2012 was an emotional and topsy-turvy year for soap fans filled with sadness, disappointment and frustration as One Life to Live aired its final episodes after an incredible 43-year run. On the flip side, an excitement and a renewed spirit on-screen and behind-the-scenes at General Hospital gave viewers a thrill a minute! Two men led the charge and were responsible for orchestrating two incredible feats within the same calendar year, for the fans and for the soap genre, that may very well have given network executives, the mainstream, and naysayers pause that daytime is not dead after all … but alive and well and kicking! We are talking about current General Hospital and former One Life to Live, executive producer Frank Valentini, and head writer Ron Carlivati.
From giving the most proper of send-offs ever witnessed for a canceled soap, and throwing every thing but the kitchen sink in to pay homage to the legacy of Llanview for its enduring and loyal fans, even through an incredibly difficult and heartbreaking time, Cartini, as they are now known, delivered. And after going out on top with ratings that showed “the proof is in the pudding”, Frank and Ron next took over the wheel that drives General Hospital. They revitalized the show giving it new life and infusing it with new energy, and in doing so, also upped it’s ratings with astonishing returns of fan favorites while sprinkling stories and utilizing characters throughout the entire canvas of Port Charles.
So here now are the two gents that are truly the hitmakers, and creative team beyond compare … Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati!
MICHAEL:
When you were crafting the ending of One Life to Live, and watching the final episodes of what you had created together, how were you able to deal with this huge loss at that point?
RON:
Courtesy/ABC
It was a very emotional time, and at that point that it was airing, we knew it was not going to continue on. That was the end of One Life to Live. And while it was incredibly sad, it was also gratifying in a way to see how it all came together at the end. I think because it was also a story about the end of a soap opera “Fraternity Row”. Through that we were able to mourn along with the characters, but not just mourn, but also celebrate. It was very satisfying in a lot of ways to me just because I think it did end on a perfect note.
MICHAEL:
You were able to give the audience that precious and emotional second to last episode, which contains Viki’s speech about soaps operas. Then, following that go out with the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers, showing the audience that Alison Perkins for all intent and purposes, had the believed-to-be-dead Victor Jr. captive. Did this cliffhanger, where Victor Jr. was going to be alive, come to you at the last second? Or, was this planned for a while? And, how did this all come about?
RON:
We knew for a while that we wanted Victor’s re-appearance to be the very end of the show. It was really Frank who pulled it off, and was able to sneak Trevor St. John (Victor Jr.) into the building so that it didn’t get out. And you know Michael better than anybody, how everybody knows everything, and while I think there was some speculation about Victor may be re-appearing, I don’t think people really knew for sure. So I think it really provided a classic soap shock to see Victor like that. And in some ways, even though it was a cliffhanger, it was very satisfying to see him alive.
FRANK:
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What Ron was able to do with the writing was to really give the audience sort of what they wanted, and even more than they wanted. That speech of Viki’s was not only apropos to the scene, but apropos to what we were going through … sort of what we were living through on our side of the television, and also for the viewers on the other side of the television. What better way to say to the audience, “We love you. We get it,” than with that episode, and in particular with that speech.
MICHAEL:
Frank, One Life to Live was where you got your start in this industry and where you went up through the ranks to become its executive producer. I also know that the late Paul Rauch was your mentor there. How were you processing dealing with the ending of One Life? After all, One Life was your baby with Ron!
FRANK:
I think the human spirit is very interesting, in that you find ways of coping. I am sure there was a lot of denial, but when we first heard the news I went back to the studio and I told everyone we are going to go out in a blaze of glory. And, that we were going to savor and enjoy the last few months together producing a show that we all loved very much, and that we were going to honor the show, and honor the audience, and honor ourselves, by doing the best we possibly could. I think we achieved that. I actually believe that the sums of our parts exceeded any expectations that any of us ever had.
MICHAEL:
And as we have seen with other soap operas that were canceled, they go out with a whimper. But for One Life, it left ABC with the ratings stronger than they had been in years, and on a creative high, as well. The two of you had to be proud that you went out the way you did!
FRANK:
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Yes, that was our goal.
RON:
Absolutely! What was nice is we did not limp to the finish line, we went out on top.
MICHAEL:
What is the collaborative process between the two of you that has allowed you to maintain this amazing working relationship, where there are both stellar writing, and then the ability to bring everything to life on-screen? What do you think has made this such a successful pairing?
FRANK:
Our roles are very clearly stated. Ron is the head writer and is in charge of the story. I am the producer, and I am in charge of producing the show. But at the same time our relationship has a lot of fluidity to it in terms of: that I will ask Ron what his opinion is on production things, and he will ask my opinion and my feedback on story things. I am a big believer in collaboration, but at the same time I think you need to have a singular vision, and Ron’s vision for General Hospital as it was for One Life, is so clear and so true with a very clear sense of storytelling. I think that is what the audience responds to. My job is to make it all come to life, and it is kind of a pleasure to do that. There are situations where complications come up where an actor is leaving the show, or we get a note that something might need to change, and we sort of huddle up together to make it work. We always have each other’s back.
MICHAEL:
I remember Ron, when we talked a while ago during your time at One Life, about how we were both amazed at how those terrifying ice scenes played out on air when Gigi (Farah Fath) fell threw the ice! I recall you saying something along the lines of, “I can’t believe how production pulled this off!” I am sure that happened again recently on General Hospital with Faison’s false face!
RON:
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Yeah! My mouth is still hanging open from watching Faison’s face melt off. It’s one thing for us to write, “He throws fondue in his face and his mask melts off,” and it’s very similar to saying, “Oh, the ice cracks and she falls through the ice.” Then Frank says, “Yeah, you wrote a nice movie, but how are we supposed to do that?” And then Frank says, “Oh, I know! We’ll just light an explosion under some plexi-glass and crack the ice.” That just blows my mind! Similarly, I expected to see with Faison they throw something in his face, and he throws his hands over his face and screams… and when he takes his hands away, the mask is sort of mostly gone. Of course, that is not what they did, and that is where the production and the writing meet. Frank did this unbelievable job with his team of having this mask literally melt off the guys face! Frank told me I was going to be pleased, but I had no idea till I actually saw it. (Laughs) The sight of Faison with Duke Lavery’s hair still on his head is etched in my brain!
MICHAEL:
Frank, do you ever say to Ron, “What the hell are you thinking? How are we going to pull this off?”
FRANK:
All the time! (Laughs) I get nervous when I first read stuff that I think is either too expensive to do, or too overwhelming. Then, I sit with it for a while and then we try to figure out the best way to do it, because that’s our job. Our job is to carry out the vision of the writers, and if you create a situation with the writers where they feel like every time they come up with something that, for lack of a better expression, is “bigger than life” then you are hampering their imagination. There are already so many constraints put on the writers in terms of: actors availability, guarantees, airdates- Monday through Friday, also sort of set constrictions. So why would you want to add another constraint to your creative team in terms of imagination? That does not seem like the right thing to do.
RON:
Photo Credit: NY Times
Frank has also given me and the other writers the ability to “go for it”. He will say, “You write it full out, and we will tell you if it’s something we are unable to do.” He really doesn’t ever hold us back, or restrict us.
MICHAEL:
As we look back at 2012, there you were transitioning from One Life to being named the new executive producer of General Hospital, after the Prospect Park deal to bring OLTL online stalled. So at that point, Frank, did you call Ron and say, “Ron, do you want to come with me to GH?” However, it had previously been reported that Ron was coming to write GH before the Prospect Park talks began anyway. Confusing, eh? (Laughs)
RON:
There was some talk that I would come to General Hospital in some capacity, which I was looking forward to no matter what. But I think it was great that it worked out that Frank and I could continue our partnership that we have.
MICHAEL:
When the two of you came to GH, you inherited what was an ailing show at that point. It was also a very one-note show …very heavy into mob stories and focusing on the same core characters. You can see now how the two of you have constructed GH. It moves so much faster, it involves so many more characters, the scenes are not too long, and it reminds me of the pacing of One Life to Live, but a completely different show. Would you agree with that?
RON:
I think that is true. I can only write how I write. I have a certain style and a certain groove that I got into at One Life to Live, and the pace at which I moved stories. I adapted it to General Hospital. I like to write for the whole canvas, and while I get that there are certain people who are your “Stars” or your “A-players”, I like to play with all the toys in the box. It’s more fun and interesting for me to write for everybody. What has also been great is to be able to reach into the past and pull out the characters I knew growing up watching GH and that I was familiar with. Lucky for me that they allowed me to bring a lot of these people back.
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FRANK:
But also, everyone we brought back has been able to create, instigate, and multiply story for the main characters on General Hospital that you want to see.
MICHAEL:
It’s been amazing! First of all, putting Finola Hughes (Anna Devane) on contract was brilliant, and watching her work this year has been incredible. I would have to say that her performances, along with Jason Thompson (Patrick), were top notch through the entire year, and they delivered in spades with the material given to them, as well as so many other talented performers in the cast!
FRANK:
I agree that Finola and Jason are fantastic, but it’s hard for us because we love them all. It’s definitely like having thirty children, and we think they all are equally special.
MICHAEL:
Frank, when you look at what you have accomplished in 2012 with GH, and with your targeted projections for the series moving forward, are you pleased with where the show is heading, and where you have taken it so far?
FRANK:
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At this particularity juncture, we are dark for the holidays. I think this is a really great time for everyone to consider the amount of work that we have done. We will show our Christmas reel, which is sort of something we have a little fun with it, and we also honor the hard work we have done throughout the year, and kind of look at it and say, “Wow, that was great.” I think that is a good starting point to start to begin to contemplate what 2013 will be like. Obviously, we are in production already for the beginning of the year and we have some amazing stuff. Ron has written some terrific, terrific stories for January, February, leading into March, and into our 50th Anniversary in April, which we are really looking forward to doing. It’s all very exciting! Honestly, there is never that much time to sit back and think, but over the holiday break we will sort of be thankful for what we have been able to accomplish and honor that, and then move forward from there.
MICHAEL:
Ron, you must have been tickled-pink knowing the history and the back-story of General Hospital, and then being green-lighted and able to bring back all these beloved characters and blast from the pasts from: Lucy Coe, to Anna Devane, to Faison, and I could go and on. Were you not pinching yourself over this during the 2012 daytime television season when this all came to pass?
RON:
Absolutely! While I want to write a show that is modern, current, and contemporary, I think that soaps are also about nostalgia, and the history, and the legacy, and that is what makes them so special. Here we have a show that is going to be 50 years old, and it’s a gift to be able to draw from that history. I think it’s also a reward to the audience for watching and being so loyal for all this time, and to tell them that we haven’t forgotten those characters, either! And while it’s great to see the returns, I don’t think you can necessarily just trot people out for the sake of seeing them. Like Frank said earlier, they have to generate a story. That had been my goal with any of these returns in how can they affect the current canvas as it is in 2012 and 2013. But yes, it’s been an absolute thrill to be able to write for Helena, Robert, Holly, Lucy Coe, Heather Webber, and Faison. General Hospital means different things to different people, but to me when I see those faces, that really feels like GH to me.
MICHAEL:
Photo Credit: ABC/Getty Images
The decision to bring Roger Howarth (Todd Manning) and Michael Easton (John McBain) over to GH from One Life to Live, would you say that has worked out well for you? Of course, you got a lot of pushback from fans of GH in bringing these characters and Starr over to Port Charles. Would you consider bringing other Llanview residents over to GH if it made sense, and if you have the rights to the characters?
FRANK:
If it’s story-dictated, and we are able to have the rights to those characters, I don’t see why not. But again, on bringing the three One Life to Live characters over to GH, I think the initial pushback was before anyone ever saw it on air. I can understand the fervor in which the GH fans protect their show, and I honor that, because I am the same way – I am always very protective of the shows I work on. However, we are now here at GH and the keepers of the gate. I think we have proven in the last eleven months, how much we love and honor this show, and how we have kept this show pretty much intact as much as we could within our ability. Bringing in those returns also provided story for the characters of: Michael, Sonny, Jason, Sam, Carly, Tracy, and Luke, and all the people you want to see. Instead of bringing on new actors in new roles, why not bring on someone who you know is going to be a phenomenal actor, and who is going to be able to work well on the canvas. The actors on GH love the actors from One Life to Live. They understand what the motivation was and how we were able to make it work, and at the same time, bringing back Helena, Robert, Anna, and Lucy Coe, as an example, we have sort of given everybody everything.
MICHAEL:
With Kimberly McCullough (Robin) agreeing to keep the story of Robin’s disappearance percolating, was it you, Frank, who convinced Kimberly to keep coming back to GH after she had wanted to exit permanently?
FRANK:
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I was actually the person that talked to her to convince her, but when she saw what Ron wrote she absolutely wanted to do it. Kimberly is so fantastic! We are very fond of Kimberly, and we honor and respect that she is working on her directing career, but we kind of don’t want to let her go! So we are willing to make it work, which is in the best interest of the show. We work around her schedule, and we try to squeeze some fun stuff in when we can. It’s not easy, and it can sometimes be costly, but overall, I think it’s worth it.
MICHAEL:
Is there anything you will be willing to offer up as preview for fans of GH, coming up right after the New Year?
FRANK:
You know, I never like to give anything away! I will say we worked extraordinarily hard in November and December. And January will prove to be just as exciting as November and December were.
MICHAEL:
Everyone, I mean, everyone from soap fans, pundits, you name it, wants to make sure that you submit One Life to Live for the Outstanding Drama Series category, since this will be its final year of eligibility for the Daytime Emmys … along with your submissions for General Hospital. You should do this!
FRANK:
We might. We have been so busy that we haven’t gotten around to filling out the paperwork. It’s just been a little bit of crunch time now. But, thank you for the suggestion, we will definitely consider it!
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MICHAEL:
OK, please do! The fans are hoping with those last two incredible weeks of episodes in January that you will submit something so One Life has a proper chance to be honored. I am passing that on! And Ron, everyone is thrilled that you and your OLTL team scored a nod for the WGA Awards too!
RON:
Thank you. I was lucky to be able to submit One Life to Life for the Writers Guild Awards and receive a nomination this year. And with the Writers Guild the submissions work differently than the Daytime Emmys. So what happens is: I submit three scripts and they don’t watch the shows, they just read the scripts. The judging has a lot more to do with the words, and not necessarily the performances. And you can pick three for the eligibility period, and the three that I submitted for the Writers Guild all tied-in to the “Fraternity Row” story. It is when they first learn that the soap opera is going to be canceled. There is one in the middle where they are fighting to save it, and I think the third one is the second to last episode of One Life to Live, where they watch the last show with Viki’s speech in it.
MICHAEL:
The episode with David and Roxy on the set of “Fraternity Row” that dovetailed into the fantasy episode, was that submitted to the WGA?
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RON:
That was in the eligibility period, but I did not submit the fantasy episode. I submitted the one where Roxy wakes up after it. I believe it is the episode on the Blanca talk show and Roxy trying to use David to fight to save the show.
MICHAEL:
In closing, Frank if you were to tell me what the best qualities of working with Ron are, what would you say?
FRANK:
Obviously, he is the best writer I have ever worked with, and the cleverest storyteller, and reading his scripts are just a joy and fun for me. Even though this is my job, I get a thrill at reading one of his scripts, even when they are crazily overwhelming in terms of production. But they are fun to do. Ron is a great collaborator, and an incredibly smart person who I get to learn from, and that is what I am most interested in.
MICHAEL:
OK Ron, your turn. What would you tell me about collaborating with Frank and what it is like to work with him?
RON:
“Eh, he’s alright.” (Laughs) We touched on it a little bit; he gives me creative freedom to go anywhere I want to with story. He does pull me back from the brink. I think he is the voice of reason in this relationship. I am the one who pushes the envelope and wants the show to be more and more outrageous, and while I think Frank appreciates that, he is the voice of sanity that keeps the show on an even keel. I think he saves me from my worst impulses, and indulges me in my best impulses. And in addition, his skills as a producer are spot on. Time and time again when I watch the show, I am always blown away what he and what everyone here – cast and crew – are able to accomplish. I see it on paper and it’s one thing, and then I see it and watch it on TV and it’s another thing all together. It always exceeds my expectations, and that is largely due to Frank.
Photo Credit: Steven Bergman
MICHAEL:
So see Frank, there you go … you’re the voice of sanity! (Laughs) Congratulations again on the top honor of 2012. I think there is no question that the two of you have been the true driving force of the daytime soap genre. Well-deserved!
FRANK:
Michael, we know you are such a big supporter of the show, and we wanted to thank you. This is a great honor.
