'One Life To Live' Executive Producer And Head Writer Join 'General Hospital'

While it is ending veteran soap opera One Life To Live, ABC is keeping 2 of the series’ key players, executive producer Frank Valentini and head writer Ron Carlivati, who will assume the same positions on ABC’s only remaining daytime drama General Hospital, effective January 9. They replace executive producer Jill Farren Phelps, who had been at the helm of GH for the past decade, and Garin Wolf, who joined the soap this past summer. The move comes a week after Prospect Park announced that it was abandoning its plans to continue the canceled All My Children and One Life To Live online. The company had signed both Valentini and Carlivati to continue on OLTL, with Valentini also getting a top executive position. “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,” said ABC Daytime president Brian Frons. Reinforcing General Hospital is important because, with Katie Couric’s new talk show launching in the fall, the soap and new ABC talk shows The Chew and The Revolution will squabble over 2 slots for next season. Valentini is a 26-year OLTL veteran and has served as the show’s executive producer since 2002; Carlivati has been with the soap for 15 years, the last 4 of which as head writer.