Dena Higley
Encyclopedia
Dena Higley is an American
television
soap opera
writer who lives in Los Angeles, California
. She was head writer of Days of our Lives
. During the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
, she chose financial core status (resigning from the union but still receiving the benefits of a union contract) with the WGA strike
and continued working shortly after Carolyn Hinsey outed her on January 25, 2008. http://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2827
winner Erika Slezak
gave voice to frustrations with Higley's OLTL tenure. In the March 2007 edition of Slezak's fan club newsletter she stated, "Dena doesn't care about the rich history of the show, which is evident in what she writes," and that Higley "wants to write stories that she thinks are interesting but nobody else does." Higley's termination was announced on June 4, 2007.
Writers Guild of America Award
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
writer who lives in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. She was head writer of Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
. During the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
, she chose financial core status (resigning from the union but still receiving the benefits of a union contract) with the WGA strike
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
and continued working shortly after Carolyn Hinsey outed her on January 25, 2008. http://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2827
Positions held
Days of our LivesDays of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
- Head Writer: April 23, 2008-August 25, 2011
- Script writer (September 2003 - November 26, 2004)
- Associate Head Writer (1985 - March 6, 2003) and (August 19, 2003 - October 2003)
- Co-Head Writer (August 11, 2003 - August 18, 2003)
- Head WriterHead writerA head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an...
(March 7, 2003 - August 8, 2003)
Criticism
Six-time Daytime Emmy AwardDaytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
winner Erika Slezak
Erika Slezak
Erika Alma Hermina Slezak is an American actress, best known for her role as Victoria Lord on the American daytime soap opera One Life to Live...
gave voice to frustrations with Higley's OLTL tenure. In the March 2007 edition of Slezak's fan club newsletter she stated, "Dena doesn't care about the rich history of the show, which is evident in what she writes," and that Higley "wants to write stories that she thinks are interesting but nobody else does." Higley's termination was announced on June 4, 2007.
Awards and nominations
Daytime Emmy AwardDaytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
- Nominations: 1987, 1994, 1997–1999, and 2006, Best Writing, One Life to Live
Writers Guild of America Award
Writers Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
- Nominations: 1987, 1991, 1993, 2001, and 2005, One Life to Live
- Wins: 1999, Days of our Lives