ABC has confirmed that Richard Culliton has been named head writer of All My Children, thereby ending the search for a successor to outgoing head writer Jean Passanante.
Culliton is a former head writer of General Hospital, co-creator of Port Charles and current script writer for Days of our Lives. Culliton will assume the reins on July 16th. Passanante has her first day on the job at As the World Turns on the same day.
Culliton is not a stranger to Pine Valley life. He served as a writer for the show in 1993. During that time, Culliton helped introduce the Wildwind scene. There is some talk that since he helped to bring Dimitri into the show, Culliton might also be instrumental in bringing back Michael Nader (see related article in our News section).
There are reports that Culliton will be joined by his wife, Emmy winner Carolyn Culliton. Culliton currently serves as co-head writer for As The World Turns and co-created Port Charles with her husband
There had been more than a few candidates for the top scribe spot. Some of the replacements rumored to have been in line for her job are Claire Labine, the Emmy winning former head scribe of General Hospital and Guiding Light, Barbara Esensten and James Harmon Brown, the current co-head writers of Port Charles and Addie Walsh, a writer currently on the AMC writing team.
"We are thrilled to have Richard Culliton join our team as head writer. His talents will undoubtedly further our long-standing tradition of presenting compelling and socially relevant storytelling," said ABC Daytime President Angela Shapiro in a statement.
