Frank M. Hursley (November 21, 1902 – February 3, 1989) and Doris Hursley (September 29, 1898 – May 5, 1984) were an American husband-and-wife team of screenwriters, best known for their serials, especially the medical drama General Hospital.
The couple were writers on the Western series Have Gun, Will Travel, but became famous in the soap world in 1957 when they began writing for the CBS Daytime show Search for Tomorrow. They continued to write Search for Tomorrow even after the show that they created, General Hospital, had premiered. Another married couple that were television writers, Theodore and Mathilde Ferro, wrote the show in its early months.
They created the medical drama General Hospital, for ABC Daytime in 1963. It was the first serious effort by that network to create a daytime serial. Today, General Hospital is the longest-running daytime serial on American television. The duo head wrote the show until 1973, when they handed the reins to their daughter and son-in-law, Bridget and Jerome Dobson. In 1969, the Hursleys created and wrote the NBC Daytime soap opera Bright Promise that starred Dana Andrews as college president Tom Boswell. However, they soon left that series and it was eventually cancelled in 1972. The Hursleys retired from writing serials.
Personal lives
Doris was the eldest daughter of Socialists Victor Berger and Meta Berger (he a Congressman; she an organizer and feminist)and held a law degree from Marquette University. Frank Hursley left his first wife, Madeleine, and their one-year-old son, Frank Jr., both of Detroit, and became an English professor at the University of Wisconsin's Milwaukee Extension. After Doris's divorce in 1935 from her first husband, Colin Welles, she married Frank in 1936. The couple began writing for radio during World War II and moved from their home in Thiensville, Wisconsin, to California in 1946.[1]
Their daughter Bridget also became a television writer, creating soap opera Santa Barbara.
References
^Stevens, Michael (Ed.). Family Letters of Victor and Meta Berger, 1894-1929. Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1995, p. 14. Doris day ISBN0-87020-277-4
frank, doris, hursley, frank, hursley, november, 1902, february, 1989, doris, hursley, september, 1898, 1984, were, american, husband, wife, team, screenwriters, best, known, their, serials, especially, medical, drama, general, hospital, frank, hursleybornfran. Frank M Hursley November 21 1902 February 3 1989 and Doris Hursley September 29 1898 May 5 1984 were an American husband and wife team of screenwriters best known for their serials especially the medical drama General Hospital Frank HursleyBornFrank M Hursley 1902 11 21 November 21 1902CanadaDiedFebruary 3 1989 1989 02 03 aged 86 Santa Barbara California U S NationalityAmericanOccupationTelevision screenwriterKnown forHave Gun Will Travel Search for Tomorrow General HospitalDoris HursleyBorn 1898 09 29 September 29 1898Milwaukee Wisconsin U S DiedMay 5 1984 1984 05 05 aged 85 Santa Barbara California U S NationalityAmericanOccupationTelevision screenwriterKnown forHave Gun Will Travel Search for Tomorrow General Hospital Contents 1 Biographical 2 Personal lives 3 References 4 External linksBiographical EditThe couple were writers on the Western series Have Gun Will Travel but became famous in the soap world in 1957 when they began writing for the CBS Daytime show Search for Tomorrow They continued to write Search for Tomorrow even after the show that they created General Hospital had premiered Another married couple that were television writers Theodore and Mathilde Ferro wrote the show in its early months They created the medical drama General Hospital for ABC Daytime in 1963 It was the first serious effort by that network to create a daytime serial Today General Hospital is the longest running daytime serial on American television The duo head wrote the show until 1973 when they handed the reins to their daughter and son in law Bridget and Jerome Dobson In 1969 the Hursleys created and wrote the NBC Daytime soap opera Bright Promise that starred Dana Andrews as college president Tom Boswell However they soon left that series and it was eventually cancelled in 1972 The Hursleys retired from writing serials Personal lives EditDoris was the eldest daughter of Socialists Victor Berger and Meta Berger he a Congressman she an organizer and feminist and held a law degree from Marquette University Frank Hursley left his first wife Madeleine and their one year old son Frank Jr both of Detroit and became an English professor at the University of Wisconsin s Milwaukee Extension After Doris s divorce in 1935 from her first husband Colin Welles she married Frank in 1936 The couple began writing for radio during World War II and moved from their home in Thiensville Wisconsin to California in 1946 1 Their daughter Bridget also became a television writer creating soap opera Santa Barbara References Edit Stevens Michael Ed Family Letters of Victor and Meta Berger 1894 1929 Madison State Historical Society of Wisconsin 1995 p 14 Doris day ISBN 0 87020 277 4External links EditFrank Hursley at IMDb Doris Hursley at IMDb Https michigantoday umich edu 2013 07 29 a8670 The Real Life Soap Opera of GENERAL HOSPITAL creator Frank Hursley Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frank and Doris Hursley amp oldid 1095320687, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
