Duo who created the famous super couple Luke and Laura from General Hospital

Port Charles, NY, super-couple Luke and Laura, and this controversial episode.

All parts of the soap opera General Hospitalthat I watched for over four decades; I was hooked in high school and watched every day until I was 40, until the plots became ridiculous.

At its peak, GH (first aired in 1963) was the best of the best and was watched around the world by people like me who couldn't get enough of it.

But later, as I got older, life took over, feeding my pets, earning a living and washing my clothes became priorities.

I fondly remember those days of being transported to another world and being left with a cliffhanger until the next day. Oh, to be a writer on the show and create characters that the audience would love.

Interestingly, I recently learned that a married couple, Irving Stanton Elman and Mildred Tex Elman, were indeed major players on the soap.

Together, the Elmans' most notable accomplishments were in daytime television, particularly their work on GH (1977) and Search for Tomorrow (1976–77).

One of their most iconic stories was of course the legendary romance between the characters. Luke Spencer and Laura Webber on GH that captivated audiences around the world. It is still considered one of the most memorable and beloved stories in soap opera history. Elman's development of these characters played a key role in putting the show back on the map after years of poor ratings.

Sadly, Irving, who lived to be 96, died on November 22, 2011 in La Jolla of cardiopulmonary arrest, while Mildred died at the age of 85 on May 10, 2006 at UCLA-Santa Monica Hospital of multiple organ failure.

FIRST DAYS

Born in Patterson, New Jersey, on June 28, 1915, Irving parents They were Mother Hinde Nirenberg and Father Joseph Jacob Elman.

Before the soap operas, he had three of his plays performed on Broadway: The First Million in 1943, The Brass Ring in 1952 and Uncle Willie in 1957. The latter, a comedy set in the Bronx, written with Julie Berns, was the most successful, running for 141 performances.

Among his other plays was Tevye's Daughters, an adaptation of Sholom Aleichem's short stories that preceded Fiddler on the Roof by a decade and a half.

In the 1940s, Irving Elman turned to screenwriting, writing the scripts for eight filmsincluding Accomplice, Strange Journey, Backlash, Jewels of Brandenberg, The Crimson Key, Roses Are Red, 13 Lead Soldiers and Challenge.

He has also written for television, from the earliest days of live television. His credits include Hallmark Hall of Fame, Studio One, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Brothers Brannagan, The Verdict Is Yours and The Eleventh Hour.

Mrs. ELMAN

Mildred was also a screenwriter and English professor at Santa Monica College who lived in The Pacific Palisadesborn January 18, 1921 in Houston. As previously mentioned, she was co-head writer of GH and Search for Tomorrow.

Additionally, she has written screenplays for the television series The Eleventh Hour, The Brothers Brannagan, True Story, The Verdict Is Yours, as well as the screenplay for the Israeli feature film Redemption.

MORE TV HITS AND BOOKS

Irving Elman also produced five medical television series: The Eleventh Hour and Ben Casey; the western High Chaparral; the political drama Slattery's People (for which he was nominated twice for an Emmy Award in 1966); and Matt Lincoln, about a psychiatrist. Elman also produced the television films The Cliffdwellers and Roaring Camp.

In his later years he published five books: So, You Want to Be a Scriptwriter and Make a Million Dollars? Abe Lincoln's Doctors Dog, Bells on Her Toes, A Tango in Time, and Sherlock Holmes: The Naked Truth.

MANY REWARDS

In addition to his many accomplishments, Irving has received numerous Awards and nominations throughout his career, including:

Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Drama Series for General Hospital.

Soap Opera Digest Awards for Outstanding Drama Series for General Hospital.

Other industry accolades recognize his contributions to film and television production.
Married for 60 years, the couple is survived by sons Jeffrey, a professor of cognitive science at UC San Diego, and Corey, a ceramic designer who lives in Long Beach; grandchildren Emily and Jeremy; and sister Ava Jean Mears of Houston, according to an obituary at the time of the shooting. the death.