Jean Passanante
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Jean Passanante (born June 26, 1953) is an American television scriptwriter best known for destroying daytime soap operas and sinking their ratings.
Passanante got her start as an actress doing bit parts in the 1980s, including John Sayles's Return of the Secaucus 7. In 1985 she married writer Jack Shannon. They are still married and have one daughter, Ruth Shannon.
She got her start on soaps working as a staff writer on the ABC Daytime drama One Life to Live from 1992-1996. In 1996 she was promoted to the top position of head writer, only to be replaced in 1997. She remained as staff writer until in 1998 she was made co-head writer of the ailing soap opera Another World. Passanante wrapped up the show's 35-year history 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 was fired from All My Children in 2001 and was replaced by Richard Culliton. She was snatched up by CBS's As The World Turns in 2001, where she served as co-head writer (second in command to Hogan Sheffer) until she was promoted to full head writer when he resigned in early 2005. Neither show has ever fully recovered from her juvenile, sensationalistic writing approach which drove away fans in droves. As The World Turns has recently hit an all time low in Nielson ratings.
Passanante attended Dartmouth College. [1]
From January 25, 2008 through April 17, 2008, ATWT episodes aired that were written by non-union writers due to Passanante and her team participating in the WGA strike. It is speculated that Christopher Goutman and Vivian Gundaker took over as Head Writers. As of April 18, 2008, Passanante's episodes are airing again.
[edit] Positions held
- Head Writer (January 2001-August 2001)
- Co-Head Writer (July 1999-January 2001)
- Co-Head Writer (May 1998-June 25, 1999)
The Last AW Writing Team
- Leah Laiman (Head Writer, Jean Passanante (co-HW), Stephen Demorest, Melissa Salmons, Laura Maria Censabella, Judy Tate, Tom Wiggin, Tom King, Maura Penders, Richard Culliton, Shelly Altman, Carolyn Culliton, Richard J. Allen, Sofia Landon Geier, Lynn Martin, Gillian Spencer, Mary Sue Price, Edwin Klein, Gordon Rayfield, Courtney Simon, Eleanor Labine
- Head Writer (May 25, 2005 - January 24, 2008; April 18, 2008 - present)
- Co-Head Writer (September 2001 - May 24, 2005)
- Associate Head Writer (1993-1996, 1997-1998)
- Co-Head Writer (1996-1997)
[edit] Awards and nominations
- Wins, 2002, 2004 and 2005, Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for As the World Turns
- Nomination, 2003, Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for As the World Turns
- Nomination, 2001 and 2002, Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for All My Children
- Win, 1994, Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for One Life To Live
Writers Guild Of America Award (WGA)
- Win, 2007, Best Daytime Serial for As the World Turns
- Nominations, 2005 and 2006, Daytime Serials for As The World Turns
- Win, 2001 and 2002, Daytime Serials for All My Children
| Preceded by Richard Culliton |
Co-Head Writer of Another World (with Richard Culliton) May 1998 - July 1998 |
Succeeded by Leah Laiman |
| Preceded by Agnes Nixon Elizabeth Page |
Head Writer of All My Children 2000-2001 |
Succeeded by Richard Culliton |
| Preceded by Hogan Sheffer |
Head Writer of As the World Turns May 2005- January 24, 2008 |
Succeeded by Non union writers(due to WGA strike) |
| Preceded by Non-Union strikebreakers |
Head Writer of As the World Turns April 18, 2008-Present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
