Although she originally aspired to be an actress, Labine eventually became a critically-acclaimed writer. She attended the University of Kentucky where her major was journalism, but later she switched to playwriting major at Columbia University’s School of Dramatic Arts (now Columbia University School of the Arts). After graduating, she joined the writing staff of Captain Kangaroo. After writing for the show for two years, she was fired in 1968.
Labine's first foray into daytime was as a script writer for the CBS Daytime soap opera Where the Heart Is. After only a year at the show, she was promoted to the post of Head Writer in 1971, along with fellow writer and close friend Paul Avila Mayer. Although the duo increased the show's ratings their stint at the show ended in 1973, when CBS chose to take the show off the air.
Soon after the end of Where the Heart Is, she became Head Writer for another CBS soap, Love of Life. Once again she was paired with Mayer. The ratings for the show rose, which brought them to the attention of rival network ABC.
In late 1974, ABC Daytime approached Labine and Mayer, who were the Head Writers of Love of Life at the time, about creating a new soap opera. The network wanted a soap opera similar to General Hospital - even the proposed title of the new soap, City Hospital, resembled it. Labine and Mayer added a large Irish family to ABC's vision of the show - the Ryan family - and Ryan's Hope was created. While they were writing it, Ryan's Hope won six Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing and two Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Program. In addition to this, Labine won a Writers Guild of America Award for each year that she wrote the show.
After ratings began to sag, Labine and Mayer were dismissed from the show in 1982 and replaced by their Associate Head Writer, Mary Ryan Munisteri. ABC asked both of them back in early 1983 when it became apparent that Munisteri's writing was not improving the ratings. Labine and Mayer were fired once again later that year.
During her absence from Ryan's Hope, Michael Brockman, former President of CBS Daytime, asked Labine to develop a new serial. Her proposal was entitled Celebration. This soap never made it to the air.
In 1987, Labine was asked by ABC to come back to Ryan's Hope. She accepted ABC's offer and remained with the show until 1989, when the show was cancelled.
In 1993, Labine returned to daytime as Head Writer of ABC's General Hospital. She brought the show much critical acclaim, and won her seventh Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Writing for her work on the show. She chose to depart the show in early 1996. During this time, she created a proposed General Hospital spin-off Heart and Soul, to star Wally Kurth and Rena Sofer in Brooklyn, NY. It was about two families, one black, one white, both show business families. The black family was three generations of jazz musicians. Next door was a theatrical family. The Brooklyn community was a big part of it, as well as a local radio station, some very colorful characters. The show was not picked up by ABC Daytime or NBC Daytime; Wendy Riche's competing Port Charles was ABC's choice instead.
Labine co-wrote (with Judith Pinsker) the 1995 New York Times bestseller General Hospital tie-in novel Robin's Diary, based in the AIDS storyline between characters Stone Cates and Robin Scorpio.
In spring 1996, Labine was offered the Head Writer role at As the World Turns but turned it down because she and Matthew Labine were trying to get HEART & SOUL [aka Union Place] on the air. "I had to turn it down because we were in the middle of that development. I said to Procter & Gamble, “I am gratified by this offer, but if I have any chance at all...” I didn’t think there was much chance but I thought it was worth a go to do our own show. And they were very lovely about it.
In late 1996, she was made Head Writer of ABC's One Life to Live because she had a year and a half left on her contract with ABC. She remained with the show until early 1998.
Most recently, Labine had a short stint at CBS' Guiding Light. She was Head Writer of the show from 2000 through 2001. Labine shared the reins of GL with her children, Matthew Labine and Eleanor Labine. Rumors abounded throughout Labine's tenure at GL that she, Executive Producer Paul Rauch, and Executive in Charge of Production Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin had frequent arguments about the show's direction. At one point, it was announced in the soap press that the Labines were departing, only to have the announcement recanted a week later. [1] P&G did eventually replace the Labines the following year with writer Lloyd "Lucky" Gold and Christopher Dunn.
In November 2009, Labine gave WeLoveSoaps.net an exclusive interview during which she discussed her struggles with ABC during Ryan's Hope, her enjoyment of writing General Hospital, and her less enjoyable experiences on One Life to Live and Guiding Light. She also discussed details about her aborted project, "Union Place" and insights into her illustrious career.
(1978, 1981 & 1982, Outstanding Drama Series, Ryan's Hope)
Writers Guild Of America
Wins
1995, General Hospital
1994, General Hospital
1980-1983, 1986—1989, Ryan's Hope
Nominations
2001, Guiding Light
1996, General Hospital
1979, Ryan's Hope
Other
Honored with Evelyn F. Burkey Award by the Writers Guild of America on February 19, 2005. The award was presented to her by friend Kate Mulgrew.
Connecticut College Gold Medal 1995 Inherit The Earth Award for General Hospital story line on environmental racism, a ground-breaking plot for daytime about a trash incinerator about to be located in a low income area featured icon Laura Webber in fight for social justice .
