Joe Shelby "Josh" Griffith (born August 15, 19??) is an American
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
writer and producer.
Personal life
Born on August 15, in the U.S. state of New York, Josh is the son of Joe (Rip) Griffith and Sue Estes Griffith, both teachers and artists.
Career
Griffith began his writing career on ''
Santa Barbara'' in 1988 and continued writing for the show until 1991 when he moved over to ''
One Life to Live'', where he began as an associate head writer under
Michael Malone Michael, Mick or Mike Malone may refer to:
Sports
* Michael Malone (basketball) (born 1971), American basketball coach
* Mick Malone (cricketer) (born 1950), Australian former cricketer
* Mick Malone (hurler) (born 1950), Irish retired hurler
Oth ...
before being promoted to co-head writer in early 1992. Under his and Malone's tenure at ''One Life to Live'', the show won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in 1994. Griffith left the show in early 1995.
In 1997, Griffith was co-creator of the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters ...
Daytime soap opera ''
Sunset Beach'' along with
Robert Guza Jr.
Robert Guza Jr. (born 1951 ) is an American television writer and producer, who formerly held the position as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap opera ''General Hospital''.
Personal life
Guza has been married to actress and fellow writer Meg Be ...
The show ran for nearly three years before being cancelled in December 1999. In the spring of 2003, Griffith and Michael Malone returned to ''One Life to Live'' for a second stint as head writers, however they remained with the show for just a year. After leaving, Griffith became a script writer on
CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime is a division within CBS that is responsible for the daytime television block programming on the CBS' late morning and early afternoon schedule. The block has historically encompassed soap operas and game shows.
Schedule
NOTE: All ti ...
's ''
As the World Turns
''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other soa ...
'' under head writer
Hogan Sheffer
Hogan Sheffer (June 12, 1958 – September 28, 2019) was an American screenwriter.
Personal life
Sheffer was born in York, Pennsylvania. His full birth name was Mark Wayne Sheffer; he received his nickname of Hogan from younger brother Craig, who ...
, who shortly afterwards stepped down as head writer. He would later return to the show briefly between 2009 and 2010.
In 2006, vice president of CBS Daytime,
Barbara Bloom, brought Griffith over to ''
The Young and the Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City ...
'' as a creative consultant and breakdown writer under executive producer and head writer
Lynn Marie Latham; within three months, he was promoted to co-executive producer to work alongside of Latham. Griffith assumed full executive producer duties after Latham was fired for abandoning her posts as executive producer and head writer to go on strike during the
2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike. During the strike, he took over as head writer and to do this, he accepted
Financial core status with the WGA. In December 2007,
Maria Arena Bell
Maria Arena Bell (born March 10, 1963) is an American novelist, television and freelance writer. She is the former head writer and executive producer of the CBS Daytime soap opera ''The Young and the Restless.''
Biography
Maria Arena Bell grew ...
became his co-head writer.
In August 2008, Griffith was fired from his executive producer duties by
Barbara Bloom and
Steven Kent of
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production and distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, it is a division of Sony Entertainment's unit Sony Pictures Enterta ...
, leading to Bell becoming executive producer and head writer and later replacing him with
Paul Rauch
Paul Rauch (1930 – December 10, 2012) was an American television and film producer. Rauch's work was primarily in American soap operas.
Career
Rauch's earlier jobs included Vice President, Programs-East Coast for CBS, Supervising Producer f ...
. In 2009, Griffith briefly worked as a writer on ''
General Hospital''. In July 2012, it was announced that Griffith had been rehired on ''The Young and the Restless'' as the sole head writer following Bell's dismissal; he would work alongside new executive producer
Jill Farren Phelps. Episodes under their direction began airing on October 12, 2012.
In August 2013, speculation and reports indicated that Griffith had resigned as head writer, reportedly due to "creative differences" with Phelps. Further speculation adds that
Shelly Altman may take over as the new head writer, alongside
Tracey Thomson
Tracey Thomson is an American television soap opera writer for CBS Daytime's ''The Young and the Restless''. She is sharing head-writing duties with Charles Pratt Jr. who originally hired her to be a script writer on ''All My Children''. In 2019 ...
or
Jean Passanante may be brought aboard as a new co-head writer. In February 2015, Griffith was hired as co-head writer of ''
Days of Our Lives
''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. The soap, which aired on ...
'', alongside re-hired former head,
Dena Higley
Dena Higley (born September 26, 1958) is an American writer, speaker and author.
Early life and career
Higley grew up in East County, San Diego and was the first of three children. She moved to Los Angeles as a teenager eventually graduating fro ...
. Griffith began his role as co-head scribe on February 16, 2015, with the material airing on August 19, 2015.
In February 2016, it was reported that Griffith would be departing ''Days of Our Lives'' as co-head writer, with Ryan Quan serving as his replacement. Griffith's last episode aired on September 2, 2016.
In August 2018, it was reported that Griffith would be returning to ''The Young and the Restless'' this time as supervising producer. Griffith's first episode as supervising producer aired on September 14, 2018.
In December 2018, ''Daytime Confidential'' reported that Griffith would once again act as ''The Young and the Restless's'' Head Writer following the departure of
Mal Young.
Positions held
''
As the World Turns
''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other soa ...
'' (hired by
Hogan Sheffer
Hogan Sheffer (June 12, 1958 – September 28, 2019) was an American screenwriter.
Personal life
Sheffer was born in York, Pennsylvania. His full birth name was Mark Wayne Sheffer; he received his nickname of Hogan from younger brother Craig, who ...
)
* Script Writer: April 12, 2005 – June 29, 2006; December 14, 2009 – September 17, 2010
''
Days of Our Lives
''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. The soap, which aired on ...
''
* Co-Head Writer: August 19, 2015 – September 2, 2016
''
General Hospital'' (hired by
Brian Frons
Brian Scott Frons (born June 15, 1956) is an American television executive and the former president of ABC Daytime.
Education
Frons earned a master’s degree from Syracuse University's S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1978.
CB ...
; fired by
Robert Guza, Jr.
Robert Guza Jr. (born 1951 ) is an American television writer and producer, who formerly held the position as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap opera ''General Hospital''.
Personal life
Guza has been married to actress and fellow writer Meg Be ...
)
* Story Consultant: July 2009 – August 21, 2009
* Breakdown Writer: August 7 & 17, 2009
* Script Writer: August 21, 2009
''
One Life to Live''
* Associate Head Writer: 1991–1994, March 23, 2004 – September 28, 2004
* Co-Head Writer: 1992 – September 1995, March 10, 2003 – March 21, 2004
* Head Writer: February 3, 2003 – March 7, 2003
''
Santa Barbara''
* Breakdown Writer: 1988–1991
* Script Writer: 1988–1991
''
Sunset Beach''
* Co-Creator: (with
Robert Guza, Jr.
Robert Guza Jr. (born 1951 ) is an American television writer and producer, who formerly held the position as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap opera ''General Hospital''.
Personal life
Guza has been married to actress and fellow writer Meg Be ...
) 1997
''
The Young and the Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City ...
'' (hired by
Barbara Bloom)
* Breakdown Writer: July 13, 2006 – October 2006
*
Creative Consultant: July 7, 2006 – September 2006
* Co-Executive Producer: October 25, 2006 – December 24, 2007; February 6, 2019 – present
*
Head writer
A 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. In fictional comedy ...
: December 26, 2007 – April 21, 2008; October 12, 2012 – November 1, 2013; March 20, 2019 – present
*
Executive Producer
Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights ...
: October 25, 2006 – October 2, 2008
* Supervising Producer: September 14, 2018 – February 5, 2019
Writing history
, -
, -
, -
, -
, -
Executive producing tenure
, -
Awards and nominations
External links
Interview with OLTL Head Writers Josh Griffith and Michael Malone*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffith, Josh
Griffith
Soap opera producers
American male television writers
People from New York (state)
American television producers
Daytime Emmy Award winners
Writers Guild of America Award winners
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people