One Life to Live Headwriter Fired!
Jun 4, 2007 4:52 PM

SOURCE: Daniel R. Coleridge TV Guide
I have good news for all you Llanviewers who've been bitching to me about Evangeline's coma and other disappointments on ABC's One Life to Live:

Headwriter Dena Higley has just been fired! Co-headwriter Ron Carlivati is promoted to headwriter, effective immediately.

Carlivati has been a staff writer at OLTL for the past 11 years. After graduating from law school at George Washington University, he briefly worked as a corporate lawyer before switching gears to pursue a career as a soap opera scribe. He started off as an OLTL writers' assistant in 1996 and later toiled as a breakdown writer before rising to the top job.

"Ron's commitment and contribution to One Life to Live's writing staff makes him an excellent choice to take on headwriting duties," executive producer Frank Valentini said in a statement. "He has a contemporary sensibility, a quick wit and, above all, a tremendous passion for the stories in Llanview."

"For years Ron's talent has helped develop and deliver the kind of cutting edge, emotional storylines fans have come to expect from One Life to Live," Disney-ABC honcho Brian Scott Frons added. "His evolution from staff writer to co-writer over the last decade has increased his creative influence on the show. His passion for the characters and their fans make him the perfect choice to lead the storytelling into the future."

The execs offered no comment on the reason for Dena Higley's sudden departure. Ahem.

Back in March, Erika Slezak — who has won six Daytime Emmys for her portrayal of Llanview heroine Viki Lord Davidson — made no secret of her displeasure with Higley's work.

"I hate to say this, but Dena will push the envelope in any direction," Slezak said in her March '07 fan newsletter. "She wants to write stories that she thinks are interesting but nobody else does. She doesn't write stories, she writes events. It's like one event — let's have a bomb, let's have a plane crash — but there is no story."

Amen sister!

True confession, suds fans: OLTL is my favorite daytime soap, despite its problems. I watch Slezak and the rest of this show's fabulous cast — many of whom have worked on Broadway — and I can't help but think OLTL could be so much better than it is.

What do you think Ron Carlivati should do to spruce up Llanview? Comment away!

Would it be too mean of me to do a happy dance around my chair?! That stalker story line is one stupid event that stands out in just about all of our minds.

Although at the back of my mind I can't help wondering, what are Mr.Carlivarti's feelings on Clint and Dorian?

Hey Meags, I got nothing for ya as to what this means for Dorian and Clint. It's too early. As for the show in general, let's hope that it's good news. I have been through change of headwriters and even EPs before with OLTL. Labines, Malone (second stint)--all accomplished writers and all thought to save the show from ruins at the time that they were hired. It does not always have the positive affect that is eagerly anticipated. People say the right things in these interviews and it doesn't materialize. So, I don't believe much until I see it. But if Carlivati worked with the Labines, who are my favorite soap writers, I'll count that in the positive column and if he has been with OLTL for something like 11 years, he is familiar with the characters. I do agree with FV in that I want to see stories again. I can't remember the last time OLTL had a story arc that had a beginning, middle and end. So mostly, I'm in a "wait and see" mode.

Finding out that he's been with OLTL for 11 years sounds good to me. I'm hoping he won't rewrite history too much - unless it's to correct some of the wrongs.