One Life to Live head writer Ron Carlivati will be heading to General Hospital after all. The Emmy-winning Carlivati has been named head writer for General Hospital, just a few weeks after hopes of One Life to Live continuing on as an Internet-based production were dashed.
Carlivati will be reunited with One Life to Live's former executive producer, Frank Valentini. Valentini has been named the new executive producer of General Hospital. For more on that story, click here.
"Frank and Ron's creativity, passion and outstanding leadership will be a welcome addition to the cast and crew, as well as viewers and longtime fans," ABC Daytime president Brian Frons said in the statement. "As creative leaders in the industry, I am very excited for their arrival to GH and their dedication to the genre will certainly invigorate the daytime drama that has been part of the pop culture and the TV landscape for many years."
Ron Carlivati was promoted to the position of co-head writer in February 2007. In June 2007, Carlivati was named sole head writer of the ABC soap. At the time, Carlivati had been with One Life to Live for more than ten years in various capacities.
In June, ABC announced that Carlivati would be joining the General Hospital writing team in an undisclosed position. Carlivati backed out of that new position when it was announced that Prospect Park had acquired the rights to continue producing One Life to Live online. Last month, however, Prospect Park suspended those plans, and Carlivati became a free agent.
During Carlivati's tenure on the OLTL writing team, the show has received four Daytime Emmy nominations as Outstanding Writing Team. One Life to Live won that honor in 2008. He's also been nominated for four Writers Guild Awards.
Carlivati's role as head writer for General Hospital is effective January 9, 2012. At this time, ABC has not announced what will become of Garin Wolf, who was elevated to head writer in May 2010.
