Editing Claire Labine

{{Short description|American television producer and writer (1934–2016)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{sources|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox person
|name        = Claire Labine
|birth_name  = Claire Vaughan Wood
|birth_date  = {{birth date|1934|6|28}}
|birth_place = [[Jacksonville, Florida]], U.S.
|death_date  = {{death date and age|2016|11|11|1934|6|28}}
|death_place = [[Somers, Connecticut]], U.S.
|education   = [[University of Kentucky]] {{small|([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])}}<br />[[Columbia University]] {{small|([[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]])}}
|occupation  = Screenwriter, producer
|years_active= 1971–2001
|spouse      = Roland Labine {{small|(divorced)}}
|children    = 3, [[Matthew Labine|Matthew]] and [[Eleanor Labine|Eleanor]] and [[John Labine|John]]
}}
'''Claire Vaughn Labine''' (née '''Wood'''; June 28, 1934 – November 11, 2016) was an American soap opera writer and producer.<ref>{{cite web|last=Finke|first=Nikki|url=https://deadline.com/2006/03/new-ailment-pellicano-amnesia-82/|title=New Epidemic: Pellicano Amnesia|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=March 15, 2006|access-date=November 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name="nyt">[http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/11/15/arts/television/claire-labine-scriptwriter-of-several-soap-operas-dies-at-82.html?referer=https://www.google.ca/ Claire Labine, Scriptwriter of Several Soap Operas, Dies at 82], nytimes.com, November 15, 2016.</ref>

==Career==
===1960s===
Labine’s first television writing job was for ''[[Captain Kangaroo]]'' in 1967, she was fired in 1970.

===1970s===
1971 saw her first real foray into daytime television securing the head writing position on “Where The Heart Is” with her future writing partner of nearly 25 years Paul Avila Mayer. That job lasted until the show’s cancellation in 1973.

1973-1975 was spent writing for ''Love of Life'' which got the attention of ABC.

In 1975 she began what was to become her best known and acclaimed work creating and head writing ''Ryan's Hope'' for ABC. She sold the show to ABC after skyrocketing costs, and was soon fired, rehired, fired then rehired again in 1987 until the shows final demise in 1989.

===1990s===
In 1993, Labine returned to daytime as head writer of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[General Hospital]]''. She brought the show much critical acclaim, and won her seventh [[Daytime Emmy]] for Outstanding Writing for her work on the show. She chose to depart the show in early 1996. During this time, she created a proposed ''General Hospital'' [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]], ''Heart and Soul'', about two families, one black, one white, both show business families. The black family was three generations of jazz musicians. Next door was a theatrical family. The show was not picked up by ABC or [[NBC Daytime|NBC]]; Wendy Riche's competing ''[[Port Charles]]'' was ABC's choice instead.

Labine co-wrote, with [[Judith Pinsker]], the 1995 ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' bestseller ''General Hospital'' [[tie-in]] novel ''Robin's Diary'', based in the [[AIDS]] storyline between characters [[Stone Cates]] and [[Robin Scorpio]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Labine|first=Claire|author-link=Claire Labine|author2=Judith Pinsker|author2-link=Judith Pinsker|title=Robin's Diary|publisher=ABC Daytime Press|date=November 1995|page=[https://archive.org/details/robinsdiary00pins/page/180 180]|isbn=0-8019-8775-X|url=https://archive.org/details/robinsdiary00pins/page/180|access-date=February 19, 2009|url-access=registration}}</ref>

In 1996, Labine was offered the [[head writer]] role at ''[[As the World Turns]]'' but turned it down because she and her son [[Matthew Labine]] were trying to get HEART & SOUL [aka Union Place] on the air. "I had to turn it down because we were in the middle of that development.  I said to [[Procter & Gamble]], 'I am gratified by this offer, but if I have any chance at all...'  I didn't think there was much chance but I thought it was worth a go to do our own show. And they were very lovely about it."

In late 1996, she was made head writer of ABC's ''[[One Life to Live]]'' because she had a year and a half left on her contract with ABC. She remained with the show until early 1998.

===2000s===
Most recently, Labine had a short stint at CBS' ''[[Guiding Light]]''. She was head writer of the show from 2000 through 2001. Labine shared the reins of GL with her children, [[Matthew Labine]] and [[Eleanor Labine]]. Rumors abounded throughout Labine's tenure at GL that she, executive producer [[Paul Rauch]], and executive in charge of production [[Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin]] had frequent arguments about the show's direction.

At one point, it was announced in the soap press that the Labines were departing, only to have the announcement recanted a week later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soapcentral.com/guiding-light/news/2000/1120-labinesback.php|title=GL does a recount: The Labines win|website=soapcentral.com}}</ref> P&G did eventually replace the Labines the following year with writers [[Lloyd Gold]] and Christopher Dunn.

In November 2009, Labine gave WeLoveSoaps.net an exclusive interview during which she discussed her struggles with ABC during ''Ryan's Hope'', her enjoyment of writing ''General Hospital'', and her less enjoyable experiences on ''One Life to Live'' and ''Guiding Light''. She discussed details about her aborted project, ''Union Place'', and insights into her illustrious career.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.welovesoaps.net/2009/11/in-case-you-missed-it-wls-interview.html|title=WLS Interview Archive: Claire Labine|publisher=We Love Soaps|access-date=November 13, 2016}}</ref>

==Death==
Labine died on November 11, 2016, at her home in [[Somers, Connecticut]], at the age of 82. No cause of death was disclosed.<ref name="nyt"/>

==Positions held==
''[[Captain Kangaroo]]''
*Script writer: 1966-1967

''[[Where the Heart Is (American TV series)|Where the Heart Is]]''
*Co-head writer: 1971–1973
*Script writer: 1970–1971

''[[Love of Life]]''
*Co-head writer 1973–1975

''[[Ryan's Hope]]''
*Co-Creator
*[[Executive Producer]]: July 1975 – June 1982
*Head writer: July 1975 – June 1982, January 1983 – November 1983, February 1987 – January 1989

''[[General Hospital]]''
*Head writer: October 11, 1993 – March 1, 1996

''[[One Life to Live]]''
*Head writer: December 1996 – April 1998
[[Another World (TV series)|''Another World'']]

* Head writer: (with [[Jean Passanante]]) June 1998-October 1998

''[[Guiding Light]]''
*Head writer: August 2000 – July 2001

==Awards==
{{unsourced section|date=December 2023}}
===Daytime Emmy===
9 Wins 
*(1995; Outstanding Writing; ''General Hospital'')
*(1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983 & 1984, Outstanding Writing, ''Ryan's Hope'')
*(1977, 1979 Outstanding Drama Series, ''Ryan's Hope'')

12 nominations
*(1978, 1981 & 1982, Outstanding Drama Series, ''Ryan's Hope'')

National Academy Of New York Arts And Sciences
''[[Silver Circle Celebration|Silver Circle]]'' Recipient
*2000

===Writers Guild of America===
Wins
*1995, ''General Hospital''
*1994, ''General Hospital''
*1980-1983, 1986–1989, ''Ryan's Hope''

Nominations
*2001, ''Guiding Light''
*1996, ''General Hospital''
*1979, ''Ryan's Hope''

===Other===
*2000 Honored by New York’s Silver Circle.
*Honored with Evelyn F. Burkey Award by the [[Writers Guild of America]] on February 19, 2005. The award was presented to her by friend and former ''Ryan's Hope'' star [[Kate Mulgrew]].
*[[Connecticut College]] Gold Medal 1995 ''Inherit The Earth Award'' for ''General Hospital'' story line on [[environmental racism]], a ground-breaking plot for daytime about a trash incinerator about to be located in a low income area featured icon [[Laura Webber]] in fight for social justice .
*Labine served the [[Writers Guild of America, East]], as vice president for three terms, and is a recipient of the Richard Jablow Award for devoted service to the Guild.
*She has been given Lifetime Achievement Awards by the New York Chapter of [[National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]] and [[Soap Opera Digest]].

==Headwriter tenure==
{{s-start}}
{{succession box| before=[[Pat Falken Smith]] | 
title=''[[Where the Heart Is (American TV series)|Where the Heart Is]]'' <br> (with [[Paul Avila Mayer]])| 
after=Show Ended | 
years=mid 1970 &ndash; March 1973
}}
{{succession box| before=[[Loring Mandel]] | 
title=''[[Love of Life]]'' <br> (with Paul Avila Mayer)| 
after=[[Margaret DePriest]] | 
years=March 1973 &ndash; July 1975
}}
{{succession box| before=None | 
title=''[[Ryan's Hope]]'' <br> (with Paul Avila Mayer)| 
after=Mary Ryan Munisteri | 
years=July 1975 &ndash; July 1982
}}
{{succession box| before=[[Mary Ryan Munisteri]]| 
title=''Ryan's Hope'' <br> (with Paul Avila Mayer)| 
after=[[Pat Falken Smith]] <br> & [[James E. Reilly]] | 
years=January 1983 &ndash; December 1983
}}
{{succession box| before=Tom King & [[Millee Taggart]] | 
title=''Ryan's Hope'' <br> (with [[Matthew Labine]] & [[Eleanor Labine]])| 
after=Show Ended | 
years=February 1987 &ndash; January 1989
}}
{{succession box|
 before=Bill Levinson|
 title=''[[General Hospital]]'' <br> (with Matthew Labine: November 3, 1995 &ndash; March 1, 1996)| 
 after=[[Robert Guza Jr.]]<br>[[Karen Harris (writer)|Karen Harris]]|
 years= October 11, 1993 &ndash; March 1, 1996
}}
{{succession box | before=[[Peggy Sloane]]<br>[[Jean Passanante]] | 
title=''[[One Life to Live]]'' <br>(with Matthew Labine) |
years=June 1997 &ndash; March 29, 1998 | 
after= [[Pam Long]]
}}
{{succession box|
 before=[[James Harmon Brown and Barbara Esensten]] |
 title=''[[Guiding Light]]''|
 after=[[Lloyd Gold]]|
 years=August 7, 2000 &ndash; July 2001}}
{{s-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Evelyn F. Burkey Award}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Labine, Claire}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:American soap opera writers]]
[[Category:American soap opera producers]]
[[Category:Columbia University School of the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:University of Kentucky alumni]]
[[Category:American women television producers]]
[[Category:Daytime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Writers Guild of America Award winners]]
[[Category:American women screenwriters]]
[[Category:American women soap opera writers]]
[[Category:People from Somers, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Kentucky]]
[[Category:Television producers from Connecticut]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]
[[Category:20th-century American screenwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century American women writers]]