Quick Facts
Biography
Jean Passanante (born June 26, 1953) is an American television screenwriter best known for her work in daytime soap operas. 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 to 1996. In 1996 she was promoted to the top position of Head Writer, only to be replaced in 1997. She remained as a staff writer until 1998, at which time she was made Co-Head Writer of the ailing soap opera Another World. Passanante wrapped up the show's 35-year run 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's contract with All My Children expired in 2001, and she was replaced by Richard Culliton. She was then hired by CBS' As the World Turns in 2001, where she served as Co-Head Writer (second in command to Hogan Sheffer) until she was promoted to Head Writer in early 2005; she continued in that role through the show's 2010 cancellation. Following the cancellation of "As the World Turns", Passanante returned to One Life to Live as Associate Head Writer, a role she last served in 1998, until It's television cancellation in January 2012. Passanante was one of the writers who followed Ron Carlivati to General Hospital as breakdown writer from May 3, 2012 until November 25, 2013 when Passanante was named head writer of The Young and the Restless, working alongside Shelly Altman. Passanante's tenure was from December 23, 2013 to March 18, 2015, Passanante was also a breakdown writer for the show under Charles Pratt, Jr. from March 23, 2015 to June 18, 2015. In July 2015, Passanante and Altman returned to General Hospital as its co-head writers, replacing Carlivati.
Passanante attended Dartmouth College. From January 25, 2008 through April 17, 2008, ATWT episodes 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. Passanante's post-strike episodes hit the airwaves on April 18, 2008.
Positions held
All My Children
- Head Writer: January 2001 - August 2001
- Co-Head Writer: July 1999 - January 2001
Another World
- Co-Head Writer: July 1998 - June 25, 1999
The Last AW Writing Team
- Leah Laiman (Head Writer), Jean Passanante (Co-Head Writer), 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
As the World Turns
- Head Writer: May 25, 2005 - January 24, 2008, April 18, 2008 - October 5, 2009 with Leah Laiman, October 6, 2009 to June 4, 2010 with David Kreizman, June 7, 2010 - September 17, 2010 with Lloyd Gold
- Co-Head Writer: September 2001 - May 24, 2005
General Hospital
- Associate Head Writer: May 3, 2012 - November 25, 2013; August 13 - October 5, 2015
- Co-Head Writer: October 6, 2015 – Present
One Life to Live
- Associate Head Writer: 1993 - 1996, 1997 - 1998, September 10, 2010 - January 13, 2012
- Co-Head Writer: 1996 - 1997 with Leah Laiman and Peggy Sloane
The Young and the Restless
- Co-Head Writer: December 23, 2013 – March 18, 2015
- Breakdown Writer: March 23, 2015 – June 18, 2015
Awards and nominations
Daytime Emmy Awards:
- Win, 2014, Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for The Young and the Restless
- 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 Awards (WGA)
- Win, 2015 and 2016, Best Daytime Serial for General Hospital
- 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
- Win, 1992 for "One Life to Live"
HW History
| Preceded by Michael Malone | Co-Head Writer of One Life to Live (with Peggy Sloane) (with: Leah Laiman: April — December 1996) April 1996 — January 1997 | Succeeded by Claire Labine Matthew Labine |
| Preceded by Richard Culliton | Co-Head Writer of Another World (with Richard Culliton: May – July 1998) (with: Leah Laiman: July 1998 – June 1999) May 1998 - June 25, 1999 | Succeeded by Show Canceled |
| Preceded by Agnes Nixon Elizabeth Page | Head Writer of All My Children (with Agnes Nixon: June 1999 – January 2001) (with Elizabeth Page: June 1999 – November 1999) (with Michael Conforti: May – June 2001) June 1999 - August 2001 | Succeeded by Richard Culliton |
| Preceded by Hogan Sheffer Carolyn Culliton Hal Corley Stephen Demorest | Head Writer of As the World Turns (with Hogan Sheffer: July 16, 2001 – May 24, 2005) (with Carolyn Culliton: July 16, 2001 – September 2002) (with Leah Laiman: May 25, 2005 – January 24, 2008) (with Christopher Whitesell: May 25, 2005 – October 17, 2007) July 16, 2001 - January 24, 2008 | Succeeded by WGA Strike |
| Preceded by WGA Strike | Head Writer of As the World Turns (with Leah Laiman: April 18, 2008 - October 5, 2009) (with David Kreizman: October 6, 2009 - June 4, 2010) (with Lloyd Gold: June 7, 2010 - September 17, 2010) April 18, 2008 - September 17, 2010 | Succeeded by Show Canceled |
| Preceded by Shelly Altman Tracey Thomson | Head Writer of The Young and the Restless (with Shelly Altman and Tracey Thomson) (with Charles Pratt, Jr.: January 16, 2015 - March 18, 2015) December 23, 2013 - March 18, 2015 | Succeeded by Charles Pratt, Jr. |
| Preceded by Ron Carlivati | Co-Head Writer of General Hospital (with Shelly Altman: October 7, 2015 – Present) October 6, 2015 - Present | Succeeded by Incumbent |