Gary Tomlin is an Americansoap opera actor, writer, producer and director.
Tomlin's career on daytime serials began in 1973 when he was cast onCBS'sSearch for Tomorrow as Bruce Carson.[1][2][3] He also made a guest appearance on "The Nightwalker" episode ofThe Waltons (1976). He later appeared as Morgan Simpson on theNBC soap operaAnother World in 1979.[4] Both series were produced inNew York City byProcter and Gamble Productions.
Tomlin served as the co-head writer of NBC'sDays of Our Lives, which tapes inLos Angeles, from 1980 to 1981.[5] He then returned to New York as the head writer forAnother World from 1984 to 1985 (at times sharing the position with others). Tomlin next wrote scripts for the Los Angeles serialSanta Barbara (NBC) from 1987 to 1990.
At the same time, Tomlin directed episodes ofAnother World from 1987 to 1991, later directing onABC'sOne Life to Live from 1992 to 1995.
Tomlin became a producer in New York forAll My Children from 1995 to 1996, next rising toExecutive Producer for the Los Angeles-based NBC serialSunset Beach from its debut in 1997 until its cancellation in 1999. He also directed episodes of the series during its run. FollowingSunset Beach, Tomlin directed episodes of NBC's new seriesPassions in Los Angeles from 2000 until he was hired by ABC as the new Executive Producer ofOne Life To Live in January 2001, replacingJill Farren Phelps. He also directed episodes ofOne Life to Live during his stint there.
Tomlin's time atOne Life to Live saw the return of 1980s villainsAllison Perkins andMitch Laurence in a storyline creating a secret history for events from 1986 and 1987, as well as a renewal of the on-again, off-againmultiple personality storyline of characterVictoria Lord, as played by multipleEmmy-winning actressErika Slezak. The series won its first and onlyDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series for the 2001–2002 season. In late 2002, ABC announced that it was replacing Tomlin withFrank Valentini.
Tomlin returned to directingPassions in 2003, leaving in December 2007[6] and replacingRon Carlivati as head writer ofOne Life to Live during the2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike.[7] Tomlin, formerly a member ofWriters Guild of America West himself, left and maintainedfinancial core status during the strike.[8]
Tomlin served as co-executive producer onDays of Our Lives from 2008 to 2011, and in April 2012 was named co-head writer with Christopher Whitesell.[9] Tomlin leftDays of Our Lives in August 2015, and since 2016 has been a director atGeneral Hospital.
| Preceded by | Head Writer ofDays of Our Lives (withMichelle Poteet Lisanti) October 20, 1980 – October 20, 1981 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by C. David Colson | Head Writer ofSearch for Tomorrow September 1982– April 1984 | Succeeded by Jeanne Glynn and Madeline David |
| Preceded by | Head Writer ofAnother World January–April 1985 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Head Writer ofSearch for Tomorrow October 1985-July 1986 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Head Writer ofOne Life to Live February 15, 2008 – May 1, 2008 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Marlene Clark Poulter and Darrell Ray Thomas Jr. | Head Writer ofDays of Our Lives (withChristopher Whitesell) August 17, 2012 – August 18, 2015 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Executive Producer ofOne Life to Live January 2001 — January 3, 2003 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Executive Producer ofDays of Our Lives (with Ken Corday) September 17, 2008 – September 2, 2011 | Succeeded by |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)