American dramatist (1930–2023)
Rita Lakin
Born Rita Weisinger(1930-01-24 ) January 24, 1930New York City , U.S. Died March 23, 2023(2023-03-23) (aged 93)Novato, California , U.S. Occupation Nationality American Spouse Hank Lakin (died 1961)Robert Michael Lewis
(
m. 1972; died 1980)
Children 3
Rita Lakin (née Weisinger ; January 24, 1930 – March 23, 2023) was an American screenwriter, active from around 1962 to 1981.[ 1] The Only Woman In The Room , a memoir of her life as one of the first female show runners and one of the first women in television (released October 2015, Applause publishing). In fiction, Lakin created the Gladdy Gold Mystery seven-book series (published by Bantam Books ), including Getting Old Is Murder , Getting Old Is The Best Revenge , and Getting Old Can Kill You .
Rita Weisinger was born in The Bronx, New York on January 24, 1930.[ 2] The Doctors Dr. Kildare Peyton Place
In 1968, she began working as story editor and head writer of The Mod Squad The Rookies Executive Suite Women in Chains Strong Medicine and Voices of the Heart . In 1981, she developed the TV series adaptation and served as show-runner of Flamingo Road Nightingales No Language But a Cry and Saturday Night at Grossinger's .[ 3]
Personal life and death [ edit ] Rita Weisinger was first married to Hank Lakin, who died from leukemia due to exposure to radiation in the Santa Susana SRE Nuclear Reactor meltdown (1959) in 1961. She was later married, from 1972 to 1980, to director-producer Robert Michael Lewis, who predeceased her. Rita Lakin died in Novato, California , on March 23, 2023, at the age of 93.[ 2]
Rita Lakin won nominations and awards for her writing including the Writers Guild of America Award ,[ 4] Edgar Allan Poe Award [ 5] Hopwood Award from the University of Michigan .[ 3]
Title
Release
Prince Charming, Go Home: A Romantic Comedy
September 14, 2021
The Only Woman in the Room
October 20, 2015
Getting Old Can Kill You
June 28, 2011
Getting Old Is Très Dangereux
June 22, 2010
Getting Old Is a Disaster
December 30, 2008
Getting Old Is to Die For
December 26, 2007
Getting Old Is Criminal
May 1, 2007
Getting Old Is the Best Revenge
March 28, 2006
Getting Old Is Murder
October 25, 2005
A Summer Without Boys
1976
The Four Coins of the Kaballah (formerly Demon of the Night )
1976
Rita Lakin wrote 464 episodes, eight movies of the week, and two miniseries, spanning 30 television productions. She was also the creator of the crime drama series The Rookies Flamingo Road Nightingales Aaron Spelling .[ 6]
Series
Episodes / Type
Year
Dr. Kildare A Candle in the Window
1964
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre The Shattered Glass
1964
Daniel Boone The Reunion
1965
The Virginian Jennifer
1965
Peyton Place 62 episodes
Episode #2.145 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.142 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.139 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.134 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.132 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.129 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.127 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.121 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.118 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.115 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.113 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.109 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.106 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.103 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.100 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.99 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.96 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.91 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.88 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.87 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.84 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.80 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.76 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.75 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.72 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.67 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.65 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.61 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.60 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.55 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.52 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.51 (1966) ... (written by)
Episode #2.48 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.45 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.41 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.40 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.37 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.31 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.30 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.27 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.22 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.21 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.16 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.10 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.8 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.6 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #2.3 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.112 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.111 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.108 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.105 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.102 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.97 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.96 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.92 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.90 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.87 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.82 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.79 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.78 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.75 (1965) ... (written by)
Episode #1.72 (1965) ... (written by) 1965-1966
Run for Your Life A Choice of Evils
1967
The Invaders Moonshot
1967
The Doctors 1967-1969
The Outsider
2 episodes
Service for One 1969
The Flip Side 1969 1969
Family Affair 2 episodes
Uncle Prince Charming (1969) ... (written by)
The Baby Sitters (1968) ... (written by) 1968-1969
The Mod Squad Executive Story Editor 30 episodes, Writer 3 episodes
A Double for Danger (1971) ... (executive story editor)
Is That Justice? No, It's the Law (1971) ... (executive story editor)
Kicks Incorporated (1971) ... (executive story editor)
A Short Course in War (1971) ... (executive story editor)
The Judas Trap (1970) ... (executive story editor)
A Time of Hyacinths (1970) ... (executive story editor)
A Far Away Place So Near (1970) ... (executive story editor)
Welcome to the Human Race, Levi Frazee! (1970) ... (executive story editor)
Search and Destroy (1970) ... (executive story editor)
'A' Is for Annie (1970) ... (executive story editor)
The Loser (1970) ... (executive story editor)
Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot! (1970) ... (executive story editor, teleplay)
Call Back Yesterday (1970) ... (executive story editor)
Return to Darkness, Return to Light (1970) ... (executive story editor)
A Time for Remembering (1970) ... (executive story editor)
The Deadly Sin (1970) ... (executive story editor)
The Exile (1970) ... (executive story editor)
Mother of Sorrow (1970) ... (written by)
The Debt (1969) ... (executive story editor)
Never Give the Fuzz an Even Break (1969) ... (executive story editor)
In This Corner - Sol Alpert (1969) ... (executive story editor, teleplay)
The Healer (1969) ... (executive story editor)
A Place to Run, a Heart to Hide In (1969) ... (executive story editor)
The Death of Wild Bill Hannachek (1969) ... (executive story editor)
Willie Poor Boy (1969) ... (executive story editor)
Confrontation! (1969) ... (executive story editor)
Lisa (1969) ... (executive story editor)
To Linc - With Love (1969) ... (executive story editor)
Ride the Man Down (1969) ... (executive story editor)
An Eye for an Eye (1969) ... (executive story editor)
My Name Is Manolete (1969) ... (executive story editor)
The Girl in Chair Nine (1969) ... (executive story editor) 1969-1971
Death Takes a Holiday TV movie
1971
Women in Chains TV movie
1972
A Summer Without Boys
TV movie
1973
Message to My Daughter TV movie
1973
The ABC Afternoon Playbreak Last Bride of Salem
1974
The Rookies Creator, TV Series, 26 episodes
The Shield (1975) ... (creator)
Angel (1975) ... (creator)
Easy Money (1973) ... (creator)
A Farewell Tree from Marly (1973) ... (creator)
Life Robbery (1973) ... (creator)
The Wheel of Death (1973) ... (creator)
Three Hours to Kill (1973) ... (creator)
Point of Impact (1973) ... (creator)
Snow Job (1973) ... (creator)
Crossfire (1973) ... (creator)
Tarnished Idol (1973) ... (creator)
Rabbits on the Runway (1972) ... (creator)
A Very Special Piece of Ground (1972) ... (creator)
A Bloody Shade of Blue (1972) ... (creator)
A Deadly Velocity (1972) ... (creator)
To Taste of Terror (1972) ... (creator)
The Good Die Young (1972) ... (creator)
Dirge for Sunday (1972) ... (creator)
The Bear That Didn't Get Up (1972) ... (creator)
Time Is the Fire (1972) ... (creator)
Covenant with Death (1972) ... (creator)
The Commitment (1972) ... (creator)
The Informant (1972) ... (creator)
Dead, Like a Lost Dream (1972) ... (creator)
Concrete Valley, Neon Sky (1972) ... (creator)
Pilot (1972) ... (story) 1972-1975
Medical Center 2 episodes
The Fourth Sex: Part 2 (1975) ... (written by)
The Fourth Sex: Part 1 (1975) ... (written by) 1975
Hey, I'm Alive TV movie
1975
Medical Story Us Against the World
1975
A Sensitive, Passionate Man
TV movie
1975
Torn Between Two Lovers TV movie
1975
Executive Suite TV series, Executive Producer
1976
Flamingo Road Creator, TV Series, Executive Consultant 22 episodes, Writer 38 episodes
Murder, They Said (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Harder They Fall (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
An Eye for an Eye (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Bad and the Beautiful (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The High and the Mighty (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
No Dice (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
Sins of the Father (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Dedication (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
Double Exposure (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
Chance of a Lifetime (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Explosion (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
To Catch a Thief (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
Heatwave (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
Strange Bedfellows (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
Old Friends (1982) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Little Foxes (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Powers That Be (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Stranger (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Intruder (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Substitute (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Victim (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant)
The Arrangement (1981) ... (creator, executive consultant)
Bad Chemistry (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
Hurricane (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
Hell Hath No Fury (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
They Drive by Night (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
Secrets (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
Bad Girl (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
Trapped (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
Jealous Wife (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
The Election (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
The Fish Fry (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
A Mother's Revenge (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
The Titus Tapes (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
Illicit Weekend (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
The Hostages: Part 2 (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
The Hostages: Part 1 (1981) ... (creator, supervising producer)
Pilot (1980) ... (teleplay) 1980-1982
Emerald Point NAS 7 episodes, TV Series
The Wedding (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant)
Pandora's Box (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant)
Friends and Lovers (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant)
The Best Laid Plans (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant)
The Climax (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant)
Lost and Found (1984) ... (story - as Susan Howard, creative consultant)
Disguises (1984) ... (story, creative consultant) 1984
Her Life as a Man
TV movie, Executive Consultant
1984
Peyton Place: The Next Generation TV movie
1985
Strong Medicine
TV Miniseries
1986
Dynasty 10 episodes, TV Series
Shadow Play (1987) ... (story)
The Affair (1987) ... (story)
The Confession (1987) ... (story)
The Sublet (1987) ... (story)
Valez (1987) ... (story)
The Dress (1987) ... (story)
The Shower (1987) ... (story)
The Garage (1987) ... (story)
The Surgery (1987) ... (story)
The Mothers (1987) ... (story) 1987
Nightingales Creator, Supervising Producer, Writer TV Movie
1988
Voice of the Heart
TV Miniseries
1989
Nightingales 13 episodes, TV Series
Episode #1.13 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.12 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.11 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.10 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.9 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.8 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.7 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.6 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.5 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.4 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.3 (1989) ... (creator)
Episode #1.2 (1989) ... (creator)
Pilot (1989) ... (creator) 1989
^ Rita Lakin Collection @ University of Wyoming American Heritage Center (PDF) . Accessed May 13, 2024.^ a b Barnes, Mike (21 April 2023). "Rita Lakin, Pioneering Screenwriter and Creator of 'The Rookies' and 'Flamingo Road,' Dies at 93" . The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 21 April 2023 . ^ a b Official website , ritalakin.com; accessed November 29, 2014.^ WGA Awards , Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Drama^ Profile , fantasticfiction.co.uk; accessed November 29, 2014.^ IMDb profile . Accessed May 12, 2024.
