shelly" Altman is an American soap opera writer who is known as breakdown and associate head writer of American daytime soap operas, including Another World, General Hospital and One Life to Live.

Ronald David Carlivati 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.

Lisa Connor is an American soap opera writer, producer, and director. She is a writer on the ABC Daytime and The Online Network serial drama All My Children.

The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team is an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It was first awarded at the 1st Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony, held in 1974, and it is given to honor the performances of the entire writing team participating in a form of a daytime drama.

Janet Iacobuzio is an American television soap opera writer.

Chris Van Etten is an American television soap opera writer from Rochester, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valentin Cassadine</span> Soap opera character

Valentin Cassadine is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. The character was initially conceived in 2009 by head writer Robert Guza Jr., as a previously unknown member of the wealthy Cassadine family looking to wreak havoc on both the Cassadine and Spencer families. However, initial plans for the character's introduction were delayed and completely abandoned by 2010. In 2016, it was announced that All My Children alumnus James Patrick Stuart had joined the cast in the mystery role of Theo – who is revealed to be Valentin. Valentin is known for being the most evil of the Cassadine sons, having been disowned by his father at a very young age. At one point, he poisons his mother Helena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Scorpio</span> Fictional character

Robin Scorpio is a fictional character from the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital and its primetime SOAPnet spin-off General Hospital: Night Shift, originated and portrayed by Kimberly McCullough on and off for over 30 years since 1985. The character came to mainstream attention during a 1990s story arc where her boyfriend Stone Cates dies from AIDS and Robin is diagnosed as HIV-positive. Robin is also famous in the soap community for having been one of the few long-term soap characters to age in real time, not SORASed like most other child actors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Coe</span> Soap opera character

Lucy Coe is a fictional character from the ABC Daytime soap operas General Hospital and Port Charles. Portrayed by Lynn Herring, she first appeared in April 1986 on General Hospital, introduced as an alibi in a murder plot. In 1997, she made her second departure from the show and joined its now defunct spin-off Port Charles. There, she was involved in storylines revolving around vampires, where it was revealed that Lucy was a vampire slayer. The character stayed on Port Charles until October 2003, when the series was cancelled, and she made a brief guest appearance on General Hospital in July 2004. In November 2012, after more than eight years off-screen, it was confirmed that Herring was to return to General Hospital. She returned that December for the revival of the infamous Nurses' Ball, which she founded in the 1990s, as well as a continuation of Port Charles' vampire story arc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britt Westbourne</span> Fictional character

Britt Westbourne is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network, portrayed by Kelly Thiebaud. She was introduced by executive producer Frank Valentini on September 19, 2012, as the manipulative love interest for Patrick Drake. In 2014, Thiebaud exited the role, citing her desire to seek work in both film and primetime television. She reprised the role on several occasions, between 2015 and 2018, for limited-run guest appearances. In March 2020, Thiebaud returned for another guest stint; by September of the same year, she returned to the role once more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiki Jerome</span> American soap opera fictional character

Kiki Jerome is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. The role was originated by Kristen Alderson in 2013 when Kiki was introduced as the troublesome girlfriend of Morgan Corinthos having gotten him involved in a dangerous gambling ring. Alderson had previously appeared in the series as Starr Manning, a role she originated on One Life to Live. The character was written into the series as the illegitimate daughter of Franco in 2009. Upon her introduction, Kiki's mother Ava Jerome reveals that she is the biological daughter of Dr. Silas Clay. In 2015, Alderson vacated the role and was replaced by Hayley Erin, who exited the role in late 2018. Erin returned for a one-episode guest appearance in 2019.

Kelly Hager Thiebaud is an American actress and model best known for her portrayal of Dr. Britt Westbourne on ABC daytime soap opera, General Hospital, for which she won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madeline Reeves</span> Soap opera character

Madeline Reeves is a fictional character on the long-running ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital, portrayed by Donna Mills, who made her appearance on March 14, 2014. The casting was announced in January 2014. Madeline was introduced as the estranged mother-in-law of Dr. Silas Clay and mother of Silas' comatose wife Nina Reeves and, biological aunt of Nathan West — whom she raised as her own. Madeline is also revealed to be the estranged sister of established character Dr. Liesl Obrecht having remade herself. Mills wrapped her initial stint in May 2014. Though the character was supposed to be short-term, Mills reprised the role of Madeline from October 2014 to January 2015. The character once again resurfaced in May 2015. Her returns have centered on Madeline's attempts to get back in her son's good graces and get her hands on the family fortune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trina Robinson</span> Fictional character in General Hospital

Trina Robinson is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. The role was originated played by Tiana Le from 2017 to 2018. Nearly a year later on February 20, 2019, Sydney Mikayla took over the role. Later that year, Mikayla began appearing as a series regular. She vacated the role in March 2022; Tabyana Ali replaced her later that month.

References

  1. 1 2 Wiseman, Andreas (2020-08-04). "Serialized Fiction App Radish Gets $63M Funding, Opens LA Office & Eyes TV Opportunities". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Jean Passanante". MyHeritage . Or Yehuda and Tel Aviv: MyHeritage Ltd. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Passanante, Joy (2002). My Mother's Lovers. Western Literature (1st ed.). Reno, Nevada: University of Nevada Press. ISBN   978-0874174953.
  4. ↑ Ladue Horton Watkins High School website, "Distinguished Alumni". Accessed 08 February 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Return of the Secaucus 7". Turner Classic Movies . Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner). Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Lianna". Turner Classic Movies . Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner). Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  7. 1 2 SOD (July 24, 2015). "HEAD WRITER SWITCH AT GH". Soap Opera Digest . American Media, Inc. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  8. ↑ Giddens, Jamey (July 24, 2015). "ABC Replaces General Hospital Head Writer Ron Carlivati With Jean Passanante and Shelly Altman". Daytime Confidential. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  9. ↑ SOD (June 6, 2017). "GH Scribe Jean Passanante On Retirement: "It's Just Time."". Soap Opera Digest . United States: American Media, Inc. Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. Archived from the original on June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  10. 1 2 Passanante, Jean [@PFossil] (July 27, 2017). "Today is my last day at #GH and I'm retiring from writing soaps -- at least for now. Love and respect to all of you who adore the genre" (Tweet). Retrieved August 4, 2017– via Twitter.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.