Flashback: Douglas Marland, 58, a Recipient Of 3 Emmies for TV Writing, Dies

Douglas Marland, 58, a Recipient Of 3 Emmies for TV Writing, Dies

By BRUCE LAMBERT
Published: March 8, 1993
New York Times

Douglas Marland, a head writer on major television soap operas who won three Emmy Awards, died on Saturday at the age of 58 at a hospital in Norwalk, Conn. He resided in Fairfield County, Conn.

His death was caused by complications from abdominal surgery, his family said.

Mr. Marland was the head writer of "As the World Turns" for the last seven years. He held previous jobs as the head writer at "General Hospital," "Guiding Light," "The Doctors" and "Loving." He was also a co-creator of "Loving" and a writer for "Another World."

In his tenure at "General Hospital," the show jumped to first place in audience ratings among daytime serials, from a ranking of 12th out of 14.

His scripts were noted for contemporary issues and for drawing younger adult viewers. In 1988 he featured daytime drama's first leading gay male character, Hank Eliot in "As the World Turns."

Mr. Marland won his first Emmy in 1974-75 as the associate writer for "Another World," soon after becoming a writer in his late 30's. His second and third came in the early 1980's at "Guiding Light," when it also won two Emmy Awards as the best daytime drama. In recent years he earned three more Emmy nominations.

As head writer he outlined the stories, a team of writers filled in the dialogue, and he then edited the script for consistency.

Producing 70 pages daily, five days a week, was chaotic, he said in a 1986 interview. "It's like you're living in three time zones," he said, "because you're watching a show at 1:30 that you wrote the outline for eight weeks earlier and edited six weeks earlier." But the pressure gave freedom: "We don't have people breathing down our back to rewrite or tearing our work apart, because there simply isn't time."

His career began in acting for the stage, movies and television. While seeing last-minute script changes made on the sets of daytime serials, he was prompted to try his own hand.

Mr. Marland was born in West Sand Lake, N.Y., with the family name Messner. He was a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan.

Surviving are his mother, Kathryn B. Messner of West Sand Lake; two brothers, Wayne K. Messner of Brookline, N.H., and Daryll K. Messner of West Sand Lake, and a sister, Barbara D. Miter of West Sand Lake.