Rita Lakin

Birth : , USA

History

Rita Lakin is an American screenwriter, with 474 produced television scripts spanning 30 productions. She is also a novelist and author of "The Only Woman In The Room," a memoire 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. Lakin began writing regularly during the early 1960s for such television shows as The Doctors, Dr. Kildare and Peyton Place. In 1968, she began working as story editor and head writer of The Mod Squad. In 1972, she created The Rookies. In 1977, she served as executive producer of the CBS TV adaptation of the 1954 film Executive Suite. She wrote numerous "Movies of the Week" including Women in Chains, and such miniseries as Strong Medicine and Voices of the Heart. In 1981, she developed the TV series adaptation and served as show-runner of Flamingo Road. In 1989, she co-created the medical drama Nightingales. She also wrote or co-authored two original theatrical plays, No Language But a Cry and Saturday Night at Grossinger's.

Movies

Nightingales
Creator
"Nightingales" are eight student nurses living off campus in Southern California in this stylish Aaron Spelling production that ultimately was developed into a short-lived series which aired on NBC at the beginning of 1989. Subsequently edited down to 90 minutes, the film later served as the premiere episode for the series, which was reworked to add Suzanne Pleshette and Barry Newman as stars.
Strong Medicine
Writer
TV Movie A woman starts working for a prestigious pharmaceutical company that's developing a new miraculous cure. Soon, she discovers what a devious and cut-throat business pharmaceutical industry can be.
Peyton Place: The Next Generation
Screenplay
Another attempt to bring the 1960s primetime serial back to network television
Flamingo Road
Writer
A carnival drifter marries into an aristocratic family and unwillingly takes on a ruthless sheriff who fancies himself a political kingmaker in this pilot film to the later series.
Torn Between Two Lovers
Story
Diane is happily married. But, one day while travelling she meets a dashing architect. With some relief, she parts ways with him at the airport, her resistance to his alluring manner having been tested. She later discovers that she has his gloves, so she returns them in person, only to end up in bed with the man, and later falling in love. She now faces the toughest decision of her life.
A Sensitive, Passionate Man
Writer
The marriage of a wealthy, outwardly happy couple is threatened by the husband's alcoholism.
Hey, I'm Alive
Writer
After their plane crashes, an older man and a young woman survive 49 days lost in the Yukon.
Message to My Daughter
Writer
A confused teenager discovers a stack of tapes recorded years earlier by her dying mother.
A Summer Without Boys
Writer
A middle-aged woman going through a divorce takes her daughter to a summer lodge where the girl experiences a powerful awakening to life's challenges.
The Rookies
Story
Three new officers in a large metropolitan police department adjust to their new jobs and way of life. This is another TV-pilot that was first aired as an ABC Movie of the Week before becoming a TV-series.
Women in Chains
Writer
A parole officer goes undercover to investigate prison brutality but is trapped when the only person on the outside who knows why she's there is killed.
Death Takes a Holiday
Writer
Death takes a human form and visits Earth to try to find out why humans want so desperately to cling to life. He unexpectedly falls in love with a beautiful young woman.