Christopher Whitesell is an American television

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. He has served as either co-head writer, associate head writer, or a breakdown writer on the shows he has worked. In April 2012, he was named co-head writer of ''Days of Our Lives'' with Gary Tomlin, replacing Marlene Clark McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas who had been let go.

Biography

He is the son of Patricia and John Patrick "Jack" Whitesell.The Courier: "Iowa Falls family finds ties to show business" by Jessica Miller
Mar 12, 2001 His brothers are the late film and television actor

Sean Whitesell Sean Whitesell (March 11, 1963 – December 28, 2015) was an American film and television actor, writer and producer. Early life and education Whitesell was born in Iowa Falls, Iowa,Patrick Whitesell Patrick Whitesell (born February 4, 1965) is an American businessman and executive chairman of Endeavor, an entertainment and media agency. He joined the Endeavor Talent Agency as a partner in February 2001, where he was a member of the company� ...

, college basketball coach James Whitesell, and director

John Whitesell John Patrick Whitesell is an American television and film director. He has directed numerous films such as '' Calendar Girl'', ''Big Momma's House 2'' and ''Holidate''. He started his career as a film director in 1993. Early life and education W ...

.Deadline: "Sean Whitesell Dies: Television Writer-Producer And Brother Of WME’s Patrick Whitesell Was 52" by Ross A. Lincoln
December 31, 2015The Wrap: "Sean Whitesell, TV Writer and Brother of WME’s Patrick Whitesell, Dead at 52" by Jeff Sneider
December 31, 2015

Positions held

'' Another World'' *Associate head writer: 1988–1991, 1995–1996 ''

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 ...

'' *Breakdown writer: 1987–1988 (hired by

Douglas Marland Douglas Marland (born Marland Messner; May 5, 1934 – March 6, 1993) was an American writer, known for his work as the head writer of several soap operas. Career Marland began his career as an actor, appearing on the Irna Phillips series ''The B ...

), 2003–2005 (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 ...

) * Co-head writer: May 25, 2005 – October 17, 2007 (with

Jean Passanante Jean Passanante (born June 26, 1953) is an American television screenwriter, best known for her work in daytime soap operas. Passanante got her start as an actress doing bit parts in the 1980s, including John Sayles's ''Return of the Secaucus 7' ...

Leah Laiman Leah Laiman (born August 29, 1946 in Tel Aviv, Israel) is an American soap opera writer and romance novelist. Career Laiman got her start on daytime television during the early 1980s at General Hospital. Laiman succeeded former Head Writer, P ...

) ''

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. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...

'' *Associate head writer: 2000–2001 *Co-head writer: October 13, 2008 – June 13, 2011 (with

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 from ...

, (hired by

Gary Tomlin Gary Tomlin is an American soap opera actor, writer, producer and director. Career Tomlin's career on daytime serials began in 1973 when he was cast on CBS's ''Search for Tomorrow'' as Bruce Carson. He also made a guest appearance on "The Nightwal ...

) *Co-headwriter: August 17, 2012 – August 18, 2015 (with

, (hired by

Ken Corday Kenneth Robert Corday (born June 16, 1950) is an American television soap opera producer and music composer. He is the son of Ted Corday and Betty Corday, the co-creators of ''Days of Our Lives''. His production company Corday Productions owns 1 ...

) ''

General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...

'' *Co-head writer: May – December 5, 1997 *Associate head writer: 1997 *Breakdown writer: November 20, 2015 – December 1, 2017 ''

Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...

'' *Associate head writer: 1984–1986 ''

One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...

'' *Co-head writer: 2001 – January 31, 2003 *Associate head writer: 1993–1995 (hired by Michael Malone) '' Sunset Beach'' *Co-head writer: January 8, 1998 – December 31, 1999 (with

Meg Bennett Meg Bennett is an American television soap opera writer and occasional actress. She is married to ex-''General Hospital'' head writer Robert Guza Jr. Early life Born Helen Bennett on October 4, 1948, Meg is the eldest daughter of a printing compan ...

: till October 8, 1998; then

Margaret DePriest Margaret DePriest (born April 19, 1931) is a retired American actress and daytime serial writer. She was nominated for 5 Daytime Emmy Award awards for her writing and in 1965 won an Obie Award for Best Actress for her performance in ''The Pl ...

) ''

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, Wi ...

'' *Breakdown writer: June 21, 2011 – June 11, 2012

Awards and nominations

Daytime Emmy Awards The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...

NOMINATIONS *(2006; Best Writing; ''As the World Turns'') *(1995 & 2002; Best Writing; ''One Life to Live'') *(1989; Best Writing; ''Another World'') *(1985; Best Writing; ''Guiding Light'') WINS *(2004–2005; Best Writing; ''As the World Turns'') *(1994; Best Writing; ''One Life to Live'') *(1986; Best Writing; ''Guiding Light'')

Writers Guild of America Award The Writers Guild of America Awards is an award for film, television, and radio writing including both fiction and non-fiction categories given by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America West since 1949. Eligibility Th ...

NOMINATIONS *2005 season; ''As the World Turns'' *2001 season; ''Days of Our Lives'' *1997 & 1998 season; ''General Hospital'' *1997 season; ''Another World'' *1994 season; ''One Life to Live'' *1984 & 1985 season; ''Guiding Light''

HW history

References

External links

*
CBS: ATWTProcter & Gamble
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitesell, Christopher Living people American soap opera writers People from Iowa Falls, Iowa Year of birth missing (living people) Whitesell family